Laura assists businesses and individuals in looking beyond everyday issues to planning how their estates will pass to heirs. She drafts wills and trusts in the context of estate plans to ensure a smooth transition of property and assets that will have limited tax consequences. At the appropriate time, she guides executors and family members through the probate process.
She also works with entrepreneurs and small businesses, lending her expertise in writing business plans, forming entities, analyzing employee compensation, and reviewing leases and contracts.
She has served as an adjunct professor at St. Edward’s University in Austin teaching one or two business law courses a semester to undergraduate or graduate students, often drawing from her own professional experience.
Education
- M.B.A., St. Edward’s University, Austin, 2010
- J.D., St. Mary’s University School of Law, San Antonio, 2006. She received a Dean’s scholarship award and participated in Mock Trial competition in spring 2003 and fall 2005
- B.A., psychology and Spanish, Austin College, Sherman, Texas, 2002. She received an achievement scholarship, was on the Dean’s list, earned membership in two national honor societies (Spanish and Foreign Language). She studied in Costa Rica in January 2000; Spain in fall 2000; and France in January 2002. She was an ambassador in the Office of International Education, 2001-2002, and was elected to the Greek Council as secretary/treasurer/reporter, 2001-2002.
Licenses and Memberships
- State Bar of Texas
- Licensed to practice before the Texas Supreme Court
- American Bar Association
- Texas Bar Association
- Texas Young Lawyers Association
- Austin Bar Association
Professional Experience
- Texas Senate Research Center, staff attorney and researcher, 2007-2010. She researched inquiries from Texas senators about subjects ranging from education and elections to insurance regulation and the authority of local governments. She wrote summaries of committee hearings for distribution to senators and staff as well as numerous articles for Capitol Clearinghouse Update, a bimonthly publication of the Texas Senate during the legislative interim. Her publications included the following reports:
– “Issues Facing the 82nd Texas Legislature,” coauthor, January 2011
– “Highlights of the 81st Texas Legislature,” coauthor, September 2009
– “Issues Facing the 81st Texas Legislature,” coauthor, January 2009
– “Invisible Governments: Special Purpose Districts in Texas,” in Research Spotlight, coauthor, October 2008
– “Highlights of the 80th Texas Legislature,” coauthor, September 2007
- U.S. Attorney’s office, Western District of Texas, San Antonio, intern, spring 2006
- Richie & Gueringer, attorneys, Austin, law clerk, 2002-2003 and summer 2005
- Family Violence Prevention Services, San Antonio, volunteer legal assistant, spring 2005
Not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization