Heights Law Group

A defined scope for family and property matters

Heights Law Group limits its Houston practice to estate planning and probate. The firm prepares wills and trusts, plans for incapacity, and helps families arrange the transfer of assets. It also guides families through probate after a relative dies. This focused scope gives the attorneys a clear set of related services.

The firm works with young families, empty nesters, elderly clients, and blended families. Its website also discusses plans involving charitable goals, pets, non-US citizenship, and special needs. Business owners can seek advice about succession, incapacity, and long-term continuity. In my opinion, this defined scope is useful for clients seeking counsel centered on wills, trusts, and probate.

How estate planning usually takes shape

As general context, estate planning begins with a review of family ties, property, existing documents, and personal wishes. The attorney and client then identify who should manage affairs during incapacity and who should receive property after death. Common documents can include wills, trusts, financial powers of attorney, and medical directives. The right set depends on the client's assets and goals.

A will can name beneficiaries, nominate an executor, and address guardianship wishes for minor children. A trust can set terms for property management during life or after death. Incapacity documents give selected people authority to make financial or health decisions under stated conditions. Heights Law Group's listed services cover the wills, trusts, and incapacity planning parts of that work.

How the team is built

The website identifies a women-led team with three named attorneys. Amanda Pierson is the owner and an attorney. Jody Schechter and Christine Harvat Ng are attorneys with distinct areas of emphasis within the firm's stated focus. The site also lists a paralegal and other support staff.

Pierson works on estate plans and probate matters, with wills and trusts among her stated services. Her interest in this field began after her father died in June 2014 while she was studying for the bar. She graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Law in 2014. She also worked as an associate editor of the Texas Law Review.

Schechter focuses on guiding clients through probate. Her biography connects that work with the loss of her own father in 2019. She graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Law in 2010. Her law school activities included the Texas International Law Journal and the Immigration Clinic.

Experience tied to different client needs

Schechter has also performed volunteer legal work since law school. The website gives free representation for a person seeking asylum as one example. That detail adds a concrete public service item to her biography. Her current role at the firm centers on probate clients.

Ng advises clients on estate planning across generations. She also works with business owners on succession planning, entity structure, and concerns affecting closely held companies. A native Houstonian, she graduated with honors from the University of Chicago Law School in 2013. She began her career at a global law firm in Houston and later worked as in-house counsel for two multinational companies.

What probate work involves

Families often enter probate while handling both grief and legal duties. Heights Law Group says it guides families through the process after the death of a relative. Schechter's stated focus gives probate a named attorney within the team. Pierson also works with clients on probate matters.

General stages after a death

In general, probate starts with filing the required papers in the proper court. A court may confirm a named executor or appoint an administrator. The personal representative then identifies estate property, addresses valid debts, and prepares distributions under a will or state law. Court filings and deadlines shape the timing of each step.

Some assets pass under beneficiary designations, trust terms, or survivorship arrangements. Other assets may require court administration. Probate counsel commonly reviews deeds, account records, wills, death certificates, and creditor information to identify the proper procedure. The facts of the estate determine which documents and court steps apply.

Disputes can also affect probate, though the firm's site describes its work in terms of guidance through the process. Questions may concern the will, the choice of personal representative, property ownership, or proposed distributions. Clear records and timely filings help the court and interested parties understand the estate.

Planning for families, beneficiaries, and businesses

The client groups listed by the firm point to several kinds of planning questions. Parents of young children may consider guardianship wishes and the management of inherited property. Empty nesters and elderly clients may review older documents, current beneficiaries, and incapacity arrangements. Blended families often need precise terms concerning spouses, children, and separately owned property.

Needs that call for careful drafting

Plans involving charitable gifts require a clear description of the recipient and the intended transfer. Pet planning commonly identifies a caregiver and sets directions for available funds. Non-US citizenship can affect the legal and tax review of a proposed plan. The firm's website identifies each of these situations among the client needs it handles.

Special needs planning can involve trust terms, the selection of a trustee, and attention to public benefit rules. Families often gather benefit records and information about the beneficiary's care before drafting begins. The website states that Heights Law Group works with clients who have special needs planning concerns. That is a distinct part of its listed estate planning work.

Business succession raises questions about future ownership, management authority, and continuity during incapacity. Closely held companies may also need coordination between personal estate documents and company records. Ng's biography specifically names succession planning, entity structuring, and issues facing closely held companies. This work connects business planning with the firm's estate planning focus.

Access and working process

The site describes a process that includes virtual meetings, online scheduling, and signing sessions. These options give clients several ways to handle the preparation and execution of documents. The firm operates one office in Houston and arranges consultations by appointment. Its stated small-firm approach centers the work on each family's circumstances.

What the published record confirms

The website states that the team has more than 12 years of experience. Its attorney biographies provide law school graduation years and selected educational or career details. Pierson and Schechter graduated from the University of Texas School of Law, while Ng graduated from the University of Chicago Law School. All three biographies connect their backgrounds with the work they now handle.

The published service list remains centered on estate planning, trusts, wills, and probate. The team also addresses incapacity planning, asset transfers, business succession, and planning for closely held companies. The website says Spanish-speaking assistance is available.