Elder Law Attorneys Helping You Plan For The Future

Wesley E. Wright

Wesley E. Wright

 

Practice Areas:

  • Estate Planning
  • Medicaid Planning
  • Special Needs Trusts and Probate

Education

  • South Texas College of Law Houston, Houston, Texas
    • J.D. - 1981
  • University of Houston, Houston, Texas
    • B.S.- Business - 1977

Bar Admissions

  • Texas
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
  • Supreme Court of Texas
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Licenses and Certifications

  • Board Certified, Estate Planning and Probate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1998
  • Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA), National Elder Law Foundation, 2002

Professional Memberships

  • Member, Disability and Elder Law Attorneys Association, President 1991-1993; An original founder
  • Member, Houston Bar Association, Probate, Trusts & Estates Section, Chair 2000-2001
  • Member, State Bar of Texas, Real Estate, Probate & Trust Section
  • Member, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), Bylaws Committee 2001-2002, Program and Education Committee 2001-2004, Membership Committee 2002-2003, NAELA Board Member 2004-2006, Editorial Board Member for NAELA Journal 2004-2005
  • Member, Texas Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, President 2004-2005 and 2014-2015
  • Member, Special Needs Alliance (SNA)
  • Member, The ARC of Greater Houston
  • Member, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Professional Awards And Honors

  • Outstanding Achievement Award, Texas Chapter of NAELA, 2002
  • Texas NAELA Chapter Member of the Year 2018
  • Texas NAELA – Outstanding Service & Leadership as President Award 2014-2015
  • Listed in Texas Super Lawyers - Elder Law, 2006-2023
  • Listed as Lawyer of the Year, Elder Law – Houston Area, Texas’ Best Lawyers, 2014, 2017, and 2023
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America – Elder Law, 2008-2023
  • Listed in Texas' Best Lawyers – Elder Law, 2008-2023
  • Houston's Top Lawyers for the People, H Texas Magazine, 2008-2009, 2012-2015
  • Martindale Hubble AV® Peer Review Rated*
  • Listed as a Top Rated Lawyer in Trust & Estate Law, The American Lawyer Magazine, 2013
  • Listed as a Top Lawyer in Elder Law, Houstonia Magazine, 2016-2018
  • Listed in Texas Top Rated Lawyers, Legal Leaders ALM, 2021

Newspaper, Textbooks and Online Articles and Quotes

  • Houston Chronicle Columnist, “Elder Law Notes,” Monthly, Senior Living Section
  • Houston Chronicle Columnist, “Elder Law Notes,” Monthly, 50+ Section
  • Online Column, “Elder Law,” Monthly, mysanantonio.com
  • “Proper Planning is the Key to Passing Wealth to Beneficiaries,” Houston Chronicle, Legacy
    Section, Co-Authored with Stanley M. Johanson, April 2000
  • Quoted in online column, “Selling Your Parent’s Home When They Have Alzheimer’s,”
    by Lori Johnson, March 2012
  • Quoted in USA Today, “Sorry, Savers: Interest Rates Set New Lows,” by John Wagner,
    July 2012
  • “Elder Law: How will you pay for long-term care?” lmtonline.com, 2017
  • “Elder Law: How will you pay for long-term care?” facebook.com/national-elder-lawfoundation,
    2017
  • Quoted in Begley, Thomas D, and Angela E Canellos. Special Needs Trust Handbook. Aspen
    Publishers, 2008.
  • Quoted in Beyer, Gerry W. Teaching Materials on Estate Planning. 4th ed., West
    Academic Publishing, 2012.
  • Quoted in Beyer, Gerry W. Teaching Materials on Estate Planning. 5th ed., West
    Academic Publishing, 2020.
  • Multiple re-prints of Houston Chronicle Column by Professor Gerry Beyer in the online blog,
    “Wills Trust & Estates Prof Blog”.
  • Acknowledged cited in Gerry W. Beyer, Teaching Materials on Estate Planning (American
    Casebook Series) XII,457 (West 3rd ed. 2005).

Magazine Articles

  • “Planning Effectively to Cope with Medicaid Estate Recovery,” Estate Planning Magazine, 2005
  • “Section 8: Housing in the 21st Century Age of the Voucher,” NAELA News, 2006
  • “Section 8: Affordable Housing for Exceptional Families,” Exceptional Parent Magazine, 2009
  • Featured in full page article by Texas Super Lawyers for special interest of a lawyer regarding
    portrayal of George Washington, 2016

Books

  • Guardianship Alternatives, State Bar of Texas, 2016-2017, Co-author
  • Save My Home! Saving Your Home, Farm or Ranch from Medicaid Estate Recovery in Texas,
    Co-author
  • West’s Texas Elder Law, Volume 51, Texas Practice Series, Co-author

TV And Radio

  • CBS Radio – Interview Regarding Estate Recovery in Texas, 2004
  • PBS Channel 8, Richard Alderman’s “Know Your Rights,” 2004

Professional Presentations

  • HBA, Wills & Probate Institute, “Drafting for Medicaid,” 1999
  • Texas NAELA Conference, “New & Cutting Edge Medicaid Strategies,” 1999
  • HBA, Guardianships & Ad Litem Certification & Elder Law Institute, “Drafting Special Needs Trusts,” 1999
  • Attorneys in Tax & Probate, “Testamentary Supplemental Needs Trusts,” 1999
  • State Bar of Texas, Advanced Tax Law Course, “Protecting Family Assets With Medicaid
    Planning,” 1999
  • University of Texas, Intermediate Estate Planning, Guardianship and Elder Law Conference,
    “Recognizing & Responding to Inappropriate or Illegal Estate Planning,” 2000
  • State Bar of Texas, Elder Law Course, “Abuse, Neglect and Financial Exploitation of the
    Elderly,” 2000, 2001
  • Attorneys in Tax & Probate, “Current Developments in Medicaid,” 2001
  • State Bar of Texas, Advanced Estate Planning & Probate Institute, “Report on Medicare After
    the HMO Retreat, What’s New in Advanced Medicaid Planning Techniques and
    Prospective Dilemmas in Medicaid Planning,” 2001
  • HBA, Health Law Section, “Medicaid Qualification for Nursing Home Care,” 2001
  • South Texas College of Law, Wills & Probate Institute with Guardianship Certification Course,
    “Medicaid Rules and Planning,” 2001
  • Texas NAELA Conference, “UPL & Effect on Elder Law Attorneys and Clients, and What is
    Being Done,” 2001
  • HBA, Wills & Probate Institute, “Practical Considerations in Medicaid Planning: Twelve Things
    to Avoid,” 2002
  • State Bar of Texas, Elder Law Course, “Basic Medicaid and Long-Term Care Planning,” 2002
  • Children’s Case Management Coalition Conference, “Planning Special Needs Trusts for the
    Disabled,” 2002
  • South Texas College of Law, Representing the Elderly Client: Estate Planning, Special Needs
    Trusts & Guardianships, “Fifteen Misrepresentations Made by Nursing Homes,” 2002
  • Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, Advanced Estate Planning Conference, “To
    Spend Down or Not to Spend Down on the Nursing Home,” 2002
  • Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, Annual CPE Expo, “Medicaid and Disability
    Issues,” 2002
  • Texas Weslayan Law School and Stetson Law School, Special Needs Trusts Seminar, “Top Ten
    Tips for SNTs,” 2003
  • NAELA, Institute, “Delivering Ritz-Carlton Legendary Service Practices in an Elder Law Firm,”
    2003
  • State Bar of Texas, Elder Law Institute, “Estate Recovery: Foundation & Strategy,” 2004
  • HBA, Elder Law Institute, “Estate Recovery: Planning Considerations,” 2004
  • University of Houston, Wills and Probate Institute, “Medicaid, Medicare and Estate Recovery:
    Can You Get the Benefits Without Losing Everything?,” 2004
  • State Bar of Texas, Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Seminar, “Medicaid Estate
    Recovery,” 2004
  • State Bar of Texas, State Bar College Summer School, “Medicaid Estate Recovery: When the
    Government Wants Your Homestead,” 2004
  • South Texas College of Law, Wills & Probate Institute, “Medicaid Estate Recovery,” 2004
  • NAELA, Institute, “Puttin’ on the Ritz: Does it Really Work?,” 2004
  • State Bar of Texas, Advanced Elder Law & Guardianship Courses, “Medicaid Estate Recovery
    Program (MERP) Final Rules, Including the Expanded Estate, Gifting, and Unmarried
    Adult Children,” 2005
  • State Bar of Texas, Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Seminar, “Medicaid Estate Recovery
    Update,” 2005
  • State Bar of Texas, Annual Meeting, “Medicaid Estate Recovery,” 2005
    State Bar of Texas, Representing Older Adults Living with Disabilities: The Nuts & Bolts of
    Aging Issues, “Medicaid Estate Recovery,” 2005
  • University of Houston, Wills & Probate Institute, “Medicaid, Medicare & Estate Recovery,”
    2005
  • State Bar of Texas, Summer School, “Saving the Family Homestead: The Final Rules for the
    Texas Medicaid Recovery Act,” 2005
  • State Bar of Texas Advanced Estate Planning Conference, “Medicaid Changes and Strategies,”
    2006
  • University of Houston, Wills & Probate Institute, “The Government Wants It Paid Back! Estate
    Recovery, Monthly Gifting and The Deficit Reduction Act,” 2006
  • State Bar College, Summer School, “Medicaid Update: Estate recovery, Gifting and The Deficit
    Reduction Act,” 2006
  • University of Texas Elder Law Conference, “Save My Home! Saving the Home, Farm or Ranch
    from Medicaid Estate Recovery in Texas,” 2006
  • South Texas College of Law, Wills & Probate Institute, “Significant Changes to Medicaid,” 2006
  • Texas Chapter of NAELA, Annual Conference, “Q&A With Three Recent Past Presidents,” 2006
  • University of Texas, Special Needs Trusts Conference, “Sole-Benefit Trusts,” 2007
  • State Bar of Texas, Advanced Elder Law and Advanced Guardianship Courses, “A Survey of
    Non-Institutionalized Medicaid Programs for Persons Who are Elderly/Disabled,” 2007
  • State Bar of Texas, Advanced Estate Planning Conference, “Medicaid Changes and Strategies,”
    June 2007
  • University of Texas, Estate Planning, Elder Law and Guardianship Conference, “Agency
    Perspective on Public Benefits,” Panel Moderator, August 2007
  • State Bar of Texas, Advanced Family Law Course, “Looking Ahead: Long-term Financial
    Planning in Connection with Divorce,” August 2007
  • North American Brain Injury Society Conference on Brain Injury,” Application of Special Needs
    Trusts and Long Term Planning,” September 2007
  • University of Texas, Special Needs Trusts Conference, “Amending the Special Needs Trust,”
    January 2008
  • Victoria Regional Area Estate Planning Council, “Guardianships and Planning for Disability,”
    May 2008
  • University of Texas Estate Planning, Guardianship and Elder Law Conference, Panel Moderator:
    “Agency Perspective on Public Benefits,” August 2008
  • University of Texas, Special Needs Trusts Conference, “Changes and Trends Affecting Special
    Needs Trusts,” February 2009
  • University of Texas, Estate Planning, Elder Law and Guardianship Conference, “Elder Law
    Overview” and “Agency Perspective on Public Benefits,” Panel Moderator, August 2009
  • HBA, Guardianship Institute, “Introduction to VA Benefits,” January 2010
  • University of Texas, Special Needs Trusts Changes and Trends Affecting Special Needs Trusts,
    “Life Care Plans and Approaches to Life Care Planning,” February 2010
  • University of Texas Estate Planning, Guardianship and Elder Law Conference Panel Moderator:
    “Tricare for Life and Extended Care Benefits,” August 2010
  • University of Texas, Special Needs Trusts Changes and Trends Affecting Special Needs Trusts,
    Panel Moderator, February 2011
  • State Bar of Texas, Advanced Elder Law, “Sole Benefit Trusts,” Speaker, Houston, April 2011
  • University of Texas, Estate Planning, Guardianship and Elder Law Conference, “Public Benefit
    Planning for the Blended Family,” Speaker, Galveston, August 2011
  • San Antonio Estate Planners Council, “Elder Law Overview and Medicaid Administration,”
    November 2011
  • Midland Odessa Business and Estate Council Meeting, “Elder Law Overview, Public Benefits
    Planning, Medicaid and VA,” Speaker, Midland, January 2012
  • University of Texas, Changes and Trends Affecting Special Needs Trusts, “The ‘Dirty Dozen’:
    Blatant Mistakes in Special Needs Trusts,” Speaker, Austin, February 2012
  • Special Needs Alliance, Spring 2012 Meeting, “Life Care Plans and Approaches to Life Care
    Planning,” Co-Speaker, Phoenix, March 2012
  • State Bar of Texas, Advanced Elder Law Conference, “The Bear Traps of Planning-10 Ways to
    Win (or Lose) Your Case,” Speaker, Dallas, April 2012
  • Elder Law Lecture Series, “Life Care Planning and Costs of Long-Term Care,” Speaker,
    Houston, June 2012
  • University of Texas, Estate Planning, Guardianship and Elder Law Conference, “The Bear-Traps
    of Medicaid Planning-10 Ways to Win (or Lose) Your Case,” Galveston, August 2012
  • Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, Estate Planning Conference, “Elder Law
    Overview and Update,” Speaker, San Antonio, August 2012
  • Houston Bar Association, “The ‘Dirty Dozen’ Blatant Mistakes in SNTs,” Speaker, Houston,
    October 2012
  • University of Texas, 9th Annual Changes and Trends Affecting Special Needs Trusts, “The
    ‘Dirty Dozen,’ Part II: Blatant Drafting Mistakes, Nos. 13-24,” Speaker, Austin,
    February 2013
  • Austin County Bar Association, “Elder Law Overview, Medicaid and MERP,” Speaker,
    Bellville, March 2013
  • State Bar of Texas, Advanced Elder Law CLE Course, “Elder Law Overview,” and “The
    Complexities of Tragedy, Fundraising, Special Needs Trusts, Medicaid, and Tax
    Deductions,” Speaker, Houston, April 2013
  • State Bar of Texas, Advanced Estate Planning and Probate CLE Course, “The Complexities of
    Tragedy, Fundraising, Special Needs Trusts, Medicaid, and Tax Deductions,” Speaker,
    Houston, June 2013
  • University of Texas, 10th Annual Changes and Trends Affecting Special Needs Trusts, “POMS
    Update,” Speaker, Round Rock, February 2014
  • University of Texas, 11th Annual Changes and Trends Affecting Special Needs Trusts, “Special
    Needs Trusts Overview,” Austin, February 2015
  • University of Texas, 17th Annual Estate Planning, Guardianship and Elder Law Conference,
    “Elder Law Overview,” Speaker, Galveston, August 2015
  • University of Texas, 20th Annual Estate Planning, Guardianship and Elder Law Conference,
    “Malpractice Claims, A Review of the American Bar Association’s Profile of Legal
    Malpractice Claims” Co-Speaker, Galveston, August 2018
  • American Leadership Forum, “Avoiding Caregiver Burnout,” Panelist, February 2019
  • National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) Annual Conference “Malpractice Claims,
    A Review of the American Bar Association’s Profile of Legal Malpractice Claims”
    Speaker, Fort Worth, May 2019
  • University of Texas 23rd Annual Estate Planning, Guardianship and Elder Law Conference,
    “Business Property Exclusions in Medicaid Cases.” Co-Speaker, Online, August, 2021
  • University of Texas 24th Annual Estate Planning, Guardianship and Elder Law Conference,
    “Business Property Exclusions in Medicaid Cases.” Co-Speaker, Galveston, Texas,
    August, 2022
  • State Bar of Texas, Advanced Elder Law, “Medicaid for the Middle Class & Business Exempt
    Property”, 2022

Select Community Presentations

  • NASA/Johnson Space Center, Total Health & Safety Day, “Elder Law Issues,” 2000
  • Houston Chronicle, Managing Your Money Seminar, “Planning for Elder Care,” 2001
  • Case Management Society of America Conference, “Medicaid Planning: What Is It? Who Needs
    It? and the Most Frequently Asked Questions About It,” 2001
  • Richard Alderman, The People’s Law School, University of Houston, “Wills, Living Wills &
    Powers of Attorney,” 2001
  • The Temple Grandin Conference, “Special Needs Trusts Overview,” Speaker, Houston,
    February 2017
  • Others – too many to list

Professional Activities

  • DELAA Guardianship Manual, Committee Member, 1991-1992
  • Lifecare Committee Member, Foundation for the Retarded, CRI, 1992-1993
  • State Bar of Texas, Elder Law Institute, Institute Director, 2002, 2003, 2004
  • HBA, Family/Probate Bench Bar Conference, Planning Committee, 1996, 1998, Chair, 2000
  • HBA Representative Attorney for Elder Law in Media Resource Guide, 1997-1998, 2003-2004
  • State Bar of Texas, Solving Disability Issues, Institute Director, 1998
  • HBA, Probate, Trusts and Estates Monthly Articles, Houston Chronicle, 50+Section,
    Co-Author, 1999-2001
  • HBA, Wills and Probate Institute, Program Chair, 2000
  • HBA, Administration of Justice Committee, Co-Chair, 2000-2001
  • South Texas College of Law, Elder Law Conference, Program Chair, 2002, 2003
  • NAELA, Texas Chapter, Elder Law Conference, Program Chair, 2002, 2003
  • NAELA, Developing a Firm Culture, Co- Chair, Fort Worth, Texas, 2003
  • NAELA, 16th Annual Symposium, Program Chair, 2004
  • AARP, Briefing on Medicaid Asset Transfers, Committee Member, Washington, D.C., 2005
  • South Texas College of Law, Wills and Probate Institute with Guardian and Ad Litem
    Certification Course, Co-Chair, 2007
  • State Bar of Texas, Guardianship Manual Revision, Committee Member, 2013-2016
  • NAELA, Texas Chapter, President, 2004-2005 and 2014-2015
  • University of Texas, Special Needs Trusts Planning Member, 2007-2019
  • University of Texas, Estate Planning, Elder Law and Guardianship Planning Member, 2008-2021
  • State Bar of Texas, Advanced Elder Law and Guardianship Planning Committee, 2016
  • The Temple Grandin Conference, “Planning with SNTs,” Houston, February 2017
  • University of Texas 24th Annual Estate Planning, Guardianship and Elder Law Conference,
    “Business Property Exclusions in Medicaid Cases.” Co-Speaker, Galveston, Texas,
    August, 2022