Jackson Walker is pleased to announce the arrival of five Houston litigators focused on probate, trust, and fiduciary litigation. The team is led by Sarah Patel Pacheco and includes Kathleen Tanner Beduze, Joshua R. Flores, Joe R. Savoie, and Jocelyn Thibodaux Slater.
“We are very pleased to welcome Sarah Pacheco and her team to the Houston office,” said Wade Cooper, managing partner of Jackson Walker. “Sarah is one of the most recognized authorities on fiduciary litigation, and we are proud to have her and her experienced team join our Firm.”
“This is an exciting development for Jackson Walker and our Houston office,” said Tré Fischer, who chairs the Trial & Appellate Litigation practice in Houston. “With this great team, we are able to significantly expand our fiduciary, probate, and related litigation practice for our clients.”
Sam K. Hildebrand, chair of the Firm’s Wealth Planning practice, noted, “This is a huge win for Jackson Walker. We are very excited about the arrival of this well-respected group who will grow our fiduciary litigation practice and the overall Wealth Planning group in Houston. They are a great addition to our team, and we look forward to introducing them to our clients.”
On the decision to join Jackson Walker, Sarah said, “With the growth of my team and our practice, the time was right to join a firm with the strength and resources of Jackson Walker. The Firm has a stellar reputation and offers a multidisciplinary platform that will enable us to provide clients with top-notch service.”
Meet the Team
Sarah Patel Pacheco is a board-certified estate planning and probate law attorney focused on estate, trust, guardianship, and fiduciary litigation and administration issues. She is a trusted authority on trusts, estates, and fiduciary litigation as the co-author of three legal treatises, and a frequent speaker for State Bar of Texas conferences and other organizations.
Since 2007, she has been recognized among The Best Lawyers in America, and she was named the Lawyer of the Year in Houston in the area of Litigation – Trusts and Estates for three years—2014, 2017, and 2021. Sarah has also been named a Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers since 2004, ranking among its lists of the top 50 women in Texas and the top 100 Super Lawyers in Houston for several years, including 2021.
Sarah received her J.D. from SMU Dedman School of Law and her B.A. from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Kathleen Tanner Beduze assists clients in the areas of probate litigation, guardianship, and estate and probate administration. She primarily represents trustees, administrators, guardians, and executors with administrative matters relating to their fiduciary roles. In addition to her practice, Kathleen is a contributing author for the State Bar of Texas’ Guardianship Manual.
Kathleen has been named among The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Litigation – Trusts and Estates since 2021, as a Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers – Rising Stars since 2016, and as one of the Top Women Rising Star Attorneys in Texas since 2019.
She received her J.D. from Baylor Law School and her B.S. from Davidson College.
Joshua R. Flores primarily practices in fiduciary litigation, including will contests, will and trust interpretation issues, probate and trust administration, and guardianship proceedings. Josh also handles business and fiduciary disputes between partners, company members, and shareholders, as well as other civil litigation matters.
Josh has been named among the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch since 2021 in the areas of Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Commercial Litigation, and Elder Law. He has also been recognized as a Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers – Rising Stars since 2017.
Josh received his J.D. from South Texas College of Law Houston and his B.A. from Texas A&M University.
Joe R. Savoie primarily advises clients on fiduciary litigation; probate, trust, and administration; and business litigation. He also has experience handling products liability, insurance and personal injury defense, and general civil litigation. In recognition of his practice, Joe has been named among the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch since 2021 in the areas of Litigation – Trusts and Estates and Commercial Litigation.
Joe received his J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law and his B.B.A. from Stephen F. Austin State University.
Jocelyn Thibodaux Slater is a certified guardianship attorney by the State Bar of Texas and focuses her practice on probate, guardianship, trust, and fiduciary litigation, and probate and trust administrations. She also assists with corporate formations, governance, and fiduciary responsibilities. Jocelyn has been named among the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch since 2021 in the area of Litigation – Commercial Litigation.
Jocelyn received her J.D., cum laude, from South Texas College of Law and her B.A. from Texas A&M University.