About
OvER 10 Years' Experience
Discover the Barr Law Difference
At Barr Law, we combine local values with legal excellence, ensuring that every client receives the personal attention and robust representation they deserve.
At Barr Law, our team is your staunchest ally in protecting what matters most. Our attorneys are not just skilled litigators and negotiators; they are individuals who understand the weight of what is at stake—your legacy, your family’s future, and your peace of mind. Get to know the passionate professionals who will be by your side every step of the way.
Our philosophy is simple: we put our clients first. Barr Law is committed to providing personalized legal guidance tailored to your unique circumstances. We know that dealing with fiduciary responsibilities, probate processes, or trust administration(s) can be overwhelming. That’s why we approach every case with the utmost care and dedication to secure the outcomes you need to move forward with confidence.
Andrea L. Uresti Barr
Attorney (Managing Member)
Andrea L. Uresti Barr (“Andrea”) launched Barr Law, PLLC after serving as Managing Attorney of RMO LLP’s Houston office for almost two years. After seeing how she could run a satellite office of another firm, she decided to venture out on her own and hang her shingle.
As a seasoned litigator, Andrea’s area of practice includes defending and prosecuting causes of action against fiduciaries in probate, trust, guardianship, and power of attorney proceedings. Andrea also handles guardianship, probate, and trust administrations to stay abreast of any statutory changes and Court requirements.
As a part of this type of litigation, Andrea has experience handling several commercial real estate transactions (including acreage), commercial and dram shop liability litigation, equitable and statutory bill of review proceedings, and appeals.
Andrea defends fiduciaries wrongfully accused but she also prosecutes fiduciaries who have abused their position. Andrea’s extensive experience in discovery disputes, either defending privilege and objections to prevent production of certain documents and compelling documents, allows her to advise clients on the pitfalls of discovery, i.e. evidencing gathering by the parties.
Andrea is from College Station, Texas, moved to Houston, Texas in 2000, and has lived in Sugar Land since 2008. She graduated from University of Houston and University of Houston Law Center. While pursuing her law degree, Ms. Barr participated as a student attorney in the transactional clinic at the University of Houston Law Center where she formed entities and drafted agreements related to entity formation, liability, and employment. While serving as an intern appellate brief writer at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, she filed five (5) successful appellate briefs and created a new system with the Fourteenth and First Court of Appeals to retrieve records and evidence. She also served as Chief Articles Editor for the Houston and Business Tax Law Journal in 2012 to 2013 and was elected Editor of the Year for 2012 to 2013. She was a member of the University of Houston Law Center Moot Court Team as a brief writer. She received the Samson Memorial Animal Law Scholarship in 2012 to 2013.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
- Texas Super Lawyers, Thomas Reuters, Rising Star, Estate & Trust Litigation Attorney, 2019-2024
- Texas Monthly: the Top Women Attorneys in Texas, Texas Super Lawyers, Thomas Reuters, 2019-2024
- Recognized, Ones to Watch, Litigation – Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates , Houston, The Best Lawyers in America (2022-2025)
COMMUNITY & PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT
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The Texas Probate Law American Inn of Court, Founding Member and Associate, 2022-Present, Engagement Chair, 2024-2025 - Attorneys in Tax and Probate, Membership Chair, 2021-2025
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Disability and Elder Law Attorneys Association, Secretary 2022-2023, Vice President, 2023-2024,
President, 2024-2025 - Houston Bar Association—Probate, Trust & Estate Section, Member
- Provisors, Member, HOU-5
- Certified Guardianship Ad Litem Attorney, Current
EDUCATION
- University of Houston Law Center, Juris Doctorate
- University of Houston, Bachelor of Science, Psychology. magna cum laude
BAR ADMISSIONS
- State Bar of Texas—Real Estate, Probate, and Trust and Litigation Sections
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- Secured a favorable ruling for a successor trustee on a motion for reconsideration of interlocutory summary judgment entered by a district court on briefing resulting in overturning an award of attorneys’ fees against the defendant personally and specific performance of trust distributions. The Court requires all summary judgments to be submitted by submission, which means that all summary judgment rulings are based on briefing only, and not on counsel’s oral arguments.
- Drafted and successfully argued a motion for new trial on an equitable fee forfeiture order in an amount exceeding $650,000 against fiduciaries, including a law firm and attorney, individually.
- Secured transfer of case related to a probate proceeding to a statutory probate court multiple times for clients.
- Successfully argued and drafted motion to show cause against elected official for failing to effectuate transfer of case to another trial court resulting in show cause order to issue against elected official to appear and give testimony why the elected official had not complied with the statutory probate court’s transfer order.
- Drafted motion for new trial and successfully argued (along with counsel of other parties) that a prior trial court lacked jurisdiction in a guardianship proceeding resulting in the statutory probate court finding that the original county court was without subject matter jurisdiction in a guardianship to enter any orders unrelated to the winding up of the guardianship after the proposed ward’s death under the Texas Estates Code. Based on the argument and briefing under Texas case precedent, the trial court also found the adjudication of any other matters, other than winding up the guardianship, would be void.
- Secured an order compelling 22-year estate accounting from briefing and argument related to independent executor’s insufficient accounting.
- Negotiated a family settlement of multiple disputes, involving two estates, a guardianship, and an inter vivos trust. Ms. Barr drafted and argued the agreed application to approve settlement agreement and terminate trust, with approval of a court-appointed attorney ad litem for minor beneficiaries.
- Represented client in bill of review proceeding setting aside agreed judgment and family settlement and release agreement in probate proceeding.
- Drafted and argued special exceptions in fiduciary claim case resulting in dismissal of defendant.
- Briefed and argued a summary judgment on breach of contract and prompt payment claims for $84,006+ in damages, penalty interest, and attorneys’ fees in the amount of $45,000 (not including appellate attorneys’ fees) and successfully defended on appeal (Albertelli Constr., Inc. v. Ram Industries Acquisitions, LLC, No. 05-18-01529-CV (Tex. App.-Dallas May 15, 2020)).
- Represented former executor in ancillary proceeding and pursued enforcement of an arbitration provision contained in a will resulting in a published court of appeals opinion with dissent and subsequently, settled the $250,000 claim against her client for $3,000 (Ali v. Smith, 554 S.W.3d 755 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2018, no pet.)).
- Negotiated a court-approved settlement of fiduciary claims valued at $250,000 against former independent executor client for $3,000.
- Successfully defended against $8 million dollar action for conspiracy, DTPA violations, theft, conversion, negligence, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty by summary judgment in the Southern District of Texas resulting in dismissal of all claims and an award of $91,476.30 in attorneys’ fees and expenses.
- Acted as second chair on two-week trial defending claims against former agent under statutory durable power of attorney and independent executor, including voir dire, direct examination, and drafting all pre-trial and trial materials.
- Identified and secured necessary evidence prior to an alcohol provider’s server’s deposition in a wrongful death proceeding resulting in testimony showing the Safe Harbor Defense is unavailable as a matter of law.
- Drafted opinion letters for brokerage firms on trust, probate, power of attorney, and other related issues under Texas fiduciary law.
- Negotiated several purchases of acreage for series limited liability companies including easement agreements, mineral rights, and private road(s).
- Deposed accounting expert in fiduciary litigation to identify improper basis, ipse dixit, and to limit testimony at trial.
- Represented companies and private individuals in royalty disputes.
- Argued and obtained abatement of a sanctions order in a total amount exceeding $18,000 against client and counsel of record until a period following the trial court’s ruling on a motion for reconsideration.
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Speaking Engagement
09.16.2020
How to Uphold Ethical Standards, How to Administer an Estate, National Business Institute, Webinar
01.12.2021
How to Think Like a Firm, University of Houston Law Center, Ladies’ Alliance of Recent Alumnae, Virtual
01.20.2021
Written Discovery, Houston Association of Legal Professionals CLE @ Noon, Virtual
03.03.2021
Lunch with a Lawyer, University of Houston Law Center, Virtual (Co-Panelist)
04.06.2021
Newly Admitted Students Welcome Reception, University of Houston Law Center, Virtual (Co-Panelist)
05.28.2021
Drafting Written Discovery and Amendments to Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Fort Bend Law Library Attorney Lectures Series, Virtual
07.14.2021
Drafting Written Discovery, Johnson County Bar Association, Webinar
08.25.2021
Legal Ethics, Trusts from A to Z, National Business Institute, Webinar
08.28.2021
Social Media Initiative and Membership Recruitment of Target Demographics, Real Estate Probate and Trust Law (“REPTL”) Section Leadership Academy Presentation, Texas State Bar
09.21.2021
Texas Probate Study Group, Drafting Written Discovery for Probate Litigation, Virtual
09.23.2021
Civil Trial Case Presentation, National Business Institute, Webinar (Co-Presenter with Ruth Arriaga, Akerman LP)
11.10.2021
Attorneys’ Fees Presentation, Texas Probate Law American Inn of Court, In-Person(Co-Presenter with Nicholas Noe)
04.05.2022
Attorneys' Fees in Contested and Uncontested Fiduciary Matters Presentation, Attorneys Tax and Probate, Virtual
06.14.2022
How to Get Paid Presentation, Intermediate Estate Planning and Probate, Texas State Bar, In-Person
06.14.2022
Navigating Subpoenas for Client Files, Dallas Bar Association, Probate, Trust, and Estate Section, In-Person
What we can learn about Inheritance and Guardianship Disputes from Literature and Pop-Culture, Texas Probate Law American Inn of Court, In-Person (Co-Presenter with Inn-Experienced Pupillage Group, 2023)
Technological Difficulties for Fiduciaries and Their Advisors, State Bar of Texas, Handling Your First (or Next) Trust, In-Person (Co-Presenter with Randy Bond, 2023)
Digital Access & Digital Competence in an Increasingly Digital World, National Association of Trust Organizations, Trust Speaker Series, Virtual (Co-Presenter with Randy Bond, 2023)
04.28.2023
What is Enough Prep Time for Trial?, Fort Bend Law Library, Attorney Lunch Series
08.21.2023
Mastering Discovery: A Comprehensive Guide to Drafting Requests, Responses, and Objections under Texas and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, National Association for Legal Support Professionals, National Legal Education Conference, In-Person
08.22.2023
Probate and Guardianship Proceedings in Florida and Texas, RMO LLP, Practice Pointer, Virtual (Co-Presenter Niuris Bezanilla, Florida)
09.21.2023
2023 Legislative Updates, Disability Elder Law Attorneys’ Association, CLE lunch
03.06.2024
Ethics and Estate Administration, National Business Institute, Virtual
Word from previous clients
Personalized Guidance Just a Conversation Away
Embark on your journey towards clarity and resolution with Andrea Barr. Whether you’re facing new beginnings or seeking guidance through legal complexities, Andrea is here to navigate you through with expertise and understanding. Book your consultation and take the first step towards personalized legal solutions crafted to fit your unique narrative.