Eric Bean

Attorney

HOUSTON
3200 Southwest Freeway
Suite 3200
Houston, TX 77027

713.403.4200

After graduating from South Texas College of Law Houston, Eric Bean served for 2 years as a briefing attorney at the Fourteenth Court of Appeals in Houston, Texas. After his clerkship, Eric joined a boutique estate planning and probate litigation firm, eventually becoming a partner. Eric focuses his practice on estate planning and probate law with an emphasis on trust and estate administration, guardianship administration, and trust, estate, and fiduciary litigation. He represents fiduciaries, family members, and beneficiaries in will contests and all manner of disputes and controversies involving estates and trusts. Eric is certified and eligible for court appointments, serving as an attorney for guardianship applicants or as a court-appointed attorney in guardianship proceedings, including as an attorney ad litem. Eric has also served as a court-appointed attorney ad litem in heirship cases and as a court-appointed administrator, helping clients navigate complex legal matters with clarity and confidence.

Outside of his legal practice, Eric is passionate about sharing his knowledge. He writes about emerging legal issues and developments in estate planning and probate law, providing practical guidance to both clients and colleagues. Known for his attention to detail and dedication to his clients, he is a trusted advisor in navigating the intricacies of estate and probate law.

Featured Transactions

  • Settled fraud-on-the-community claim related to a blended family that resulted in a multi-million-dollar recovery for surviving spouse’s children (and grandchildren) from a prior marriage.
  • Represented executor and trustee in breach-of-fiduciary-duty lawsuit in which plaintiffs were seeking $10 million in damages; after winning partial summary judgment on limitations, case settled with payments to beneficiaries in the form of discretionary trust distributions totaling approximately $60,000.
  • Won appeal that overturned a 6-figure attorney-fee award; court of appeals agreed the case was a trespass-to-try-title matter in which attorney fees were not recoverable.
  • Won summary judgment for trustee on exculpatory-clause defense.
  • Won summary judgment in favor of client attempting to probate a will approximately 20 years after the original application had been filed; court found client was not in default for failing to timely probate will, and court concluded client had adversely possessed subject real property.
  • On behalf of a municipality’s economic development corporation, resolved title exceptions related to real property owned in part by 2 heirs of the original owner who had acquired the property in 1919.
  • Resolved title exceptions related to real property acquired in 1917 where owner died intestate in 1946, was survived by a spouse and 5 children, and no probate was ever opened.
  • Won take-nothing arbitration award in favor of estate administrator against drought insurance provider that claimed decedent had signed insurance contracts in his individual capacity rather than in a corporate capacity.

Admitted to Practice

States

  • State Bar of Texas
  • Texas Supreme Court

United States District Courts

  • Southern District of Texas

Education

  • South Texas College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude
    Order of the Lytae
    South Texas Law Review, 2011-2013
  • University of Northern Colorado, M.M.
  • University of Miami, B.M.

Professional Associations & Memberships

  • Houston Bar Association
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Texas Probate Law American Inn of Court
  • REPTL Leadership Academy, Class of 2022-2023

Recognition, Honors & Achievements

  • 2025 Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, (2025) – Estate & Trust Litigation
  • Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, (2024) – Estate & Trust Litigation, Estate Planning & Probate
  • Texas Rising Star, Thomson Reuters, (2023)

Presentations and Published Writings

The Suday Shift: When Texas Executors Can Finally Represent Themselves
The Suday Shift: When Texas Executors Can Finally Represent Themselves
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Eric Bean - Understanding HB 1954 and SB 746 part one
Understanding Texas HB 1954 and SB 746: Proposed Changes to Guardians ad Litem Appointments (Part 1)
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