Education

The University of Oklahoma

B.A. in Sociology/Criminology, 2005

The University of Oklahoma College of Law

J.D. 2008

Admissions

Texas, 2008

Oklahoma, 2011

North Dakota, 2011

U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit

U.S. District Courts

Northern District of Texas

Southern District of Texas

Eastern District of Oklahoma

Western District of Oklahoma

Eastern District of Colorado

Western District of Colorado

Memberships & Activities

State Bar of Texas

State Bar of Oklahoma

Houston Bar Association

Awards

Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer-Reviewed

Scott’s practice focuses on probate litigation involving various disputes including, but not limited to will contests, informal/common law marriages, fiduciary relationships, and heirship disputes. Scott’s experience in title disputes as well as real estate transactions and other litigation involving real property provides Scott with an advantage with issues that commonly arise in probate litigation.

Scott’s experience includes:

• • • Preserving common-law spouse’s right to inherit from deceased spouse.
    • Will contests involving failure to comply with the Estates Code and/or capacity issues.
    • Disputes regarding the validity of non-probate transfers such as transfer on death and “ladybird” deeds.
    • Representing trustees in breach of fiduciary duty claims.
    • Prosecuting and defending contested guardianship proceedings.
    • Litigating oil and gas disputes, condemnation, environmental contamination, and general commercial litigation matters.
    • Negotiating surface use agreements, easements, and other contracts as well as providing review and analysis of existing agreements.
    • Preparing deeds, leases, notes, deeds of trust, liens, UCC filings, surface use waivers, stipulations of interest, and personal guarantees.

Representative Matters

• • • Successfully prosecuted a claim for a common law marriage in an heirship dispute involving substantial assets
    • Defended a nuclear family’s inheritance from the claims of a remote “laughing” heir
    • Defended a small oil and gas company against a multi-million dollar indemnity demand stemming from a prior operator’s environmental contamination
    • Represented the owner and producer of mineral salt in two issues of first impression under Texas law: the obligations of a self-developing mineral owner in its satisfaction of royalty obligations and the ownership of the subsurface storage rights in artificially created salt caverns
    • Advised clients on various issues related to transacting business in Indian Country
    • Served as lead counsel in litigation to recover brokers’ unpaid commissions
    • Assisted residential and commercial property owners with the removal of historical encumbrances on properties