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Their rapport and guidance was outstanding and prompt at all times.
“Claire and Brian were my attorneys in a very difficult guardianship case. They were always supportive both professionally and personally, as the case was quite painful and emotional for me. Their rapport and guidance was outstanding and prompt at all times. I could not have made a better choice and will always be thankful for their exceptional handling of my case. When you hire them, you’re getting the best!”
Rossana A. B.
Brian T. Thompson
ATTORNEY & PARTNER
Brian T. Thompson is an experienced litigator who has tried high-stakes cases in state and federal courts across the country. For the past decade, Brian has focused his practice on will contests, trust disputes, contested guardianships, fiduciary litigation, and related cases in Texas. He frequently represents fiduciaries, including estate administrators, trustees, and guardians, in matters ranging from real estate disputes to family business disputes. Brian is a frequent speaker on fiduciary litigation topics and serves as a court-appointed fiduciary in many cases.
Prior to forming Thompson East, PLLC, Brian was a partner at Hopper Mikeska, PLLC, where his professional highlights included representing the plaintiff in In the Estate of Stella Powell, which established the first ever same-sex, common law marriage in Texas. Brian started his career at McGinnis Lochridge, where he tried cases against pharmaceutical companies on behalf of individuals harmed by their products. Brian has served on several City of Austin commissions, most recently the Austin Ethics Commission, and he is a former board member of Equality Texas. Brian volunteers with Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas, where he provides mentoring to volunteer attorneys handling probate and guardianship cases for indigent clients.
Claire D. East
ATTORNEY & PARTNER
Claire D. East is a board-certified estate planning and probate attorney with extensive fiduciary litigation experience. As a result, her clients benefit from expert advice on the most efficient and effective estate planning strategies to avoid future conflict and to protect their families. She prides herself on developing individualized, comprehensive, and tax-efficient estate plans which reflect her clients’ personal values and goals. In addition, Claire routinely handles will contests, guardianships, and probate administrations ranging in size and complexity from the most straightforward to the highly complex or contested.
Prior to forming Thompson East, PLLC, Claire was a partner at Hopper Mikeska, PLLC, where she focused on estate planning, probate, guardianship, and fiduciary litigation. Claire began her career as a staff attorney at The Third Court of Appeals in Austin, Texas, and she also worked at the firm Giordani, Schurig, Beckett, & Tackett, LLP in the areas of domestic and international estate planning. When she’s not working enthusiastically with families to create the perfect estate plan or guiding clients through a probate or guardianship proceeding, you can find Claire on a baseball field cheering for her sons.