Probate Litigation Paralegal

Doehring & Doehring, located in West Houston, specializes in Probate Law, including Estate Planning, Estate Administration, Wills, Trusts, Guardianship Law, and Probate Litigation.

The team is growing, and we are in search of another Paralegal with Probate Litigation Experience who can take meaningful ownership of contested matters and keep cases moving from initial filing through resolution or trial.

Role Description

This is a full-time on-site role for a Paralegal with probate litigation experience based in Houston, TX.

This role isn't for someone who waits for an attorney to identify every next step. Our litigation paralegal must be able to examine the status of a matter, identify what is missing, anticipate upcoming deadlines, and communicate clearly about what needs to happen next.

The right person will bring structure to complicated cases involving families, fiduciaries, beneficiaries, executors, guardians, estates, and assets. These matters often carry both legal complexity and significant emotional weight. We need someone who can remain organized, composed, and appropriately compassionate without losing control of the details.

What You Will Do

• Manage litigation files from opening through settlement, dismissal, trial, or other final disposition.
• Maintain an accurate record of each matter’s current phase, deadlines, dependencies, unresolved issues, next actions, and responsible parties.
• Draft and format pleadings, motions, notices, discovery requests, discovery responses, subpoenas, affidavits, correspondence, and other litigation documents for attorney review.
• Assist with contested probate proceedings, fiduciary disputes, will contests, heirship disputes, guardianship litigation, and related civil matters.
• Calendar hearings, trials, discovery deadlines, filing dates, response dates, and internal preparation deadlines.
• Monitor the court docket and confirm that filings, orders, notices, and hearing information are reflected accurately in the matter file.
• File documents through the appropriate Texas electronic-filing systems and confirm acceptance.
• Coordinate service of process, subpoenas, records requests, depositions, mediations, hearings, and trial-related logistics.
• Organize and summarize medical, financial, property, estate, and other evidentiary records.
• Prepare discovery materials, document productions, privilege logs, deposition exhibits, hearing notebooks, and trial binders.
• Communicate professionally with clients, courts, opposing counsel, experts, witnesses, process servers, court reporters, and other third parties.
• Follow up consistently when the firm is waiting on clients, attorneys, courts, opposing parties, records, signatures, or supporting documents.
• Prepare attorneys for hearings, depositions, mediations, and trials by ensuring that documents, exhibits, timelines, and case information are complete and accessible.
• Record time and maintain accurate matter information in Clio Manage.
• Participate in workload reviews and communicate early when a deadline, handoff, or unresolved dependency could place a matter at risk.
• Provide backup support across the firm’s probate and estate practice when litigation priorities permit.

What Success Looks Like

• A successful litigation paralegal at Doehring & Doehring:
• Knows the current status and next required action for every assigned matter.
• Keeps deadlines visible and addresses risks before they become emergencies.
• Does not allow a case to sit simply because someone else has not responded.
• Documents follow-up efforts and escalates stalled items appropriately.
• Produces accurate, well-organized work that requires minimal correction.
• Maintains complete electronic files so another team member can understand the matter without reconstructing its history.
• Communicates clearly about priorities, workload, delays, and needed decisions.
• Treats timekeeping, matter updates, and workflow tracking as part of the legal work, not optional administrative cleanup.

Required Qualifications

• At least 3 years of substantive litigation-paralegal experience.
• Experience drafting pleadings, managing discovery, calendaring litigation deadlines, coordinating depositions, and preparing matters for hearings or trial.
• Strong knowledge of Texas civil litigation procedures and electronic filing.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple active matters with competing deadlines.
• Excellent written communication, proofreading, organization, and document-management skills.
• Ability to communicate with clients who may be experiencing grief, family conflict, incapacity, or significant financial concerns.
• Comfort working independently while keeping supervising attorneys informed.
• Consistent and accurate time-entry and case-management habits.
• High discretion when handling confidential family, medical, and financial information.

Strongly Preferred

• Experience with probate litigation, will contests, fiduciary disputes, guardianship proceedings, or contested estate matters.
• Familiarity with Texas probate courts and county-specific filing practices.
• Experience using Clio Manage or comparable legal case-management systems.
• Experience preparing chronologies, asset summaries, damages calculations, exhibit lists, and trial materials.
• Paralegal certificate, degree in paralegal studies, or equivalent combination of education and substantive legal experience.

Our Work Environment

Doehring & Doehring is a small boutique firm in which each person’s work has a direct effect on clients, attorneys, and the rest of the team. The work requires independence, but it is not solitary. Clear handoffs, accurate records, professional communication, and shared visibility into case status are essential. We value people who ask thoughtful questions, follow through on commitments, and raise concerns while there is still time to address them. We do not expect or want perfection. We do expect ownership, accuracy, and communication.

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person