Crain Caton & James

Overview

Rebecca D. Grant is an of counsel attorney who came to the legal profession later than most.  Always drawn to helping professions, she started her career in the field of social work before making her way to the law. Rebecca practices in the areas of estate and probate administration, guardianship proceedings, mental health commitments, and fiduciary litigation, representing executors, administrators, guardians or families seeking to establish guardianships over their loved ones. She also represents clients litigating matters like will contests and contested guardianships.

She joined Crain Caton & James after a few years of practice, having gained invaluable experience working in the Harris County Probate Court System as a Litigation Staff Attorney for both the Hon. Judge Rory Olsen and Hon. Judge Jason Cox.

Rebecca’s time in both private practice and the courts has given her a strong platform to advocate for and coach clients through the complexities of the probate courts during times of great stress. She loves being in the courtroom. With a natural ability and passion for talking with people and a desire to resolve conflicts, Rebecca puts families and organizations at ease, while also maintaining meticulous attention-to-detail to ensure client interests are represented accurately and appropriately.

When she was a social worker, Rebecca investigated abuse on a Sex Crimes Task Force as a Forensic Interviewer. Leveraging her dynamic interview style, and disarming personality, she supported victims and families through the most difficult experiences of their lives. Frequently required to testify in court against sex offenders, she developed an interest and understanding of how courts can best serve the public.

When not at work, Rebecca enjoys true-crime podcasts, storytelling, and spending time with her husband and children. She once lived in Denmark for a time and learned to speak Danish. She attended law school while her husband went to medical school and eventually began work at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Although she was raised in Dallas as a Texas Rangers fan, she is now a 10-year resident of the Houston Museum District, loves this city and has obviously changed her loyalties to the Houston Astros.

Experience

Rebecca represents clients in probate, trust, estate planning, and guardianship matters. In recent years, she has:

• Supported the presiding judge (both current and former) in preparation for cases and proceedings in the Harris County probate court. Managed court processes to enable timely docket management. Assisted in court preparation and execution of jury trials
• Field legal questions regarding Harris County Psychiatric Center and psychiatric patients’ rights in relation to probate execution.
• Prepared claims, and real and personal property pleadings for the approval in decedents and guardianship estates
• Supported pro se applicants through review and correction of Small Estate Affidavits and estate documents
• Drafted, analyzed, reviewed and executed estate planning documents for clients with varying levels of complexity as an attorney for a local probate firm.
• Appeared regularly in the probate courts representing clients on both contested and uncontested probate of wills, guardianship and heirship matters
• Represented clients as an attorney ad litem for both the mental health docket at Harris County Psychiatric Center and the forced medication docket for incarcerated mental health patients
• Supported litigation prep through depositions of clients, opposing parties, and interviewing witnesses
• Administered estates with an understanding of estates code, maintaining detailed record and proper paperwork while communicating effectively with vested parties

Affiliations

• J. Rueben Clark Law Society
• Evening Law Student Association

Honors & Awards

• Best Lawyers Ones to Watch – Litigation – Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates, BL Rankings, 2022