James McNeel, Attorney

Jim maintains a fiduciary litigation practice exclusively in the areas of trusts, estates, guardianships, closely held entities and other related litigation. Jim handles claims by and against estate administrators, trustees, beneficiaries, guardians, powers of attorney and general and limited partners relating to breaches of fiduciary duties, challenges to documents based on lack of capacity and undue influence, and interpretation and modification of wills, trusts and other agreements.

Jim is a fifth-generation San Antonian. He graduated from Alamo Heights High School in 1985. Jim started his college career at Southwest Texas State University before transferring to the University of Texas at Austin where he graduated in 1989 with a degree in History and Economics. After graduating from college, he worked for a year and a half in the oil fields in south Texas and the Gulf of Mexico before attending Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C.

After earning his Master of Law degree from the University of Miami, Jim moved to San Antonio where he worked for Akin Gump in the litigation section. In 2005, Jim joined the San Antonio firm of Oppenheimer Blend focusing his practice on probate and fiduciary litigation. In 2011, Oppenheimer Blend merged with Strasburger and Price. Jim remained there until 2018, when he joined Chamberlain Hrdlicka where he remained until January of 2023. Jim joined Grable Martin in January 2023 and remained there until September 2024. Jim now is the owner of McNeel Law PLLC.

Work Experience

• Wicker Smith (Miami), 1995-2002
• Akin Gump Straus Hauer & Feld LLP, 2002-2004
• Lindow & Treat, 2004-2005
• Oppenheimer Blend Harrison and Tate, 2005-2011
• Strasburger & Price, LLP, 2011-2018
• Chamberlain Hrdlicka, 2018-2023
• Grable Martin, 2023-2024
• McNeel Law PLLC, 2023-present

Education

• University of Texas at Austin, B.A., History and Economics, 1989
• Howard University School of Law, J.D., 1994
• University of Miami School of Law, L.L.M., Estate Planning, 2002

Licenses

• Admitted to practice in Florida (1995) and Texas (2002)
• Admitted to practice in the U.S. District Courts for the Western and Southern Districts of Texas
• Admitted to practice in the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Northern Districts of Florida
• Admitted to practice in the U.S. District Courts for the Central District of Illinois

Practice Areas

• Estate litigation and administration
• Trust litigation and administration
• Guardianship litigation and administration
• Powers of Attorney litigation
• Partnership litigation

Honors

• Best Lawyers in America (Trust and Estate litigation, 2011-2024)
• Lawyer of the Year for San Antonio 2020 by U.S. News Best Lawyers in America
• Best Lawyers (Trust and Estate Litigation) by San Antonio Scene in S.A. Magazine (2006-2024)

Professional Associations and Community Involvement

• San Antonio Estate Planner's Council
• San Antonio Bar Association
• Federal Bar Association
• San Antonio North Chamber of Commerce, Board Member (2009-2011)
• Lake Canyon Yacht Club, Board Member, Co-General Counsel (2009-2011)
• San Pedro Playhouse, Board of Trustees (2006-2010)
• San Antonio North Chamber of Commerce Leadership Lab Graduate (2007)
• Southwest Biomedical Research Foundation, Member (2013-2017)
• Incarnate Word Development Board of Directors (2012-2016)
• SAMM Homeless Shelter Volunteer (2008-2009)
• Habitat for Humanity Volunteer (2006)
• YMCA Adventure Guides (2004-2012)
• St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Member
• McNay Art Museum, Member

Reported Cases

• Lorenz v. Voigt, Tex.App. LEXIS 646 (4th DIst.-Feb. 1, 2023)
• In re: Estate of Andrews, Tex.App. LEXIS 4529 (4th Dist.-San Antonio, 2021) (as expert)
• Benavides v. Alexander, 646 S.W.3d 14 (Tex.App.-San Antonio, 2021)
• In re: McKinney, 2021 Tex. App. LEXIS 591 (4th Dist.-San Antonio)
• Ochse v. Ochse, 2020 Tex. App. LEXIS 8922 (4th Dist.-San Antonio, 2020, pet. denied)
• In re: Ochse, 2019 Tex. App. LEXIS 4185
• In re: Guardianship of Hargrove, 2018 Tex. App. LEXIS 3394 (4th Dist.-San Antonio)
• In re: Estate of Spiritas, 2017 Tex. App. LEXIS 8380 (5th DIst.-Dallas)
• In re: Estate of Childs, 2016 Tex. App. LEXIS 4053 (4th Dist.-San Antonio)
• Gonzalez v. Deleon, 2015 Tex. App.LEXIS 8940 (4th Dist. San Antonio)
• In re: Zaffirini, 2015 Tex. App. LEXIS 32 (4th Dist.-San Antonio)
• D&J Alexander Mgmt. LP v. Deleon, 2014 Tex. App. LEXIS 11400 (4th Dist.-San Antonio)
• Estate of Alexander, 2014 Tex. App. LEXIS 9872 (4th Dist.-San Antonio)
• Deleon v. Gonzalez, 2014 Tex. App. LEXIS 10379 (4th Dist.-San Antonio)
• Riddick v. Marmolejo, 2014 Tex. App. LEXIS 2701 (4th Dist. –San Antonio)
• In re: Guardianship of Benavides, 2014 Tex. App. LEXIS 1747 (4th Dist.-San Antonio)
• In re: Estate of Alexander, 2014 Tex. App. LEXIS 9862 (4th Dist.-San Antonio)
• Estate of Alexander, 2014 Tex. App. LEXIS 10382 (4th Dist.-San Antonio)
• In re: Benavides, 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 4517 (4th Dist.-San Antonio)
• In re: Benavides, 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 1843 (4th Dist.-San Antonio)
• In re: Benavides, 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 5956 (4th Dist. –San Antonio)
• In re: Guardianship of Benavides, 403 S.W.3d 370 (Tex. App-San Antonio, 2013)
• In re: Guardianship of C.Y.B., 2012 Tex. App. LEXIS 187 (4th Dist.-San Antonio)
• In re: Benavides, 2011 Tex. App. LEXIS 8482 (4th Dist. San Antonio)
• In re: Frost Nat'l Bank, 2010 Tex. App. LEXIS 4103 (4th Dist. San Antonio)
• Rosin v. Berco & Leja Rosin Trust, 2009 Tex. App. LEXIS 5191 (4th Dist.-San Antonio)
• In re: Cobb, 2008 Tex. App. LEXIS 5912 (4th Dist.-San Antonio)
• Mclaughlin v. Greening, 781 So. 2d 375 (Fla. 4th Dist.-West Palm Beach, 2001)
• Brake v. Swann, 767 So.2d, (Fla. 3rd Dist.-Miami, 2000)
• Brake v. Swann, 2000 Fla. App. LEXIS 9872 (Fla. 3rd. Dist.-Miami, 2000)