Judge Akers focuses on probate and elder law. She also has significant experience in elder law, juvenile law, estate law including taxation, mental health matters in probate, as well as real estate law and business transactions.

As Both an attorney and an Associate Probate Judge, she had held many court-appointed roles over the last 30 years, including Probate Administration, Ad Litem appointment, as well as mediation appointments.

Before joining Harold “Hap” May, P.C. Judge Akers began her law career by opening her first law practice in 1991 which she would merge with other firms before becoming the Mental Health Master and Staff Attorney for Harris County Probate County No. 3. After nearly eight years with this Court she would be sworn in as the Associate Judge of Court No. 3 where she would continue her work for the next ten years.

In addition to her law practice she also currently is an Adjunct Professor at University of Houston Law Center teaching Administration of Estates and Guardianship.

Over her thirty year career she has also been published more than 35 times, many of which are also part of speaking engagements.

 “In order to know a person’s character, share an inheritance with him.”

– Benjamin Franklin

Education and Certifications:

• Houston Baptist University – BA in English & History
• University of Houston – MEd in Guidance & Counseling
• South Texas College of Law – Doctorate of Jurisprudence
• Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Estate Planning and Probate Law

Admitted in:

• US Supreme Court

Professional Associations:

• State Bar of Texas
• Houston Bar Association
• HBA Probate and Elder Law Section
• Attorneys in Tax and Probate
• Disability and Elder Law Association – Former President

Publications & Lectures:

• “Removal of Fiduciaries” Probate Law Journal, Vol. 11, No. 2, 1992. Co-authored with the Honorable John Hutchison.
• “How to Choose an Executor” Daily Court Review, February 3, 1997.
• “Office Practice Tips for the Elder Law Attorney” HBA Elder Law Institute, South Texas college of Law, May 2, 1997.Speech and Publication.
• “How to Avoid Conflicts and Crisis in the Family” (Surrogate Decision Making) Daily Court Review, June 2, 1997.
• “Elder Law, An Overview for the Profession” Association of Women CPAS, Summer 1997. Speech and Publication.
• “Medicaid Miller Trust Issues” Mexican-American Bar Association, May 9, 1998. NW Bar Association, Summer 1997.
• “Appraisers, Appraisals and the Law” International Society of Appraisers, Gulf Coast Chapter, October 1997 Meeting.
• Speech “Probate and Guardianships -What Realtors Need To Know” Houston Assoc. of Realtors, NW Group 1997.
• “Guardianships and Various Fiduciary Representations: The Ramifications on the Senior and the Agent.” Mayor’s Senior Summit for service Providers, Fall, 1998. Speech and served on the Senior Summit Planning Committee.
• “Ad Litems in Mental Health Commitments and Heirships” with Judge Rory Olsen, Mexican American Bar Association, January, 1999.
• Speech and Publication “Cross Examination of the Psychiatrist” HBA Elder Law, Guardianship and Ad Litems in the Probate Courts, South Texas College of Law, May 7, 1999.
• Speech and publication “Ad Litems, Guardianships and Guardians” University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work, Social Work and the Law class, August 11, 1999.
• Speech and publication “Independent Administrations” Texas College of Probate Judges, Annual Meeting, Houston, Texas, September 11, 1999.
• Speech “Mediating Probate and Estate Matters” Houston Bar Association ADR Section, Houston, Texas, October 12, 1999.
• Speech “Cross Examination of the Psychiatrist in Social Security Hearings” Fall 1999 Disability Seminar, South Texas College of Law, and October 15, 1999. Speech and Publication “Authority of the Guardian” July 2000 MHMRA Guardianship Conference for Physicians, Clinicians and Direct Care Staff.
• Speech and Publication “Fiduciary Compensation” September 2000 Wills and Probate Institute (Intermediate Level) South Texas College of Law.
• Speech and Publication “Legal and Malpractice Issues” Guardianship & Elder Law Issues for the Practitioner and Ad Litem Houston Bar Assoc. October, 2000. Speech “Ins and Outs of Fiduciary Compensation” Women Attorneys in Tax and Probate, November, 2000 meeting.
• Speech and Publication “Guardianship and the Role of Doctors” Forensic Psychiatry Journal Club, November, 2000 meeting.
• Speech and Publication “Show Me the Money: Fiduciary compensation-How to Get the PR Paid, How Much Do They Get and How Do I get Paid” 25th Advanced Estate Planning and Probate, June, 2001, Houston, Texas.
• “Crossing Over: An Overview of Probate and Guardianships” Regional Assistant Attorney General’s Family Law Conference, November 30, 2001 Houston, Texas.
• “Show Me the Money: Fiduciary Compensation-How to Get the PR Paid, How Much Do They Get and How Do I Get Paid?” Real Estate, Probate and Trust Reporter Vol. 40 No. 1 Oct.2001.
• “On Death and Dying: Counseling the Terminally Ill and the Families Left Behind” 26th Advanced Estate Planning and Probate, June 2002, Dallas, Texas.
• “On Death and Dying: Counseling the Terminally Ill” Elder Law conference, Houston, Texas May, 2003.
• “Fiduciary Compensation” 27th Advanced Estate Planning and Probate, June 2003, San Antonio, Texas.
• “HIPAA-The Privacy Rules under the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act” Houston Lawyer Vol. 41 No. 2, Sept/Oct. 2003.
• Moderator Houston Bar Association Guardianship Certification Course, January 27, 2006.
• “Guardianship Law and the Role of the Court Investigator” Adult Protective Services Seminar for Social Workers May 18, 2006 Houston, Texas.
• “Elder Abuse and Exploitation: The Ethical Duty of the Attorney” 31st Annual Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course, June 6-8, 2007 San Antonio, Texas.
• “On Death and Dying: Counseling the Terminally Ill Client and the Loved Ones Left Behind” Estate Planning and Community Property Journal Vol. 1 No. 1
• Speaker at Journal Symposium Feb. 20, 2009, Texas Tech Law School, Lubbock Texas.
• “Compensation” 33rd Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course, June 10-12, 2009 Houston, Texas.
• “Elder Abuse and Exploitation: The Ethical Duty of the Attorney” Houston Lawyer Vol. 47 No. 1 July/August 2009.
• “Elder Abuse and Exploitation: The Ethical Duty of the Attorney” Guardianship Ad Litem in Probate Court and Elder Law Institute, Houston Bar Association, January 28-29, 2010, Houston, Texas.
• “Dementia and Documentation” Harris County MHMR Symposium, May 7, 2010, Houston, Texas.
• “Minding Your Business: Estate Planning Documents and the Levels of Capacity Required for Execution” Estate Planning and Community Property Law Journal, Vol. 3, Book 1, Fall 2010.
• “Levels of Capacity for Executing Legal Documents” Wills and Probate Institute Advanced Course Houston Bar Association, Feb. 25, 2011.
• “Consumer Scams on the Elderly” Elder Law Symposium, South Texas College of Law, April 20, 2012.
• “Probate and Mental Health-The Most Asked Questions by Clients” Seminar for CPA’s, Galveston, Texas, June 13, 2013.
• “Cross Examination of a Medical Expert in Probate and Guardianship Litigation” Wills and Probate Institute, South Texas College of Law, Sept. 18, 2013.
• “Elder Abuse, Exploitation and Consumer Scams: Ethical Duties” 2014 CPE by the Sea, Houston TSCPA Foundation, Galveston, Texas, June 11-13, 2014.
• “Guardianship Update” with Judge Christine Butts, DELAA, Houston, Texas October 15, 2015.
• “Legislative Update” NW Harris County Bar Association, November, 2015.