Darlene Payne Smith

Shareholder
713-752-8640
dsmith@craincaton.com

                                 Education

Bachelor of Science: Criminal Justice, University of Houston (Magna Cum Laude)

Doctor of Jurisprudence, University of Houston Law Center

Memberships & Certifications

Texas Bar Association;

Houston Bar Association;

Texas Bar Foundation;

Probate Legislative Sub-Committee -- Houston;

Past President –Women Attorneys in Tax and Probate;

Former Vice President – Disability and Elder Law Lawyers Association;

Planning Committee – Elder Law Section, State Bar;

Planning Committee – Wills and Probate Institute;

Elder Law Committee;

Certified by the State Bar of Texas Pursuant to Texas Probate Code § 647A as Ad Litem

Former Trust Committee Member - NAELA

• Personal

  Married – Michael David Smith;
  Three Children – Stephan, Coleman and Hallie;
  Hobbies - Singing, pistol shooting, tennis and squash.

Speaker:       Estate Planning for the Cancer Patient.

Speaker:               Texas Young Lawyers Association, The Women’s Advocacy Project and Texas Lawyers Care.

Author/Speaker:      Texas College of Probate Judges (1991-94) - Head Injury.

Speaker:                    Appeals, Mandamus & Recusal, Legislative Update, Advanced Directives. 

Author/Speaker:       National College of Probate Judges, March 1993, Maui, Hawaii - The Ramification of Closed Head Injury.

Speaker:       Advanced Estate Planning and Probate - 1993, State Bar of Texas.

Speaker:          American Association for the Mentally Ill - 1993.

Speaker:      Texas Association of Legal Secretaries:  Mock Trial; 1994.

 Co-Author/Speaker:           State Bar of Texas:  New Guardianship Laws in Texas.  Topic:  Show Cause, Contempt, Surcharge and Successor Actions; March 1994.

 Speaker:    State Bar of Texas:  Elder Law Institute.  Topic:  An Overview of Guardianships; 1994.

 Co-Author/ Speaker:        State Bar of Texas; Wills and Probate Institute.  Topic:  Appeals, Mandamus and Recusal; 1992.

 Speaker:                   University of Houston:  General Practice.  Topic:  “Money Saving Tips for Tomorrow Morning”; 1993, 1994.

 Co-Author/ Speaker:  State Bar of Texas:  Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course.  Topic:  Procedural and Evidentiary Overview for the Probate Litigator; 1993.

Author/ Speaker:                 A.G. Edwards, Structured Settlement vs. 142 Trusts.

Co-Author Speaker:         New Guardianship Forms.

 Author/ Speaker:             Texas College of Probate Judges Probate Seminar.  Topic:  Accounting, June 1994; Duties of the Attorney Ad Litem Under the Amendments to the Texas Probate Code Affecting Guardianships and Removal and Surcharge, April 1994.

 Author/ Speaker:      Legislative Changes that Affect Probate Practitioners, Law Seminars, Inc.

 Speaker:                 Guardianship Administration and Alternatives - Texas Elder Law Seminar.

 Speaker:           Tips from the Experts - Independent and Dependent Estates.

 Speaker:                University of Houston-Downtown – Guest Lecturer - Business Law, 1992; University of Houston-Clear Lake – Guest Lecturer - Advanced Directives.

 Co-Author/Speaker:   University of Houston, General Practice Institute – Winter.  Topic:  Alternatives to Probate; 1994.

 Co-Author/Speaker:   University of Houston, General Practice Institute – Summer. Topic:  Law Office Management for General Practitioners; 1994.

 Co-Author/Speaker:      South Texas College of Law, Wills and Probate Institute.  Topic:  Structuring Family Settlement Agreements to Avoid Will contests; 1994.

 Speaker:                   State Bar of Texas 18th Annual Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course.  Topic:  Reformation and Construction Suits; June 1994.

 Author/Speaker:              State Bar of Texas.  Topic:  Effect of Guardianships and Criminal Proceedings on Mental Health Hearings; March 1995.

 Author/Speaker:              State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, Red Flags and Hot Topics, Selected Issues in Texas Law.  Topic:  Guardianship and Ad Litems – Changes that May Affect You; June 1994.

 Speaker:                     National Association of Estate Planning Councils 1994 Annual Convention.  Topic:  Fiduciary Liability from the Perspective of a Probate Trial Attorney.

 Speaker:            Wills and Probate Institute – South Texas College of Law.  Topic:  Avoiding Will Contests; September 28-29, 1995.

 Speaker:       State Bar of Texas.  Topic:  Contesting a Guardianship and Other Important Issues; December 1, 1995.

 Author/Speaker:        State Bar of Texas – Advanced Estate Planning and Probate.  Topic:  Damages; June 1996.

 Author/Speaker:        State Bar of Texas – Advanced Strategies.  Topic: Avoid Will Contests and Other Fiduciary Litigation; San Diego; April 1997.

 Speaker:      Tarrant County Probate Bar Luncheon:  Topic:  Attorney Ad Litem:  How Far Do You Go?  Guardian Ad Litem:  Best Interest, Etc.; August 7, 1997.

 Speaker:     Midland County Probate Bar Luncheon:  Topic:  Guardianship laws:  The Basics, October 14, 1997.

 Author/Speaker:            State Bar - Legal Assistants Division - Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Law Seminar; Topic:  Advanced Directives, Powers of Attorney and Disclaimers; October 17-18, 1997.

 Author/Speaker:        State Bar of Texas First Annual Texas Marital Property Institute.  Topic:  Damages, Including Attorney’s Fees; October 9-10, 1997.

 Author/Speaker:            Docket Call in Probate Court - Estate Planning, Probate, and Guardianship Seminar; Topic:  Dealing With The Difficult Client; San Antonio; January 22-23, 1998.

 Author/Speaker:           Guardianship Institute 1998; Topic:  Advanced Directives, Powers of Attorney and Disclaimers; Dallas; February 13, 1998.

 Co-Author/Speaker:       Putative Spouses and Their Role in the Probate Process.

 Speaker:                   Houston Bar Association/Family Law Section; Topic:  Family Law Cases Do Not Exist in a Vacuum; Probate Issues with Family Law Cases; August 1998.

 Speaker:        Trust Financial Services Division/Texas Bankers Association; Topic:  Dealing With The Difficult Client; Dallas; January 14, 1999.

 Speaker              South Texas College of Law; Topic: Probate and Guardianship Issues Under The New Discovery Rules; February 12, 1999.

 Speaker              Disability and Elders Law Attorneys Association; Topic: Probate and Guardianship Issues Under The New Discovery Rules; February 15, 1999.

 Speaker                Texas Bar Association; Telephone Conference Seminar; Topic Probate and Guardianship Issues Under The New Discovery Rules; March 17, 1999.

 Speaker        University of Houston Law Foundation, Wills and Probate Institute; Topic: The Anatomy of a Will; Practical Considerations in Will Drafting; Dallas - July, 22-23, 1999; Houston -July 29-30, 1999.

 Speaker         The University of Texas School of Law; Intermediate Estate Planning, Guardianship and Elder Law; Topic: Duties and Responsibilities of Ad Litem; August 26-27, 1999.

 Speaker     Texas College of Probate Judges, Annual Conference; Topic: Show Cause, Contempt, Surcharge and Injunctive Actions; September 9-11, 1999.

 Speaker               South Texas College of Law; Wills & Probate Institute; Topic: Anatomy of a Will; September 16-17, 1999.

 Speaker     San Antonio Young Lawyers Association; Docket Call 2000;  Topic: How to Initiate a Guardianship; January 6-7, 2000.

 Speaker              Disability and Elders Law Attorneys Association; Topic: Show Cause, Contempt, Surcharge, and Injunctive Actions; February 21, 2000.

 Speaker             KSEV Radio Talk Show; Topic: Legal Speaking; one hour talk on trusts; March 26, 2000.

 Author/Speaker:        State Bar of Texas – Advanced Estate Planning and Probate.  Topic:  Ten Unanswered Questions in Probate; June 2000.

 Author/Speaker:       Tarrant County Bar Association – Probate Section.  Topic:  Anatomy of a Will; July 2000.

 Author/Speaker:    Texas College of Probate Judges. Topic: Show Cause, Contempt, Surcharge, and Injunctive Actions;  August 2000.

 Speaker/Facilitator:          Houston Bar Association - Family/Probate Bench Bar Conference; October 27 & 28, 2000.

 Guest Lecturer  South Texas College of Law - Estate Planning & Probate - Creditor Claims;    March 2001

 Author                       Texas Collection Manual - Third Edition: Probate and Guardianship Section;      March 2001

 Course Director            State Bar of Texas Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course; June 2001

 Speaker                          University of Houston Law Center, Wills and Probate Institute Course; July 2001

 Speaker                          Judge Rory Olsen’s Class on Chemical Dependency, “The Role of The Ad Litem”; October 2001

 Speaker      San Antonio Young Lawyers Association “Docket Call in Probate Courts Seminar”; April 2002

 Speaker                       South Texas College of Law “Representing the Elderly Client”; May 2002

 Advisory Committee        Wills & Probate Institute, University of Houston Law Foundation; May 2002

 Speaker                       State Bar of Texas Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course; June 2002

 Speaker                        Victoria Area Estate Planning Counsel; Court Created Section 867 Trusts; November 2002

 Speaker                         South Texas Collage of Law “Guardianship Certification Course for Ad Litem Appointments in Probate Court”; January 2003

 Manual Committee          State Bar of Texas  - Texas Guardianship Manual, Second Edition; May 2003

 Speaker                          Advanced Personal Injury Law Course, Dallas; “Probate Issues in a Personal Injury Case”; June 2003

 Speaker                          Advanced Personal Injury Law Course, Houston; “Probate Issues in a Personal Injury Case”; July 2003

 Speaker                          Advanced Personal Injury Law Course, San Antonio; “Probate Issues in a Personal Injury Case”; August 2003;

 Speaker                          Tarrant County Probate Bar Association Second Annual Probate Litigation Seminar; “Avoiding Sudden Death or at Least Temporary Incapacitation of your Case in Probate Court – Including Jurisdiction and Probate”; October 3, 2003

 Co-Author/Speaker         State Bar of Texas – 14th Annual Advanced Drafting Estate Planning and Probate Course; Dallas, Texas; “Will Your Notes Nail You? (Notes, Video, Audio, Emails, Comments and Other Faux Paus)”; October 23-24, 2003

 Speaker                          Klein Forest High School “Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education”, May 2004

 Author/Speaker               Fiduciary Litigation 2004, Texas Bar CLE, Houston, May 6-7, 2004

 Co-Author/Speaker         El Paso Probate Bar Association, Texas College of Probate Judges; “Probate Surcharge and Preliminary Proceedings”; May 12-13, 2004

 Speaker                          El Paso Probate Bar Association, Texas College of Probate Judges; “Independent Administration”; May 12-13, 2004

 Co-Author/Speaker         Wills and Probate Institute, University of Houston Law Foundation, Houston; “Dependent Administrations”; May 20-21, 2004

 Speaker/Author               Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course; San Antonio, Texas; “How Your Notes Can Get You Into Trouble”; June 9-11, 2004

 Speaker/Author              Texas State Bar, Charitable Giving Course; San Antonio, Texas, “Giving Till it Hurts---You”, July 29-30, 2004

 Speaker/Author              Tarrent County Probate Bar Association 3rd Annual Probate Litigation Seminar; Fort Worth, Texas, “Jury Charges In Probate”, September 17, 2004

 Speaker/Author               Texas Bankers Association Personal Trust Seminar; Dallas, Texas, “Dealing with the Difficult Client and/or Beneficiary”, October 7, 2004

 Speaker/Author           Houston Estate and Financial Forum; Houston, Texas, “Will Your Notes Nail You? (Notes, Video, Audio, Emails, Comments and Other Faux Paus That Cause Problems)”, November 18, 2004

 Speaker/Author              TBA Trust Financial Services Division, Court Created Trusts Seminar, Dallas, Texas; “Court-Created 867 Trusts Practical Approach; March 5, 2005

 Speaker                          Case Law Update, Reliant Decision; Houston, Texas; The Disability and Elder Law Attorneys Association; March 21, 2005

 Advisor                           University of Houston Wills and Probate Advisory Committee – 1995 to present

 Speaker                          H.B.A. Speech to the Elderly, Houston, Texas, “Guardianship Alternatives and Settling Contested Guardianships”; May 17, 2005

 Speaker                          National Business Institute, Houston, Texas, “The Probate Process from Start to Finish”, May 17, 2005

 Speaker/Author               El Paso Planned Giving Counsel, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, “Giving Till it Hurts you”; May 23, 2005

 Speaker/Author               State Bar of Texas – Avoiding Malpractice, Dallas, Texas, “Personal Injury Involving Probate From Beginning to End or Silver Bullets That Can Kill Your Case”, July 12, 2005

 Speaker/Author               State Bar of Texas – Avoiding Malpractice, San Antonio, Texas, “Personal Injury Involving Probate From Beginning to End or Silver Bullets That Can Kill Your Case”, August 2, 2005

 Speaker/Author               State Bar of Texas – Avoiding Malpractice, Houston, Texas, “Personal Injury Involving Probate From Beginning to End or Silver Bullets That Can Kill Your Case”, August 24, 2005

 Speaker                          South Texas College of Law – Wills and Probate Institute, Houston, Texas, “Investment Plans and Guardianships”, September 16, 2005

 Speaker/Author              Tarrant County Probate Bar Association – Litigation Seminar, Ft. Worth, Texas, “Personal Injury Involving Probate From Beginning to End or Silver Bullets That Can Kill Your Case”, October 14, 2005

 Speaker/Author      Jefferson County Bar Association CLE – Avoiding Malpractice, Beaumont, Texas, “Avoiding The Silver Bullets That Can Kill Your Case”, October 28, 2005

 Speaker                          Houston Bar Association – Guardianship Certification Course For Ad Litem Appointments 2006, Houston, Texas, "The Role of the Attorney Ad Litem in a Contested Guardianship Proceeding", January 27, 2006

 Speak/Co-Author       State Bar of Texas – Advanced Guardianship Course, Dallas, Texas, "Promoting the Well-Being of the Proposed Ward", March 9, 2006

 Speaker/Author        Texas Trial Lawyers Association – Advanced Personal Injury Seminar, Houston, Texas "Personal Injury Involving Probate From Beginning to end or Avoiding the Silver Bullets That Can Kill Your Case", May 11-12, 2006

 Speaker/Author               Planned Giving Council of Houston – Monthly Program, Houston, Texas, "Giving Till it Hurts You", May 18, 2006

 Speaker/Moderator          Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course, Houston, Texas, "Expert Qualification and Disqualification in Probate and Fiduciary Litigation", June 2006

 Speaker                        South Texas College of Law Wills and Probate Institute, Houston, Texas, "Navigating the Quagmire of Potential Claims Against Estate Planning, Trust, Probate and Guardianship Practice", September 2006

 Speaker/Author              HBA All Day Ethics Program; Houston, Texas, "Ethical Jeopardy", November 4, 2006

 Speaker/Co-Author         DELAA, Houston, Texas, "Fiduciary Litigation", January 22, 2007

 Speaker                     State Bar of Texas - Advanced Elder Law & Guardianship Course, Houston, Texas, "Contested Guardianships", March 8-9, 2007

 Advisor                           National Academy of Elder Law Attorney, Inc. – Trust special Interest Group Steering Committee, 2006 to present

 Speaker/Moderator  Texas Guardianship Association Spring Conference, Waco, Texas, Ethics Panel; April 12-13, 2007

 Speaker/Author               Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course 2007; San Antonio, Texas, "Getting to Victory: Special Issues: Jury Charge", June 6-8, 2007

 Speaker/Author               Trust Administration in Texas, Houston, Texas, "Fiduciary Administration", July 17, 2007

 Speaker/Co-Author     Trust Administration in Texas, Houston, Texas, "Fiduciary Litigation", July 17, 2007

 Speaker/Co-Author       State Bar of Texas Advanced Drafting Course for Estate Planning and Probate, Houston, Texas, "File Documentation, Retention & Destruction: i.e. Will Your Notes Nail You?", October 25, 2007

 Speaker                          National Business Institute Fundamentals of Trust Administration, Houston, Texas, "Overcoming Ethical Challenges", December 7, 2007

 Speaker/Author               National Business Institute Fundamentals of Trust Administration, Houston, Texas, "Essential Steps in Trust Termination", December 7, 2007

 Speaker/Author               National Business Institute Fundamentals of Trust Administration, Houston, Texas, "Major Provisions of a Trust", December 7, 2007

 Speaker/Author            State Bar of Texas Advanced Guardianship Course, Dallas, Texas, "Medical Experts: Can Yours Withstand Cross?", March 7, 2008

 Speaker/Author               Texas College of Probate Judges Regional Workshop, Corpus Christi, Texas, "Show Cause, Contempt, Surcharge, and Injunctive Actions", March 28, 2008

 Speaker/Author               Texas College of Probate Judges Regional Workshop, Corpus Christi, Texas, "The Role of the Ad Litem", March 28, 2008

 Speaker/Author               Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course, Dallas, Texas, "Drafting and Entering Judgments", June 11-13, 2008

Speaker                       Estate Planning, Guardianship and Elder Law Conference, Galveston, Texas, "Ask The Experts: Guardianship Topics including Medical Issues in Guardianships", August 14-15, 2008

 Speaker/Author               Tarrant County Probate Bar Association – Sixth Probate Litigation Seminar, Ft. Worth, Texas, “Expert Testimony”, September 19, 2008

 Advisory Committee        2009 Advanced Elder Law and Guardianship Courses

 Speaker/Author               Attorneys In Tax & Probate – "Drafting and Entering Judgments", March 3,           2009

 Speaker/Author            State Bar of Texas Advanced Guardianship Course, Houston, Texas – "Complex Family Matters in Guardianship", March 2009

 Speaker             State Bar of Texas Webcast, Austin, Texas – "Guardian Ad Litem in a Personal Injury Case: Deal or No Deal, Austin, Texas", May 14, 2009

Speaker              St. Edward Catholic Church, Spring, Texas – "Estate Planning No Matter How Big or How Small", October 25, 2009 

Speaker/Author              Trial of a Fiduciary Litigation Case, Fredericksburg, Texas – "Getting to Victory: Winning Techniques in Fiduciary Litigation", December17-18, 2009 

Speaker                Sharpstown Rotary Club, Houston, Texas – "Estate Planning No Matter How Big or How Small", February 2, 2010