Emily M. Radke
Counsel

The most rewarding part of my practice is working closely with individuals and families to understand their unique motivations and needs so I can deliver thoughtful, individualized solutions to complex estate planning and administration issues. By combining a compassionate approach with deep technical knowledge, I give my clients peace of mind knowing their estate planning goals are achieved as effectively and quickly as possible.

Clients throughout Texas rely on Emily Radke to advise on all aspects of estate, gift and generation-skipping tax planning, as well as trust and estate administration and related matters. She develops tailored solutions for clients with diverse estate planning needs and goals, ranging from high-net-worth individuals and families that want to protect substantial assets, real property and business interests, to young spouses and parents with smaller estates who need a comprehensive will. Emily is Board Certified in Estate Planning & Probate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Emily’s estate planning practice includes counseling clients on their unique goals and preparing wills, trusts, incapacity planning documents, and estate and gift tax returns. A large part of her practice is devoted to using sophisticated estate planning techniques to help high-net-worth clients transfer and preserve wealth through multiple generations, minimize transfer taxes and fulfill their charitable objectives. As her clients’ circumstances and needs change over time, Emily helps them understand the operation of their existing estate plans and prepares modifications when necessary to achieve their new goals and make their lives easier.

In addition to planning, Emily guides executors, trustees and beneficiaries through each phase of the estate administration process, including the probating of uncontested wills. She also has substantial experience in trust administration matters and has represented both trustees and beneficiaries in numerous trust modification proceedings.

Thought Leadership / News
January 3, 2023 
 Press Releases
September 9, 2020 
 Speeches and Presentations
Attorney-Client Privilege in Probate

Houston Trusts & Estates Club

May 12, 2017 
 Speeches and Presentations
Grantor Trusts and Life Insurance Trusts: A Match Made in Heaven

Society of Financial Service Professionals - Houston Chapter

October 9, 2015 
 Speeches and Presentations
It Toggles the Mind: Thoughts on Grantor Trusts and How to Turn Them On and Off

2015 State Bar of Texas 26th Annual Estate Planning m& Probate Drafting Course 

Honors
  • Named a Rising Star by Texas Super Lawyers (a Thomson Reuters company) as published in Texas Monthly (2022)
  • Selected by her peers for inclusion in Woodward/White, Inc.'s The Best Lawyers in America "Ones to Watch" in the field of Trusts & Estates (2021 - 2024)
Organizational Involvement
  • Houston Business and Estate Planning Council
  • Houston Estate and Financial Forum
    • Board of Directors (2023 – present)
    • Nominating Committee (2021)
  • Houston Trusts & Estates Club
  • Houston Bar Association
    • Probate, Trusts and Estate Section
  • State Bar of Texas
    • Real Estate, Probate, and Trust Law Section
  • Texas Bar College
Education
  • J.D., with distinction, University of Iowa College of Law (2012)
  • B.A., B.S., cum laude, Iowa State University (2009)
Bar Admission
  • Texas (2012)
When I Feel Most At Home
  • Spending time with my husband, young sons and Golden Retriever
  • Traveling domestically and abroad (memorable destinations include Interlaken, Switzerland and Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany)
  • Reading a good book (favorite authors include David Sedaris and Bill Bryson)