James Voeller: 45 Years of Estate Planning Practice in San Antonio

James N. Voeller is an attorney licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas and a Certified Estate Planning Law Specialist who represents individuals and business owners in estate planning, probate and business matters at The Voeller Law Firm in San Antonio. He has been practicing law for 45 years, and the San Antonio firm he founded was created in 2003. This feature traces the sequence of his career, the certifications behind his specialty designation, the matters he handles today, and the working method that returning clients describe in their own accounts of hiring him.

How James Voeller Started: From Ernst & Whinney in Minneapolis to His Own Firm in 1983

James Voeller began his career as a member of the staff of the Minneapolis office of Ernst & Whinney. From there, he worked as an associate with the Minneapolis law firm of Wiese & Cox before establishing The Voeller Law Firm in 1983.

The academic record behind that sequence is Midwestern as well. Voeller earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School in Minneapolis in 1980, graduating with honors. His undergraduate degree is from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he graduated magna cum laude.

That accounting-then-law progression is worth noting because of where the practice eventually landed. Voeller's biography states that throughout his career he has helped families structure their affairs in order to eliminate the threat of government intervention into their private lives and protect their assets from lawsuits, and that in the process he has helped families save millions of dollars in estate taxes and probate costs. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes in any future matter.

The San Antonio Chapter: The Firm Created in 2003 and James Voeller's 45 Years of Practice

The Voeller Law Firm as it exists today was created in 2003 and has a longstanding presence in the San Antonio community. The firm describes James Voeller as its founder and states that he has been practicing law for 45 years.

Since 2003, the San Antonio office has worked with families across the city on estate planning and probate matters. The firm's stated description of that period is a practice focused on preserving family wealth across generations rather than on episodic transactional work.

The Team Built around James Voeller

James Voeller has built a team of lawyers around him at The Voeller Law Firm, and the firm describes all of them as passionate about serving clients. Together, the firm's attorneys have over 70 years of combined experience, a figure the firm attributes to the group rather than to any one lawyer. The firm's roster includes attorneys James N. Voeller, Rebecca L. Jaroszewski and Rebekah Meeks Schement.

What James Voeller Is Certified In: Estate Planning Law Specialist and Accredited Estate Planner

James Voeller is a Certified Estate Planning Law Specialist (EPLS), as certified by the Estate Law Specialist Board, Inc. He is also an Accredited Estate Planner (AEP), accredited by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils.

His bar admissions are Texas, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, and the Supreme Court of the United States of America. Those admissions define where he may appear, and the Western District of Texas covers the federal trial court territory that includes San Antonio.

Professional Associations

James Voeller's professional memberships sit alongside the certifications and are concentrated in estate practice rather than spread across unrelated fields. They are:

• Texas State Bar Association
• College of the State Bar of Texas
• San Antonio Bar Association
• The Estate Planning Council of San Antonio
• Wealth Counsel, a consortium of over 4,000 national estate planning attorneys

What James Voeller Handles Today: Estate Planning, Elder Law, Probate and Business Planning

James Voeller primarily represents individuals and business owners in both business and estate planning matters. At The Voeller Law Firm, the attorneys provide personalized services in creating wills, living trusts and powers of attorney, so that assets are managed according to a client's wishes.

The firm also addresses unique family situations with special needs trusts and offers strategic tax planning intended to minimize liabilities. Its elder law services focus on Medicaid planning, which the firm frames as protecting wealth while accessing necessary care. Probate and estate administration are handled as a distinct service line, which the firm describes as easing the burden during difficult times.

The Business-Owner Side of the Practice

For business owners, The Voeller Law Firm offers asset protection and business planning, including LLC formation, with the stated aim of safeguarding both personal and business interests. The firm's listed areas of focused and strategic representation are estate planning, tax planning, asset protection and business planning. The firm states that its attorneys have considerable experience building sophisticated strategies, such as customized revocable trusts, for clients. James Voeller's own practice focus is listed as estate planning and probate alongside business law.

How James Voeller Works with Clients: Free Initial Meetings, No Billing for Phone Calls, and Options Explained in Plain English

The Voeller Law Firm offers free initial meetings and does not charge for phone calls, a policy the firm ties directly to its belief in open communication. James Voeller works within that structure, and clients writing testimonials for the firm return to the same two themes: explanation and options.

One client, identified as Kees, wrote that Voeller "took us by the hands and guided us through the whole process" and "was able to explain all these complex legal issues in plain English to us." A client identified as Peggy wrote that "he shared the pros and cons of options in our planning which helped us be able to make the right decisions for our family."

Another client account, published without a name, described the first consultation in similar terms: "Most impressive: he listened. He took time to thoroughly understand our goals and preferences. He made his fee schedule clear." A separate unnamed client, writing about updating existing Living Trust documents, noted that Voeller "offered options and pointed out the pros and cons of the options available. He did not overstate."

Responsiveness appears in the record as well. A client identified as Ryan wrote that he has "sent him several follow up questions via email and he has always taken the time to respond and has always done so within 24 hours." These are individual client accounts of their own matters, and they do not predict how any future engagement will proceed.

Long-Term Client Relationships: What Returning Clients Say about Working with James Voeller over the Years

Several clients of The Voeller Law Firm describe engagements with James Voeller that span years rather than a single document signing. Tom and Nancy Tidwell wrote that they first met Voeller in 2008 to help with establishing a Family Trust and that since then they have asked him for additional assistance as their needs changed, including most recently in April 2017.

Another client account describes a relationship that passed between generations. The writer's parents sought Voeller's advice in preparation for her mother's double lung transplant in 2007. "After the birth of my first child, my husband I did not hesitate in contacting Mr. Voeller for our own estate planning," she wrote, adding that the family has also received guidance in planning for grandparents. "We hold him in high regard and look forward to a long working relationship."

Repeat work also crosses practice areas. The client identified as Ryan, who first came for estate planning, later used Voeller to create an LLC and a DBA, writing that "my second use of Mr. Voeller was also a pleasure." A client identified as Alan noted a follow-through detail after the documents were signed: "He also sent reminders for us to follow up and get accounts moved to the trusts." Michael Bristow, writing about a framework for transferring assets to children and grandchildren, wrote that "we trust the Voeller Law Firm to be there for us and our family in the future."

Prospective clients can review James Voeller's Haute Lawyer profile for his credentials and contact details, and additional information on the practice areas described here is available from the Voeller Law Firm's San Antonio office. The firm's profile page on this publication also lists how to request an initial meeting.