Pamela D. Orsak
Pamela D. Orsak founded the Law Office of Pamela D. Orsak in January of 2011, where she focuses her practice on estate planning, wealth preservation and transfer, trust administration, probate, and guardianship. Her objective is to demystify the complexity of the law and minimize risk for her clients. She practices law in Victoria, Texas, and the surrounding counties.
Pamela is Board Certified in estate planning and probate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from Duke University School of Law, Durham, North Carolina and received her undergraduate degree in accounting, summa cum laude, from the University of Houston as a member of the Honors College.
After graduation from law school, Pamela was selected to serve as Justice Kem T. Frost’s briefing attorney on the Fourteenth Court of Appeals. Upon completion of that term, she was given the opportunity to serve as the staff attorney in charge of the litigation and mental health dockets for Harris County Probate Court Number Three Judge Rory Olsen. She then had the privilege to work as an associate for Ware, Snow, Fogel & Jackson and then for Ware, Jackson, Lee & Chambers in Houston. Upon moving to Victoria in 2006, she worked as an associate for Anderson, Smith, Null & Stofer.
Pamela is actively involved in both statewide and local professional and charitable organizations including: as a council member of the Real Estate Probate and Trust Law section of the State Bar of Texas; as co-chair of the Decedent’s Estates Committee of the Texas Real Estate & Probate Institute; as Panel 3 chair, district chair, and member of the Texas District 11 Grievance Committee; as President and a member of the Victoria County Bar Association; as President and a member of the Victoria Area Estate Planning Council; as a member of the College of the State Bar; President and member of the board of directors of the VISD Education Foundation; as Treasurer, Membership Development Chair, Public Relations Chair, and a member of the Junior League of Victoria, Texas, Inc.; as a council member of Trinity Lutheran Church; as the Secretary for the board of the Presbyterian Day School; as a member of the Breeders Greeters Committee of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo as well as a lifetime member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Pamela is a frequent speaker and author at State Bar of Texas continuing legal education courses as well as at numerous regional and local organizations.
Pamela is the proud mother of two teenage boys and enjoys spending time going to their activities, hiking, dancing, skiing, and practicing yoga with an emphasis on practicing.
Areas of Practice
- Elder Law
- Estate Planning
- Probate & Estate Administration
- Guardianship
- Trusts
- Wills
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 1999
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, 2000
Education
- Duke University School of Law, Durham,
North Carolina
- J.D. - May, 1999
- University of Houston, Houston,
Texas
- B.B.A. (Summa Cum Laude) - May, 1996
- Major: Accounting
Author/Speaker
- Author/Speaker, “Top 10 Considerations for Avoiding Litigation for the Estate Planner,” Stanley M. Johanson Estate
- Planning Workship 2025 & State Bar of Texas Estate Planning & Probate Drafting Course, 2023
- Author/Speaker, “Coaching an Olympic Sprinter: Guiding a Personal Representative in Distributing a Decedent’s
- Estate,” State Bar of Texas Advanced Estate Planning & Probate Course 2024 & State Bar of Texas Summer School Course 2025
- Speaker, “Administering the Estate,” State Bar of Texas Building Blocks of Wills, Estates and Probate Course, 2013-2026
- Author/Speaker, “Working with Impaired Individuals,” State Bar of Texas Governance of Nonprofit Organizations 2024
- Speaker, “Balancing the Legal, Medical, and Ethical Aspects of Planning for an Impaired Person,” Corpus Christi Estate
- Planning Council, 2023
- Author/Speaker, “Choosing Wisely: Drafting to Avoid Probate for Real Estate,” State Bar of Texas 32"4 Annual Estate
- Planning & Probate Drafting Course, 2021
- Author/Speaker, “Techniques for Avoiding Probate for Real Estate: Old Foundations, New Foundations, or Wrecking
- Balls,” Corpus Christi Estate Planning Council, 2018
- Author/Speaker, “Transfer Techniques for Real Estate That Can Avoid Probate: Old Foundations, New Foundations, or Wrecking Balls,” Notre Dame Estate Planning Institute, 2017
- Author/Speaker, “Save Me from Probate: Transfer on Death Deeds and Lady Bird Deeds,” Stanley M. Johanson Estate
- Planning Workshop, 2016 & State Bar of Texas 40 Annual Advanced Estate Planning & Probate Course, 2016
- Author/Speaker, “Use and Abuse of Show Cause Motions in Probate Proceedings,” State Bar of Texas 39th Annual
- Advanced Estate Planning & Probate Course, 2015
- Speaker, “Estate Planning: Who, What, Why & How,” Victoria College Foundation, 2015
- Speaker, “Unintended Consequences of TOD, POD and Other Beneficiary Designations,” Victoria Area Estate Planning
- Council, September 2014
- Speaker, “Estate Planning Post 2010,” First Victoria National Bank, 2011
- Speaker, “Trusts Who Needs Them,” Victoria Professional Express Network, 2010
- Speaker, “Why Do I Need a Will,” Victoria Professional Express Network, 2008
Professional Activities and Honors
- Board Certified, Estate Planning and Probate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
- 2020 Marquis Who’s Who in America & Marquis Who’s Who in America Top Lawyer
- Real Estate Probate & Trust Law section of State Bar, Council Member 2025-2029 & Member 2008-present
- Texas Real Estate & Probate Institute, Co-Chair of Decedents’ Estates committee
- Victoria Area Estate Planning Council, President 2009-2010, Member 2008 — present
- Victoria County Bar Association, President 2008-2009, Member 2007 — present
- College of the State Bar, Member 2002 — present
- State Bar of Texas District 11 Grievance Committee Chair & Panel 3 Chair 2021-2023
- State Bar of Texas District 11 Grievance Committee member 2017-2023
- VISD Education Foundation Director 2020-present; President Elect 2024-2025
- Trinity Lutheran Church council member 2020-2024
- Junior League of Victoria, Texas, Inc., Treasurer 2010-2011, Membership Development Chair 2012-2013, Public
- Relations Chair 2013-2014, Member 2006-present
- Victoria Professional Express Network, a chapter of the American Business Women’s Association, Member 2008-2012
- Presbyterian Day School, Secretary 2011-2012
- Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Lifetime Member
- Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Breeders Greeters Committee, 2001-2006
- Junior League of Houston, Member 2002-2006
Past Employment Positions
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January 2011 – presentThe Law Office of Pamela D. OrsakVictoria, Texas
-
January 2006 – June 2010Anderson, Smith, Null & Stofer, AssociateVictoria, Texas
-
October 2004 – January 2006Ware, Jackson, Lee & Chambers, AssociateHouston, Texas
-
June 2002 – October 2004Ware, Snow, Fogel & Jackson, AssociateHouston, Texas
-
September 2000 – June 2002Harris County Probate Court Number Three, Litigation & Mental Health Staff AttorneyHouston, Texas
-
September 1999 – August 2000Fourteenth Court of Appeals, Briefing Attorney for The Honorable Kem T. FrostHouston, Texas
Languages
- English
