Patty Vargas of Davis & Santos: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Attorney

Never Give Up. Even when things seem too hard or impossible you can find a solution. Your perseverance will help you through the most challenging of times.

As a part of my series about “5 things I wish someone told me when I first became an attorney” I had the pleasure of interviewing Patty Vargas.

Patty Vargas is a shareholder with Davis & Santos, PLLC and is Board Certified in estate planning and probate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Patty’s practice concentrates on the representation of individuals and corporate fiduciaries with respect to estate planning, family wealth transfers, probate, guardianships, formation and administration of trusts, including special needs trusts and fiduciary litigation.

Patty has prepared and has assisted in the preparation of IRS filings for transfer tax purposes. She has also represented clients before the Texas Medical Board and the Texas Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit more. What is the “backstory” that brought you to this particular career path in Law?

I was actually a Religious Studies major in college after a failed path to medical school. My mother, concerned about what I was going to do with my degree, asked if I had considered law school. I had, but not seriously until she said something. That was the last little push I needed as it helped to prompt me to take the LSAT. That said, I have found that having a Religious Studies degree has helped me to appreciate the different backgrounds of other people and to try to find common ground with others who might on the surface seem much different than I am.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your law career?

More broadly speaking, I have found that probate matters, when contested, are often much worse than a divorce. I never wanted to practice Family Law; thus, it strikes me that I sometimes find that I do have cases that have a lot of conflict. Helping to navigate these cases brings new challenges and forces me to think about finding solutions in different ways.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

My clients whom I am able to assist are the most interesting. With each new case, I am able to help my clients bring resolution to difficult situations or help give them the much needed peace of mind they seek. Through my work with my clients, I have the privilege of learning about their backgrounds, goals, and concerns, as well as identifying ways to achieve their goals.

What are some of the most interesting cases you have been involved in? Without sharing anything confidential can you share any stories?

I love cases that have a lot of moving parts and those where I can collaborate with my law partners or even the attorneys that are representing other individuals involved in a matter. Whether it is resolving how best to accomplish the goals of the clients or helping to bring resolution to a dispute, these are the cases that keep the practice of law interesting to me.

Which people in history inspire you the most? Why?

Any group that is an underdog or someone who must fight for what they believe in is always inspiring to me. Even if I do not necessarily agree with their position, it is to me admirable to continue to advocate for your position regardless of the challenges before you.

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in law?

Never give up. Even when things are difficult or seem impossible, it is the ability to push through that will make a difference. Moreover, it is the way in which you respond in such circumstances that matter. I have found this to be true whether in the practice of law or in life.

If you had the ability to make three reforms in our judicial/legal system, which three would you start with? Why?

Each state and county are different, thus a judicial reform in one jurisdiction may not be necessary in another.

That said, for my probate practice, permitting certain matters to be conducted remotely, such as by Zoom would be a welcome reform. The time that is saved, especially for uncontested matters, is enormous for my practice. Moreover, the ability of a client who may live in a different city or state to appear remotely for uncontested matters saves the client considerable time and cost.

I sometimes joke with clients that if I had a crystal ball and knew what the tax code said on their date of death, that I could give them the perfect estate plan. However, in truth, it’s the constant changes to the tax code that perhaps keep me in business.

Judges are intended to be impartial, yet in Texas each judicial candidate must run under a political party — typically as a Republican or Democrat. Judicial candidates in Texas should be elected in another way that does not make them subject to the political swings and leanings in an election year.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

I try to bring goodness by using my skills to help clients through difficult situations so that they can close a difficult chapter in their lives and begin to heal. On a larger scale, I try to bring goodness by advocating for changes for our county’s probate courts. From my perspective, most people will never file for bankruptcy, will not commit a crime that brings them before a criminal court, and hopefully will never be sued in civil court; however, everyone will find themselves in a probate court whether they are serving as an executor, obtaining a guardianship when the proper planning has not been done, or following their passing when their Will is filed for probate. Our probate courts are the courts that impact the most lives of the citizens in their county.

I know this is not an easy job. What drives you?

I am driven by wanting to provide my clients with legal advice and assistance so that they are given a sense of peace. It is not typical that through the practice of law that a lawyer has the opportunity to bestow this gift on their clients; however, with an estate planning and probate practice, I am fortunate to have this opportunity every day.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or an example for each.

1. Things Change. As much as I would have expected to have stayed with one firm for my entire career, things changed, and for me and my family this change brought me to my new firm.
2. Change Can Be Hard. When things do change, and decisions have to be made, it can be difficult, but trust your instinct.
3. Trust Your Instinct. Whether it is a potential new client that you question whether you should take their case or bigger, life changing career decisions, your instinct is almost always right. There is a reason you may have thoughts or concerns, and it is important to trust them. That is in part how you have already achieved many of your goals and accomplishments.
4. Take Time. Do not rush through projects when you are first starting your career as there is no award for completing a project fast or first. Instead, it matters if it is done right. It is also important to take time to find other outlets that you enjoy so that you have something outside of the office that you look forward to doing. Take time to give back in anyway that you enjoy as it is through giving that you will find joy.
5. Never Give Up. Even when things seem too hard or impossible you can find a solution. Your perseverance will help you through the most challenging of times.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. :-)

I would enjoy spending time with my ancestors who came from Europe and Eastern Europe to learn more about what drove them to seek a new life in America in the 1800s. I would find it incredibly informative to learn and hopefully understand the factors, both positive and negative, that played into making the decision to move to a new and foreign country. I have often wondered if I would have the same strength, courage, and fortitude to make such a life changing decision, and to be able to speak with my ancestors about their experiences might give me a bit of insight into the person that I am as well.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this. We wish you continued success and good health!