Section Chair's Welcome

Welcome to the Real Estate Probate and Trust Law Section ("REPTL" or the “Section”) — the largest and second oldest section of the State Bar of Texas. It is my privilege to serve as Section Chair during the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

The REPTL Council will provide updates on its programs and activities, along with informational e-blasts to advise of significant developments in the law or your practice requirements. REPTL will continue its contract with the Texas Real Estate and Probate Institute (“T-REP”) to provide updates and analysis of significant bills affecting real estate, probate, and trust law to our members.

The following are just some of the benefits you receive with your REPTL membership:

CLE Discounts: REPTL sponsors several TexasBarCLE programs and members receive a $50 discount to each sponsored program, which means your discount for just one course is more than your annual REPTL dues. This discount applies to the following courses:

               Real Estate                                                                      Probate
               Water Rights 101                                                            Building Blocks of Wills, Estates & Probate Course
               Changing Face of Water Rights Course                      Intermediate Estate Planning & Probate Course
               Real Estate 101                                                               Advanced Estate Planning & Probate Course
               Advanced Real Estate Law Course                              Estate Planning & Probate Drafting Course
               Advanced Real Estate Drafting Course                       Advanced Estate Planning Strategies Course   
               Advanced Real Estate Strategies Course

CLE Library: REPTL members have unlimited access to a fully searchable library of CLE papers from the leading real estate, probate, trust, and elder law courses held in Texas, including the courses listed above. (For help with your website login, email the REPTL webmaster.)

REPTL Reporter: The REPTL Reporter is emailed to you quarterly and provides a wealth of information, including case law updates and articles in the areas of real estate, probate, trust, and elder law.

Legislative Updates: Legislative updates, including the report prepared by T-REP’s Real Estate Legislative Affairs Committee (RELACs) for the 2025 legislative session, will be posted on the Legislative Updates page in the Members Only area of our website. (This area is password protected.) Each report summarizes significant legislation in the respective area of law.

REPTL Leadership Academy: The REPTL Leadership Academy was established in 2017. This biennial program promotes the active participation of young lawyers in REPTL’s activities by giving them an opportunity to be involved in substantive Section work, by providing networking opportunities with practitioners from all over the state, by mentoring and developing them into future Section leaders, and by promoting REPTL through various projects and services. Applications for the 2026-2027 class may be submitted beginning in January or February of 2026. (Specific dates TBA.) Eligible REPTL members are encouraged to apply.

Texas Title Examinations Standards: REPTL and the Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Section co-sponsor the Texas Title Examination Standards Committee. This committee publishes the Texas Title Examination Standards, which are widely used by REPTL members.

If you are a current member, we welcome you back and look forward to an exciting year. If you are not a member or you are a law student, we encourage you to click the "Join REPTL" button. For $30 you can start taking advantage of the many benefits of a REPTL membership. We hope that you will make full use of the resources REPTL provides and let us know how we may better serve you.

Sincerely,

Richard A. Crow, Chair
Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section State Bar of Texas