Philip Carlos Burgess

I am an associate attorney at WG Law, practicing from our McKinney and Southlake offices. My work falls into three areas: estate planning and probate, family law, and veterans benefits.

On the planning side, I help Texas families put their affairs in order before a crisis forces the issue. Wills, revocable living trusts, powers of attorney, medical directives, and transfer on death deeds, built around what a family actually owns and who they actually trust. Much of my work involves situations that standard forms handle badly: a blended family, a child who receives government benefits and needs a special needs sub-trust, mineral interests, or a business that has to keep running. I also handle probate and estate administration when planning was not done in time, including independent administration, muniment of title, heirship proceedings, and guardianship.

In family law, I represent clients in divorce, custody, child support, and modification and enforcement matters across Collin, Denton, Dallas, and Tarrant Counties. Some cases settle on paper in a few weeks. Others need a judge. I tell clients early which one theirs looks like, and I do not run up a file arguing over things that will not change the outcome.

I am also accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, accreditation number 61843, and I represent veterans in disability compensation claims and appeals.

That work is personal. I come from a family of veterans. My father, my grandfather, my great-grandfather, and several cousins all served. I grew up around people who did what the country asked of them and then had to fight a second time to get what they were owed. Veterans deserve someone who takes their file seriously, returns their calls, and understands that a rating decision is not paperwork to the person living with the condition behind it.

My path here was not a straight line. I spent years in IT infrastructure, holding CompTIA A+ and Cisco CCNA certifications, before going to law school. That work taught me to diagnose the actual problem instead of the symptom, document what I did, and make sure things keep running after I walk away. Those habits transfer to legal practice more directly than people expect.

I earned my J.D. from Texas A&M University School of Law in 2025 and was admitted to the State Bar of Texas on October 7, 2025. During law school I worked as a summer associate at Sprouse Shrader Smith and as a legal intern at J Cruz. I am a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Collin County Bar Association.

Most of my clients come to me at a hard moment. A parent has died, a marriage is ending, a claim was denied. What they need first is a straight answer about where they stand. I give that answer early, and I keep clients informed about what is happening in their case without their having to chase me for it.

I live in Collin County with my wife. Outside the office I climb and train in strength sports. I summited Mt. Whitney by the Mountaineers Route in 2026 and have Rainier on the calendar next. Both climbing and lifting teach the same lesson, which is that the outcome is decided long before the day itself. You do the preparation, you respect the conditions, and you do not talk yourself into shortcuts because you are impatient. That is also how I run a case file.