While attending a Texas Tech seminar on estate planning, the opening speaker greeted us with these words: “If you ever see Dyann McCully, you need to give her a big thank you.” The topic was a Texas legislative update. The speaker continued: “Dyann McCully spearheaded the charge on updating the Texas law on guardianships. Thanks to Dyann’s tireless efforts, the legislature has adopted major improvements to the guardianship laws.” Hearing these words, I swelled up with pride. Do I ever see Dyann McCully? Only every day—Dyann heads up our litigation team at The Blum firm and her office is just one down from mine.
I love the story of how Dyann and her colleagues joined The Blum Firm eight years ago, creating our trust and estates litigation section. I attended the monthly meeting of the Tarrant County Probate Bar Association and had the good fortune of randomly sitting next to Dyann at the lunch. Dyann shared an interest in moving her firm’s litigation team to a new law firm, and I was instantly interested. She and I spoke later that day and got the wheels turning. Within a few months, Dyann joined us, along with David Bakutis, Beth Hampton, Cindi Adler, and Mary Ellen McMahon. Since that time, we have added many more to the team. We are grateful to have a vibrant and busy group of fiduciary trial attorneys now at The Blum Firm who not only know where the courthouse is, but who know what to do when they get there. My late father-in-law Abe Kriger used to refer to them as “real lawyers,” and often asked me when we planned to add some “real lawyers” to our law firm. Abe would join me in being super proud of our litigation section.
Dyann is truly a rockstar in the world of guardianships, as well as all aspects of trust and estate controversy. She is a frequent speaker at probate and guardianship seminars, recognized by all as the “go to” expert in her field. She also testifies frequently at the Texas legislature to address needed changes in the law. Recently, the State Bar of Texas invited her to be the Course Director for the 2025 Advanced Elder Law and Advanced Guardianship Law Course. Also, the Texas Guardianship Association Public Affairs Committee just asked her to join the committee to help with guardianship legislation issues for the upcoming legislative session. In this role, she will review proposed guardianship-related legislation and engage with legislators on finding solutions for these matters.
The mission of the Texas Guardianship Association (TGA) is the following:
- To educate involved professionals, consumers and the general public regarding guardianship and its alternatives.
- To promote the development of guardianship and alternative programs to serve and protect vulnerable individuals.
- To advocate for development and implementation of effective public policy regarding guardianship and related issues that are consumer sensitive.
And as if that’s not enough, Dyann is also a certified mediator in guardianship mediation, making her part of one of the first groups of attorneys to be certified in guardianship mediations. She mediates in contested guardianships, probates, and estates.
Having a robust litigation section at The Blum Firm has been a major “win-win” for us. The estate planners are grateful for the opportunity to consult with litigators on sensitive planning matters. And vice versa, the litigators welcome the trust, estate, and tax expertise our planners can provide for their complex cases.
It’s my honor to shine this spotlight on Dyann McCully and sing out praises to her, loud and strong. Way to go, Dyann!
Marvin Blum is proud to shine a spotlight on his partner Dyann McCully, a rockstar in the guardianship and fiduciary litigation world.