Jo Bess enjoys spending time with her family, including the newest addition, a white Labrador Retriever puppy, Beni Jun. Her grandchildren include an 11-year-old master of Nintendo GameCube, an eight-year-old who loves horses, an almost three-year-old with unlimited promise, and an almost one-year old with a smile as big as Texas.

When time allows, her hobbies include RV travel, yoga, genealogy, photo restoration, lake fishing, and most recently Nintendo GameCube.

In addition to her private practice, Jo Bess volunteers her services with Dallas Legal Hospice. She also gives time to numerous charitable causes and business organizations in her community.

Areas of Practice

• 25% Estate Planning
• 50% Probate & Estate Administration
• Trusts
• 25% Wills

Litigation Percentage

• 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

• Texas, 1985

Education

• Southern Methodist University School of Law, Dallas, Texas, 1985
  J.D.
  Honors: Cum Laude
  Honors: Order of the Coif
  Honors: Outstanding Advocate, Team Winner: Moot Court Competition
  Honors: Philip C. Jessup Moot Court Team
  Honors: American Counsel Association Scholarship Award
  Honors: Eldridge, Goggans & Weiss Award for Excellence
  Honors: American Jurisprudence Awards: Torts, Legal Writing
  Honors: Criminal Justice Clinic
  Law Journal: Southwestern Law Journal
  
  
• Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, 1975
  M.M.
  Honors: With Highest Honors
  
  
• Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, Oklahoma, 1965
  B.A.
  Honors: With Highest Honors
  
  

Honors and Awards

• Dallas Bar Association and North Texas Legal Services: Distinguished Pro Bono Service Award, 1988
• Dallas Bar Association and North Texas Legal Services: Pro Bono Service Award, 1987

Professional Associations and Memberships

• State Bar of Texas
  Member
  
  
• Dallas Bar Association
  Member
  
  
• Dallas Estate Planning Council
  Member
  
  

Pro Bono Activities

• Volunteer, Dallas Legal Hospice

Birth Information

• March 7, 1943, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America