Teresa De Ford
Owner / Managing Attorney
Teresa De Ford has spent her career standing beside people in their most critical moments — first as an Intelligence Research Specialist with the Drug Enforcement Administration, and now as a family law attorney and firm founder with over 25 years of legal experience.
After earning her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center, Teresa began her legal career in civil litigation, focusing on oil and gas trucking and oilfield injury cases. Everything changed when a close friend was suddenly left to navigate the legal system alone following the loss of her spouse.
Witnessing that experience firsthand — the confusion, the isolation, and the lack of clear guidance — drove Teresa to redirect her practice entirely. She transitioned to family law, estate planning, and probate, determined to build the kind of firm she wished had existed for her friend.
Teresa De Ford
Owner/Managing Attorney
A Career Built on Clarity, Protection, and Guidance
Teresa earned her undergraduate degree in Political Philosophy from Michigan State University, with a minor in Criminal Justice — a foundation that led to her career as an Intelligence Research Specialist with the DEA, serving at the agency’s Washington, D.C. headquarters and field offices in San Francisco and Houston.
In 2012, Teresa founded DeFord Law Firm to create something different: a firm where clients facing divorce, custody disputes, estate planning, and probate are never left confused, alone, or without a clear path forward. That commitment remains at the core of everything the firm does today.
Recognition
De Ford Law Firm has been recognized for its excellence, earning the following awards:
- Best Estate Planning & Probate Attorney by the readers of Living Magazine in The Woodlands in August 2023
- Best Divorce & Family Law Firm by Living Magazine in The Woodlands in August 2024
- Power Players – Houston by Modern Luxury Magazine
- Best of 2024 Law Firm by the Woodlands Online community
- 2024 Honoree for Top 500 Law Firms in the United States
Education
- University of Houston — J.D.
- Michigan State University — B.S.
Outside the Office
Outside the office, Teresa enjoys life in The Woodlands, Texas, with her husband, two sons — Evan and Austin — and their three golden retrievers. Family time often includes exploring the local community and enjoying the many activities the area has to offer.
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