Carrie Russom Quraishi of Oak Point, Texas has been involved with horses the majority of her life, so, it is not surprising she has found a way to merge both of her passions for horses and law by forming her law practice, Quraishi Law Firm based in Frisco, Texas.
“I went to law school with the intention of pursuing equine law as a speciality,” says Quraishi, who is licensed to practice law by the State Bar of Texas. “I started showing quarter horses when I was 11 or 12 years old, so it has always been a big part of my life. I can’t imagine my life without horses. I had always heard the phrase, ‘Do what you love for a living, and you’ll never work a day in your life,’ and combining my interests and experience in both the legal industry and horse industry seemed like a perfect fit.”
As far as her horse showing experience, Quraishi started competing on the AQHA Show Circuit in the 11 and Under events. Over the years, Carrie has been fortunate to have several great horses during her show career. In 2003 she won the Amateur All Around High Point with We Be Blazin, and in 2004, the duo was named the All Around Amateur at the Congress. In 2005, she also showed Hot N Irish to a AQHA World Championship in Amateur Horsemanship and the Amateur All Around High Point.
With regards to her education, Quraishi received her law degree from Southern Methodist’s Dedman School of Law in Dallas, Texas. While law schools don’t offer classes specifically for equine law, Carrie took classes such as contracts and torts (negligence/fraud), which are common issues in equine cases. She keeps current on equine laws and topics by attending seminars and other continuing education courses on animal law.
“I became interested in equine law when I was in high school and my parents became involved in an equine dispute,” Carrie recalls. “Working with a ‘non-horse’ attorney made me realize that although they understand the law, most don’t have a good grasp on certain equine procedures and standards.”
Quraishi continues, “For example, in the past I have had issues working with opposing counsel that did not know anything about horses. I would have to explain lameness terms and issues, or how a difficult horse was misrepresented by their client as being a suitable horse for a novice rider and why this was a problem. I quickly saw that there was a need for a good attorney that understood the horse industry and could help fellow horsemen.”
Most of Carrie’s equine work is transactional in nature–meaning a client needs a Sales, Purchase or Lease Agreement. She also drafts contracts for boarding, breeding, training and donations.
“I’m always amazed when clients spend a large amount of money buying or selling a horse, but then do not have a written contract (or download a generic form off the internet),” Quraishi states. “All equine agreements are not created equal, and should always be customized to the client’s exact situation to clearly explain the terms, protect their rights, and limit them from any potential liability. The cost of a well-written equine agreement is far less than fighting a lawsuit. A lawsuit is also stressful and time-consuming.”
Additionally, Carrie assists with insurance disputes, breach of contract disputes, or other issues that arise. “We try to resolve the problem without the need for litigation, but if necessary we pursue the claims in a court of law.”
Because equine law is such a niche area, Quraishi’s other main focus is on estate planning and probate law. Estate planning is important for people of all ages because it addresses financial, personal and healthcare decisions that have cross-generational implications for quality of life.
“I really enjoy helping my clients with their estate planning so they know their loved ones are taken care of,” Carrie states.
If you would like to know more about Carrie and how she can help you with your equine and estate planning, please visit her website by clicking here. You may also visit her Facebook Page for more information.
Photo © Jeff Kirkbride
