Kate Bihm

Kate Bihm, managing shareholder of The Bihm Firm, PLLC, is an attorney with a 20-year track record and a heart for community. She started as a prosecutor at the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office, and in July 2007, she hung out her own shingle.

As her practice grew, her identity as an attorney, too, evolved. While she began as a solo practitioner, she’s now established a firm whose focus has transitioned to almost exclusively family law. And there are good reasons for that growth and transition, one of which is Kate’s heart for philanthropy.

“My soul for helping others stems from where I grew up,” said Kate. “There were always people around supporting me and cheering me to success. It’s that ‘it takes a village’ mentality. Part of that village is providing our local students and our local organizations capital to operate.”

Kate attended high school in Bryan, Texas, where there were many underprivileged students who, if it weren’t for the generosity of other people, may not have been able to participate in activities that shaped their lives and kept them from going down the wrong pathways.

“From those experiences, I learned how important it is to give back to my community,” explained Kate, “particularly student groups. If a student approaches me to support their organization, I will sponsor their organization in some way. I know that my dollars go far in providing support.”

The Bihm Firm, PLLC, recently awarded the first annual Conflict Conqueror Scholarship to a student at Tuskegee University, a historically black college and university. The Conflict Conqueror scholarship is open to all rising high school seniors going to college and current college students.

“The recipient of this scholarship is a student who has experienced conflict in their life,” said Kate. “By awarding them this scholarship, we are recognizing their creativity and resilience in overcoming
life’s challenges.”

Kate is also an avid supporter of Love Heals Youth, an organization that provides counseling services for children in foster care. It is designed to support the entire family system, regardless of the setting.

“They offer counseling services for the foster care children, caregivers, and the birth family,” said Kate. “They work with older foster youth in group home settings and even folks experiencing homelessness to help meet their basic human needs so these people can begin to truly thrive.”

Another agency close to Kate’s heart is Access Builds Children, a nonprofit that facilitates monitored access to children whose safety might be in question.

Kate’s community support doesn’t stop at student and children’s groups. She has served on several local committees. In the past, she was chair of the Montgomery County Community Foundation Distribution Committee. She provides resources and mentorship to other female business owners and attorneys who are just getting started by offering them assistance and encouragement regarding growth and self-sustenance.

“I’ve had true encouragement along the way,” said Kate, “where people guided me and believed in me. Those encounters meant a lot, so I want to offer that to others.”

Kate has also provided continuing legal education courses to colleagues, particularly in her areas of passion and experience: domestic violence and protective orders.

The Bihm Firm, PLLC additionally provides free initial consultations to people who are facing litigation or who are strongly considering litigation.

“Even if someone doesn’t hire our firm,” Kate explained, “it’s very important to me that people start their journey through the legal process with some idea of what they’re facing. I can do a great service to our community by offering a consultation free of charge so that folks can at least have a little bit of knowledge moving forward. I can steer them to someone who can help them and who might be a better fit for their situation.”

Kate has served on the board of directors for the State Bar of Texas, the governing body for attorneys licensed in the state. This board, comprised of fewer than 60 attorneys, is responsible for developing and implementing policies and procedures for the governance of Texas lawyers, which numbers more than 100,000. On this board, Kate was the chair of the Client Security Fund Committee, a committee that administers grants to people whose attorneys have mishandled or stolen money from them.

Today, The Bihm Firm, PLLC handles family cases involving child custody, property division, child support, establishing paternity, modifications of child custody and child support, child support enforcement, child custody enforcement, as well as also cases involving domestic violence and child abuse. While they don’t handle CPS cases (child welfare cases), they do represent clients in family court where the mistreatment of children is alleged or where a child has been physically or emotionally harmed. The Bihm Firm, PLLC does accept some felony criminal cases, however those are limited to specific cases that are a good fit for their skill set and expertise.

When you are in a crisis that demands an attorney who is an experienced litigator with a heart for community, who is trusted by both clients and other attorneys, and who can steer successfully through turbulent waters, The Bihm Firm, PLLC is your steady hand. To learn more, visit BihmFirm.com or call (936) 788-6100.