

Professor
B.A. Michigan State University, James Madison College, 1994
J.D., cum laude, Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University, 1999
I have expertise in the areas of wills, estates, trusts, same-sex marriage, and LGBT issues.
I joined the WMU-Cooley Law School faculty in 2005. I previously was an associate attorney with the firm of White, Schneider, Young & Chiodini, P.C., where I developed an estate planning practice for the 13-member law firm, including planning for young families, domestic partners, and estate tax avoidance. I began my career with the firm of Willingham & Coté, P.C., first as a paralegal, and then as an associate attorney.
I have experience with trust administration, federal estate and gift tax returns, and planning. I also represented conservators and guardians before the probate court.
I have served as the director of Academic Services where I worked with students and faculty to develop programming to improve student success on the bar exam. I teach Wills, Estates & Trusts.
Articles (Law Reviews and Law Journals)
- Emily S. Horvath, Not So New Mental Capacity Standard for Wills and Trusts, 19 Adelphia L.J. 51 (2015).
- Emily S. Horvath, Don’t Be Afraid to Create: Three Simple Inter-Vivos Trusts for Low to Mid-Wealth Clients, 11 T.M. Cooley J. Prac. & Clinical L. 173 (2009).
- Emily S. Horvath & Daniel W. Matthews, Trusts and Estates, 54 Wayne L. Rev. 467 (Spring 2008).
Book and Chapters in Books
- Dustin S. Foster & Emily S. Horvath, Michigan Estate Planning, Will Drafting and Estate Administration, (LexisNexis Supp.2015).
- Dustin S. Foster & Emily S. Horvath, Michigan Estate Planning, Will Drafting and Estate Administration, (LexisNexis Supp.2014).
- Dustin S. Foster & Emily S. Horvath, Michigan Estate Planning, Will Drafting and Estate Administration, (LexisNexis Supp.2013).
- Dustin S. Foster & Emily S. Horvath, Michigan Estate Planning, Will Drafting and Estate Administration, (LexisNexis Supp.2012).
- Dustin S. Foster & Emily S. Horvath, Michigan Estate Planning, Will Drafting and Estate Administration, (LexisNexis Supp.2011).
- Dustin S. Foster & Emily S. Horvath, Michigan Estate Planning, Will Drafting and Estate Administration, (LexisNexis 2011).
Short Works
- Emily S. Horvath, "Fundamental Procedures in Estate Administration," in Basic Estate Administration for the Michigan Paralegal, 34-48 (Nat'l Bus. Inst. 2005).
- Emily S. Horvath, "Basic Estate Taxation," in Basic Estate Administration for the Michigan Paralegal, 49-56 (Nat'l Bus. Inst. 2005).
- Emily S. Horvath, "Closing the Estate," in Basic Estate Administration for the Michigan Paralegal, 63-66 (Nat'l Bus. Inst. 2005).
- Emily S. Horvath, "The Estate’s Timetable—Time Is of the Essence," in Michigan Probate: Beyond the Basics, 1-9 (Nat'l Bus. Inst. 2005).
- Emily S. Horvath, "Taking Inventory and Determining Fair Market Value of Special Assets," in Michigan Probate: Beyond the Basics, 37-42 (Nat'l Bus. Inst. 2005).
- Emily S. Horvath, "Filing an Estate in Probate Court," in The Probate Process from Start to Finish in Michigan, 1-7 (Nat'l Bus. Inst. 2004).
- Emily S. Horvath, "Filing the Inventory," in The Probate Process from Start to Finish in Michigan, 19-24 (Nat'l Bus. Inst. 2004).
- Emily S. Horvath, "Closing the Estate," in The Probate Process from Start to Finish in Michigan, 99-103 (Nat'l Bus. Inst. 2004).
- Emily S. Horvath, "Miscellaneous," in The Probate Process from Start to Finish in Michigan, 105-108 (Nat'l Bus. Inst. 2004).