Trusts & Estates
At Jackson Walker, we pride ourselves on the sophisticated and effective advice we provide to individuals and families in the preservation and dissemination of wealth. As personal estates increase in size and complexity, the design and implementation of tailored wealth transfer and preservation plans becomes particularly important to achieving our client’s goals. Our Trusts and Estates attorneys provide knowledgeable counsel that helps families and individual protect their wealth for themselves and their future generations. Our attorneys offer experienced direction on business matters, succession planning, to developing tailored estate, asset protection, and tax deferral plans, investment strategies and philanthropic structures.
Whether negotiating and drafting premarital agreements, probating an estate, litigating problems that arise, or creating consensus regarding the process, we combine our experience navigating family dynamics with our dedication to understanding the special needs of our clients and their family members. We develop strategic, successful plans that address both economic and non-economic concerns. We have developed steadfast relationships with modest and substantial net worth clients alike, some of which now extend through multiple generations. Our integrated approach ensures a comprehensive analysis of each client’s family, financial, and business desires and issues, as we strive to provide our clients and their families sage counsel, compassionate guidance, and ever-present support throughout the wealth planning process.
Family Office Services
In today’s technology-driven, complex world, high net worth individuals and families face an unprecedented need for a framework that will provide the requisite administrative and managerial services while ensuring responsible management and effective organization of the myriad of financial, compliance, and legal activities necessitated by wealth accumulation and preservation. In particular, family office construction and staffing requires not only a profound grasp of tax and governance considerations, but also a deep dedication to understanding and effectuating the family’s short and long range personal and professional goals. Many attorneys can provide business advice or estate and tax planning services. Our Family Office practice group is a unique combination of all of these services in one team. Our team understands the dynamics involved in combining an organizational chart with a family tree and the desire to preserve a legacy for generations to come.
Family-Owned Businesses
Business is the backbone of many high net worth families. When it comes to representing family-owned business clients, we believe good legal representation begins with good listening skills. Only by understanding a client’s hopes and dreams, as well as their goals and fears, can we structure their business enterprises in a way that will serve their economic and their non-economic needs. We provide a wide range of services to privately-held and family–owned businesses, advising clients at every stage of the business life cycle as businesses are acquired, managed, or liquidated according to a highly personalized succession plan. We collaborate with family-owned business clients and their advisors to develop the best strategies possible to achieve their business objectives, taking into consideration not only business structure and best practices, but also tax planning, litigation deterrence, and wealth preservation, so they are able to accomplish both their financial and personal goals for tomorrow, next year, and the next generation.
September 29, 2023
Podcasts
Guardianship 101: How to Navigate (and Avoid) Guardianship Proceedings
JW Fast Takes Podcast | ~7.5 minutes
In this episode, Kathleen Tanner Beduze walks through the different types of guardianships, how they work, and what people can do today—when they are healthy—to avoid having others decide who will have power over their medical or financial decisions.
September 19, 2023
Attorney News
Super Lawyers Names 7 Jackson Walker Attorneys to Texas Top Lists
Jackson Walker proudly announces Matt Dow, Scott Fiddler, Julia Mann, Alfie Meyerson, Kurt Nondorf, Sarah Patel Pacheco, and Bruce Ruzinsky’s selection to the Texas Top Lists for 2023 by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers.
September 19, 2023
Attorney News
Jackson Walker Congratulates Its “Texas Super Lawyers” of 2023
Each year, less than 5% of attorneys in Texas are named to the list. Selection is based off of peer nominations that are then reviewed by a research team. Each nominee is evaluated on his or her professional accomplishments, peer recognition, and community involvement.
August 17, 2023
Attorney News
‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Honors 287 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2024 Edition, Including 12 “Lawyers of the Year” and 80 “Ones to Watch”
The Best Lawyers in America has recognized 287 Jackson Walker attorneys across 5 offices and 82 specialty practice areas in its 2024 edition, including 12 Lawyers of the Year and 80 Ones to Watch. In this year’s guide, Jackson Walker saw the largest number of attorneys in the areas of Commercial Litigation (66 attorneys) and Real Estate Law (60 attorneys) and the addition of 35 attorneys as Best Lawyers.
July 28, 2023
Speaking Engagements
Sarah Patel Pacheco to Present Drafting Ideas for Trustees at UT Law CLE’s Estate Planning, Guardianship, and Elder Law Conference
Sarah Patel Pacheco to present at the 25th annual Estate Planning, Guardianship, and Elder Law Conference on August 10th, 2023. She will be discussing how to draft of the trustee in a challenging environment.
July 17, 2023
Attorney News
‘Austin Monthly’ Lists 12 Jackson Walker Attorneys Among “Austin’s Top Attorneys” of 2023
Jackson Walker congratulates the 12 attorneys recognized among Austin Monthly’s list of “Austin’s Top Attorneys” for 2023. For recognition in the list, Austin attorneys must be nominated by their peers on the basis that they offer experienced counsel in one of 39 categories.
June 13, 2023
Speaking Engagements
Kathleen Beduze Presents on Temporary Guardianships and Emergency Relief to the Texas Guardianship Association
Kathleen Tanner Beduze presented a webinar on June 13, 2023, to Texas Guardianship Association members regarding the chapter she authored for the Texas Guardianship Manual, entitled “Temporary Guardianships and Other Emergency Relief.”
April 25, 2023
Attorney News
Jackson Walker Congratulates 24 Attorneys Named Among 2023 “Best Lawyers in Dallas” List
Jackson Walker congratulates the 24 attorneys recognized among D Magazine’s list of the “Best Lawyers in Dallas” for 2023. For recognition in the list, Dallas attorneys must be nominated by their peers on the basis that they offer unmatched counsel in one of 40 categories.
March 23, 2023
Attorney News
Jackson Walker Congratulates Its 2023 Texas Rising Stars
Jackson Walker is pleased to announce the selection of 63 attorneys to Thomson Reuters’ 2023 “Super Lawyers – Rising Stars” list, which recognizes only 5% of Texas attorneys who either are 40 years of age or younger or have been in practice for 10 years or less.
