I am a solo practitioner, maintaining an office in Dripping Springs, Texas. I have chosen to keep the size of my office small so that my clients get the personal attention they need and deserve. But small size doesn’t mean a lack of experience or training.
I received my law degree from the University of Kansas in 1981. After graduation, I clerked for a judge in the United States Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of Missouri. I then went on to get an LLM (a more specialized law degree) in Taxation from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1983.
My family and I moved to Texas in 1988 and settled in Dripping Springs, a comfortable 23 miles from downtown Austin. This is where I now keep my main office, closer to home and farther from the traffic of the big city.
Because of my experience and training, I have come to specialize in asset preservation. This includes counseling regarding public benefits for older adults and disabled individuals, and life and estate planning for individuals of all ages.
I am recognized as a Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation. I am a founding member, current member and past president (2002) of the Texas Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), and a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. The Board of Legal Specialization of the Texas State Bar has certified me as a specialist in consumer bankruptcy.
I am licensed to practice in Texas and Missouri, admitted to practice in all federal District Courts in Texas, the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Tax Court. I am also a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, an organization that recognized those of us who attend at least 30 hours of continuing education per year.
Giving something back to the community is important to me. I have served in some capacity with the YMCA of Austin, Texas for thirty years including the Metropolitan Board of Directors of the YMCA of Austin (until 2005), Chair of the Southwest Branch Committee of Managers from 1992-1994, and currently a member of the Springs Family Branch Committee of Managers.
Other Community-Based Activities Include:
- Past member of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Hays County
- Past member of the Board of Directors of Helping Hands (a food and financial resource center for those in need in Dripping Springs)
- Past President of the Board of Directors of Hill Country Cottages, Inc. (a not-for-profit provider of affordable housing for the elderly in Dripping Springs)
- Co-incorporator and Charter member of the Board of Directors of the Dripping Springs Educational Foundation (1990).
- Commissioner of the Emergency Services District #6 in North Hays County Texas (a governmental entity that provides fire and rescue services to the community) 2006- through 2022
- Judge in the Dripping Springs Municipal Court.
Practice Areas Include:
- Elder Law
- Special Needs Planning
- Estate Planning
- Probate Administration
- Guardianships & More
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