Kristi is a shareholder in the Estates Planning, Probate and Trust Section. She is Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She is licensed to practice in the United States District Courts for the Northern, Western and Southern Districts of Texas, all Texas Courts, and the United States Supreme Court. She is a frequent lecturer to lay and professional groups.

AREAS OF CONCENTRATION

Estate Planning

Kristi devotes much of her practice to the preparation of wills and the creation and modification of trusts. Kristi prepares specialized estate planning documents to assist her clients reduce or avoid estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes.

Family Wealth Transfers

Kristi helps families plan for the transfer of family assets through the generations. She assists business owners with developing and implementing succession plans to help family businesses thrive after the founding generation retires or passes away. She counsels clients on the equitable division of estates among following generations, including cases in which part of the family does not plan to stay in the family business. Kristi commonly advises owners of oil and gas interests regarding transfer techniques designed to avoid further fractionalization of interests through the generations.

Asset Protection

Part of Kristi's practice involves advising clients concerning lawful asset protection techniques, including the establishment of family limited partnerships, separate property trusts and the preparation of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements.

Incapacity Planning

Kristi spends a significant amount of time advising clients in preparation for determining who will care for them and manage their property during any period of incapacity. She advises clients about Directives to Physicians (Living Wills), Medical Powers of Attorney, Statutory Durable Powers of Attorney (both immediate and springing) and Living Trusts. She has also advised clients about the option of pre-need guardian designations. 

Probate, Estate and Trust Administration

Advising fiduciaries and estate beneficiaries in matters relating to the probate of estates of decedents is a significant part of Kristi's practice. She has advised surviving spouses of decedents regarding their statutory rights and has advised fiduciaries, such as executors, administrators, and trustees, regarding the disposition of decedents' estates in both contested and uncontested matters. Kristi also handles Texas ancillary probates of non-resident decedents who owned property in Texas.

Areas of Practice

• Estate Planning and Probate
• Family Wealth Transfers
• Asset Protection
• Incapacity Planning
• Probate, Estate and Trust Administration

Certified Legal Specialties

• Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Bar Admissions

• Texas, 1989
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
• U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court

Education

• Baylor University School of Law, Waco, Texas
  • J.D. - 1989
  • Honors: Phi Delta Phi
• Howard Payne University, Brownwood, Texas
  • B.A. - 1986
  • Honors: Douglas MacArthur Academy of Freedom Honors Program, Free Enterprise Curriculum
  • Honors: With Honors

Professional Associations and Memberships

• State Bar of Texas, Member
• Midland County Bar Association, Member
• Midland County Young Lawyers Association, Member
• Midland Business and Estate Council, Secretary
• College of the State Bar of Texas, Member
• Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
• Midland Odessa Business and Estate Council, Past President