Areas of Practice
Estate Planning
If your personal affairs are not in order, your family could end up with a lot less than you intended. Relying on legislative 'defaults' as an alternative to a will or trust can cost your family thousands of dollars in additional expenses and settling your affairs considerably more difficult in the wake of your passing, a time in which your family will likely still be mourning your loss. Likewise, failing to plan prior to an unexpected or age-related incapacity can leave your family with no alternative but to seek a court supervised guardianship over you and your property in order to gain authority to help you. In either of these situations, the expenses related to fixing a failure to plan in advance almost always exceed the cost of planning by a substantial margin.
Guardianships
Guardianship is a court supervised process in which a person (the "Guardian") is appointed by the court to manage the personal or financial needs of a person who is unable to care for themselves (the "Ward"). Because all actions of a Guardian must be approved in advance by the probate court and the Guardian must account to the court each year, guardianship is usually a costly and tedious process. Guardianships can be avoided, however, by using planning tools such as trusts or powers of attorney. If this planning does not exist or is no longer meeting the needs of the disabled person, guardianship may be the only option to care for a loved one who is disabled. The Parker Law Firm has assisted clients in a variety of guardianship matters and understands what a Guardian must do in order to start and manage a guardianship.
Business Planning & Transactions
The Texas Hill Country is home to a vibrant and diverse business community. Don't be fooled into entrusting important legal matters such as business and estate planning to a "do it yourself" legal service website. When forming a new business entity you should not discount the value of knowing that all of the legal requirements have been satisfied and having a relationship with an advisor who can help you make sure you are running the business correctly. We have knowledge and experience to help you decide how to structure your business and make all of the details of formation are covered. We can also work with your business post formation to plan for major changes, such as retirement or death of a participant, so that major life changes don't derail the success of your business.
Real Estate Transactions
The Parker Law Firm handles both residential, agricultural, and commercial real estate transactions, including sales, lease, easement and exchange transactions. Our team also works with contractors and developers of commercial and residential properties and clients who are undertaking construction projects on such properties to make sure that all of the legal requirements related to the development or construction project are met. Our team has a broad range of legal experience that includes litigation and mediation of real estate disputes. This experience has enabled us to spot and address latent 'issues' before they become problems. Many of our clients are landowners in the Texas Hill Country and in many cases involves property that has been in their family for generations. People in this situation need to be aware of the potential effect of Federal Estate Taxes that could be assessed against their property when they die. We have a variety of planning techniques that protect your property so that it may be there for generations to come.
Probate & Trust Administration
We've helped hundreds of clients to regroup and move forward following the loss of a spouse or loved one. Our friendly and compassionate staff understands what needs to be done to settle your loved one's affairs and help you achieve closure. The Parker Law Firm has the knowledge and experience to guide you through the probate or trust administration process. In situations where there is no trust or will, our team understands how to use intestate laws of our great state to have your loved one's heirs determined and their property transferred. We have experience with even the most complex estates and are often called upon by the local probate courts to serve as court appointed attorney in these matters.
Business Strategy
The startup and small business marketplace is still a new and fierce frontier that requires legal advice from attorneys who are deeply entrenched in the particulars of venture financing. We offer a competitive advantage that can help you save money and make more of it in the long run. We've handled a variety of business transactions including asset sales, acquisitions, mergers, reorganizations, recapitalizations, winding-up, and termination of entities. Our team can also draft operating agreements, buy-sell agreements, investment agreements, and other agreements involving the operation and management of businesses. We’ve steered corporations with a balance of legal, business, operational, and financial strategies that had clear execution and built-in problem-solving contingencies. Our approach is essential to any company looking to grow.