First Admitted: 2004, Texas

Professional Webpage: https://www.ohsks.com/attorneys/michael-b-knisely

Bar/Professional Activity:

Member, Board of Visitors, Southwestern University, 2021
Member, National Association of Charitable Gift Planning, 2021
Member, American Bar Association, 2021
Vice-President of Austin Chapter of National Association of Charitable Gift Planners, 2019
Member, The College of the State Bar of Texas, 2021
Member, International Bar Association, 2021
Member, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) – Texas Chapter, 2021

Special Licenses/Certifications:

Certified Guardianship Attorney, 2019

Honors/Awards:

Recognized in the 29th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® in the practice area of Trusts and Estates Litigation, Best Lawyers, 2023

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

Presentation and paper focusing on specific considerations applicable when formalizing the settlements of trust and estate disputes, including accounting for fiduciary duties and tax issues, Speaker/Presenter, Drafting Settlement Agreements to Resolve Trust & Estate Disputes, State Bar of Texas Estate Planning & Probate Drafting Course, 2018
A summary of fiduciary issues that arise during divorce proceedings., Co-Author, Strange Bedfellows: Fiduciary Relationships at the End of a Marriage, State Bar of Texas, Fiduciary Litigation Course, San Antonio, Texas, 2022
Presentation and paper to practitioners dealing with estate planning issues, focused on survey data from around the state of Texas showing recent trends in litigated trust and estate cases, Author/Presenter, Recent Trends in Trust and Estate Litigation: Insights for Estate Planners, Midland Odessa Business and Estate Council, 2021
Presentation and paper for estate planners based on data from trust and estate litigators , Author/Presenter, Language to Include in Your Estate Planning Documents: Suggestions From Trust and Estate Litigators, State Bar of Texas Estate Planning & Probate Drafting Course, 2020
A summary of the emerging field of digital assets and how they are administered in decedent's estates, Co-Author/Co-Presenter, Accessing and Managing Digital Assets after Death, Austin Bar Association Estate Planning & Probate Law Section, 2013
An analysis of case law and the applicable legal concepts under Texas law regarding the grounds for contesting wills, and practical ways estate planners can endeavor to avoid such disputes, Author/Presenter, Avoiding Will Contests: Practical Advice For Your Estate Planning Clients, State Bar of Texas Intermediate Estate Planning and Probate Course, 2015
An in depth look at the practical application of the duty of full disclosure for fiduciaries serving as trustees and personal representatives of estates, Author/Presenter, Complete Truth: Fiduciary Relationships and the Duty of Full Disclosure, State Bar of Texas Intermediate Estate Planning and Probate Course, 2017
A practical presentation on the nuts and bolts of judicial modification of trusts in Texas, and considerations for practitioners considering such proceedings, Co-Presenter, Trust Modifications: Balancing Competing Interests, University of Texas School of Law Estate Planning, Guardianship, and Elder Law Conference, 2017
A detailed paper regarding the steps involved in procuring and administering guardianships under Texas law, Co-Author, The Role of the Guardian Under Texas Law, 2017

Michael B. Knisely