About Margaret
As a thoughtful and considerate advisor, Margaret brings to landowners a skilled understanding of family estate planning with a focus on the distinctive needs of rural landowners. She is experienced in using wills, trusts, and business entities to facilitate a smooth transition family assets from one generation to the next. Her background in leading multi-party negotiations has allowed her to hone her listening skills and understand the unique needs of each client as she guides them in transforming their expectations into action. Margaret has worked with non-profit organizations, providing legal guidance through major transitions and ongoing operations. Margaret also assists clients on various environmental, natural resource, and regulatory concerns.
Education And Experience
Adjunct professor at The University of Texas School of Law, 2004-2017
Program Director and Natural Resource Specialist with The University of Texas School of Law Center for Public Policy and Dispute Resolution
Highly trained multi-party negotiator and mediator facilitating resolutions on complex policy and legal issues.
Education And Honors
Doctorate of Jurisprudence (with honors) University of Texas School of Law
Community Involvement
Austin Parks Foundation, Director (Board Chair 2018)
City of Austin Charter Revision Commission
City of Austin Environmental Justice Task Force
Big Brothers/Big Sisters Mentor
Client Successes
Assisted several rural landowners with developing entities and using other estate planning tools to direct the passage of legacy land to the next generation.
Crafted estate plans and updated the business entity to incorporate the sale and donation of a conservation easement on a central-Texas ranch.
Counseled an executor in resolving a multi-year probate battle involving the partition of rural land and distribution of personal property.
Advised a large non-profit organization through the legal separation from a national entity.
Skillfully assisted a diverse group of stakeholders on the Colorado and Lavaca River Basins in negotiating proposed rules addressing environmental flows related to water rights permitting.
Client Services
Estate Planning, Including Wills, Trusts, and Disability Planning
Settling Estates, Including Probate Proceedings
Securing Conservation Easements
Limiting Your Liabilities
Buying and Selling Rural Land
Working with Land Trusts
Working with Nonprofits
Personal
Originally from New Mexico, Margaret has a deep connection to that part of the country and loves to visit as often as possible. She and her husband Michael, who is also an attorney, have been in Austin for 30 years now.
