Practice Areas: Estate planning & probate, Elder law, Estate & trust litigation
Licensed in Texas since: 1996
Education: South Texas College of Law Houston
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2014 - 2018 
Free Consultation Willi Law Firm, P.C.
5920 W William Cannon DrBuilding 6, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78749-1983 Phone: 512-288-3200 Email: James N. Willi Visit website
Details
Jim Willi has over 26 years of experience in estate planning, wills, trusts, asset protection, gun trusts, firearms law, probate, estate and probate litigation, business transactions, Texas business entity formation, contracts, civil, commercial, and intellectual property litigation and appellate experience, intellectual property prosecution and licensing, and real property transactions.
Mr. Willi is licensed to practice law in Texas and Colorado, registered to practice law in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and admitted to practice law before the United States Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas.
Mr. Willi is a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas and the Austin Bar Association. He was recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer by his attorney peers in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Before practicing law, he was an electrical engineer from 1986 to 1996 involved in system operations and planning of electrical power distribution and transmission systems at Houston Lighting & Power Company. Mr. Willi has been a Licensed Professional Engineer in Texas since 1990.
First Admitted: 1996, Texas
Professional Webpage: https://www.atxelderlaw.com/james-n-willi
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Southwest Austin Lacrosse Association, Inc. - President (2011-2013), Director (2011-2014).
- Capitol Area Council, Boy Scouts of America - Adult Leader (2003-present)
- Austin Toastmasters - Treasurer (2009), Vice President-Education (2010), President (2011)
- Austin Power Squadron, United States Power Squadrons - Law Officer (2012), Executive Board, Member at Large (2012)
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- Eagle Scout, 1980
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Patent Attorney, United States Patent and Trademark Office, 2001
- Licensed Professional Engineer, Texas, 1990
Educational Background:
- Master of Laws in Intellectual Property and Information Law from the University of Houston, 2005
- Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, 1985
- Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston, 1989
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- This article proposes a uniform federal common law of attorney-client privilege in U.S. patent litigation, so that the same federal common law of attorney-client privilege applies regardless of whether the client is foreign or domestic, whether the patent practitioner is foreign or domestic, and whether the patent is foreign or domestic., Author, Proposal for a Uniform Federal Common Law of Attorney-Client Privilege for Communications with U.S. and Foreign Patent Practitioners, 13 Texas Intellectual Property Law Journal 279, 2005
- Jim Willi was the featured speaker on intellectual property law at the July 20, 2011 meeting of the Austin Professional Chapter of the Association for Women in Communications., Speaker, Overview of Intellectual Property Law, Austin Professional Chapter Of The Association For Women In Communications, 2011
- Jim Willi was the featured speaker on intellectual property law at Freelance Austin's monthly meeting., Speaker, Intellectual Property Law for Busy Professionals, 2012
- Jim Willi was the speaker for the NFA Trusts 101 Seminar at the Texas State Rifle Association's Annual Meeting on February 25, 2017, Speaker, NFA Trusts 101, Texas State Rifle Association, 2017
Transactions:
- Mr. Willi created hundreds of wills and trusts for his clients in 2020., 2020
- Willi Law Firm has prepared gun trusts for thousands of law-abiding gun owners, collectors, hunters, and competition shooters. He is the gun trust attorney recommended by many of the largest and most successful Class 3 dealers in the United States. In addition, he is the attorney that the Texas State Rifle Association invited to speak to its members about gun trusts at the TSRA 2017 Annual Meeting., 2020
- Mr. Willi created hundreds of wills and trusts for his clients in 2019., 2019
- Mr. Willi created hundreds of wills and trusts for his clients in 2018., 2018
- Mr. Willi created hundreds of wills and trusts for his clients in 2017., 2017
- Mr. Willi created hundreds of wills and trusts for his clients in 2016., 2016
- Mr. Willi created hundreds of wills and trusts for his clients in 2015., 2015
- Austin-based information technology and services startup requested legal advice regarding business entity formation in Texas. Willi Law Firm interviewed the client regarding their business needs, provided legal advice regarding various types of Texas business entities, conducted a name availability search, and filed all required legal documents., 2011
- Willi Law Firm prepared a NFA trust (aka gun trust), which allowed the client, his wife, and his three adult sons—all law-abiding citizens—to obtain and possess NFA firearms, without the need to request permission from the sheriff or any other state or local official., 2011
- Filed numerous trademark and copyright applications on behalf of Getagadget, Inc., Mosaic Weighted Blankets LLC, Trident Concepts LLC, Dozen City LLC, FosterQuan LLP, Trident General Contracting LLC, and Premiere Hot Tubs, Inc., 2012
- Willi Law Firm advised and assisted this Austin-based startup with its business strategy and formation. After formation, Willi Law Firm assisted the new member and officers to execute all required documents at the company's organizational meeting., 2011
- Willi Law Firm represented Cerium Holdings, Inc. in the purchase of Cerium Laboratories, LLC from Spansion, LLC, which included the preparation and negotiation of contracts for the transfer of millions of dollars worth of equipment and intellectual property, transfers of employees, and establishment of future services contracts between Cerium and its customers., 2011
- Eagle Pass-based construction and hauling services startup requested legal advice regarding business entity formation in Texas. Willi Law Firm interviewed the client regarding their business needs, provided legal advice regarding various types of Texas business entities, conducted a name availability search, and filed all required legal documents., 2011
- Willi Law Firm advised and assisted this Austin-based publishing startup with its business strategy and formation. After formation, Willi Law Firm assisted the new member and officers to execute all required documents at the company's organizational meeting., 2011
- Filed request for ex parte reexamination of U.S. Patent Nos. 5,538, 207; 7,174,362; and 7,392,283 and Canadian Patent No. 2,134,617., 2012
Representative Clients:
- Mr. Willi has created hundreds of wills and trusts for his clients in 2020., 2020
- Mr. Willi created hundreds of wills and trusts for his clients in 2019., 2019
- Mr. Willi created hundreds of wills and trusts for his clients in 2018., 2018
- Mr. Willi created hundreds of wills and trusts for his clients in 2017., 2017
- Mr. Willi created hundreds of wills and trusts for his clients in 2016., 2016
- Mr. Willi created hundreds of wills and trusts for his clients in 2015., 2015
Honors/Awards:
- Willi Law Firm was listed as a Top Cougar 100 Company, Top Cougar 100 Company, Houston Business Journal, 2020
- Willi Law Firm was listed as a Top Cougar 100 Company, Top Cougar 100 Company, Houston Business Journal, 2019
- Texas Super Lawyer, Texas Super Lawyer, 2018
- Willi Law Firm was listed as a Top Cougar 100 Company, Top Cougar 100 Company, Houston Business Journal, 2018
- Texas Super Lawyer, Texas Super Lawyer, 2017
- Willi Law Firm was listed as a Top Cougar 100 Company, Top Cougar 100 Company, Houston Business Journal, 2017
- Texas Super Lawyer, Texas Super Lawyer, 2016
- Willi Law Firm was listed as a Top Cougar 100 Company, Top Cougar 100 Company, Houston Business Journal, 2016
- Texas Super Lawyer, 2015
- Willi Law Firm was listed as a Top Cougar 100 Company, Top Cougar 100 Company, Houston Business Journal, 2015
- Willi Law Firm was ranked 23rd place, Top 25 Intellectual Property Law Firms, Austin Business Journal, 2015
- Texas Super Lawyer, Texas Super Lawyer, 2014
- Willi Law Firm was ranked 20th place, Top 25 Intellectual Property Law Firms, Austin Business Journal, 2014
- Willi Law Firm was ranked 21st place, Top Intellectual Property Law Firms, Austin Business Journal, 2013
- Order of the Lytae, South Texas College of Law, 1994
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Instructor on the subject of Texas gun trusts at the 11th Annual Firearms Law: What Every Texas Lawyer Needs to Know Seminar., 2022
- Austin Bar Association, National Association of Elder Law Attorneys, Wealth Counsel, Elder Counsel
Industry Groups:
- Austin Bar Association
- Elder Counsel
- National Association Of Elder Law Attorneys
- Wealth Counsel
Office location for James N. Willi
5920 W William Cannon Dr
Building 6, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78749-1983
Selections
5 Years Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers: 2014 - 2018