Michael B. Knisely
Top rated Estate & Trust Litigation attorney in Austin, Texas
Osborne, Helman, Scott, Knisely & Stanton, LLP
Practice Areas: Estate & Trust Litigation, Appellate
Licensed in Texas since: 2004
Education: The University of Texas School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2021 - 2024 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2015 - 2017 Osborne, Helman, Scott, Knisely & Stanton, LLP
3800 N Lamar BlvdSuite 350
Austin, TX 78756 Phone: 512-542-2000 Email: Michael B. Knisely Visit website
Details
Michael Knisely is a Partner at Osborne, Helman, Scott, Knisely & Stanton, LLP in Austin. His practice focuses on estate and trust litigation, representing both plaintiffs and defendants across the state of Texas. Mr. Knisely also handles a wide variety of civil appeals in both state and federal appellate courts, with a focus on trust, estate and fiduciary matters that have been appealed. Additionally, Mr. Knisely represents institutional corporate fiduciaries, advising on complex and contentious trust and estate administration matters. Mr. Knisely graduated from Southwestern University with a B.A. in 1999, and he earned his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 2002. Prior to entering private practice Mr. Knisely served as a judicial clerk to judges on both the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
First Admitted: 2004, Texas
Professional Webpage: https://www.ohsks.com/attorneys/michael-b-knisely
- 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
- Certified Guardianship Attorney, 2019
- 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
- Recognized in the 29th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® in the practice area of Trusts and Estates Litigation, Best Lawyers, 2023
Office location for Michael B. Knisely
3800 N Lamar Blvd
Suite 350
Austin, TX 78756
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2021 - 2024
- Rising Stars: 2015 - 2017