R. Paul Lancaster

Biography

Paul Lancaster joined Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP in 2000 and is a partner in the firm’s Estate Planning and Probate practice group. Mr. Lancaster focuses his practice in estate planning, business planning, probate and trust administration.

Mr. Lancaster’s practice encompasses all areas of estate planning to facilitate the tax-efficient transfer of wealth in accordance with each client’s objectives. He has assisted clients in all aspects of gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer tax planning. Mr. Lancaster has experience structuring and preparing a wide variety of estate planning documents to assist clients, including complex wills, irrevocable trusts, revocable trusts, prenuptial agreements, limited partnerships and limited liability companies. Mr. Lancaster, who is also a CPA, has prepared numerous estate tax returns and has represented clients before the IRS in the examination of estate and gift tax returns.

Mr. Lancaster also engages in business planning for clients to assist with the identification and design of appropriate business structures to address each client’s unique family and business issues. He has experience in the formation of all types of business entities and provides advice and guidance to clients regarding the operation and administration of their family-owned corporations, limited liability companies, and limited partnerships.

Paul also concentrates his practice in probate and trust administration. He has experience in all forms of Texas probate proceedings involving estates of all sizes and complexity. Mr. Lancaster regularly assists clients with trust creation issues and counsels individual and corporate fiduciaries, grantors, beneficiaries and heirs in various matters, including trust administration matters and interpretation/modification lawsuits. He also advises fiduciaries and beneficiaries of estates on various topics and has experience assisting clients with negotiated settlements of family disputes.

Mr. Lancaster is active in community service primarily through his church. He enjoys golf and tennis; however, most of his leisure time is spent with his wife, Toni, and their three young daughters, Emilee, Lauren and Katelyn.

Education & Honors

• University of Texas at Arlington, B.B.A., 1989
• Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D., summa cum laude, 1995
  • Associate Editor, Texas Tech Law Review, 1993-1995
  • Order of the Coif

Admission & Affiliations

• Texas, 1995
• Certified Public Accountant, 1992
• Midland Business and Estate Council (President), 1999
• Member, Tarrant County Bar Association
• Member, Tarrant County Probate Bar Association
• State Bar of Texas