DANA M. STAYTON

Biography

Dana Stayton joined Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP in 2000 after her graduation from Texas Tech University School of Law in the same year. She practices in the firm's Estate Planning, Probate and Nonprofit Organizations Practice Group. Ms. Stayton focuses her practice in nonprofit corporate law, art law and family law.

Ms. Stayton advises clients in the initial organization and ongoing operation of nonprofit corporations and charitable trusts, including Code Section 501(c)(2) title-holding companies, Code Section 501(c)(3) public charities and private foundations, Code Section 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations, Code Section 501(c)(5) labor organizations, Code Section 501(c)(6) trade associations, and Code Section 501(c)(7) social clubs. Ms. Stayton counsels clients concerning obtaining and maintaining exemptions from federal income tax, state franchise tax, sales and use tax, and ad valorem tax.

Ms. Stayton represents buyers and sellers of art in domestic and international transactions; negotiates complex acquisition, sale and auction transactions; and counsels concerning claims with respect to the return of stolen or illegally exported art. She also advises high net worth individuals concerning estate planning matters and counsels clients concerning charitable giving.  Further, Ms. Stayton represents clients with respect to marital property matters, including premarital agreements, partitions of community property, post nuptial agreements and divorce actions.

Ms. Stayton is active in various community organizations. Ms. Stayton was a member of the 2008-2009 class for Leadership Fort Worth and is presently a member of the Junior League of Fort Worth. Ms. Stayton is also a  member of  both the Planned Giving Committee and the Comprehensive Campaign Steering Committee of Partners Together for Health, the foundation for JPS Health Network. Further, Ms. Stayton is a member of the Board of Directors of the Tarlton Foundation for Easter Seals, an endowment entity benefiting Easter Seals North Texas, Inc. Moreover, Ms. Stayton is a past member (2005-2008) of Junior Woman's Club of Fort Worth.

Ms. Stayton is the Chair of Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP's Recruiting Committee.

Ms. Stayton and her husband, Matt, also an attorney at Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP, have one son.

Education & Honors

• Texas Tech University, B.B.A., magna cum laude, 1997
• Texas Tech University, J.D., magna cum laude, 2000
  • Order of the Coif
• Honored as a "Top Attorney" in nonprofit law in Fort Worth, Texas  magazine, 2005 - 2009
• Recognized as "Rising Star" by Texas Super Lawyers 2008-2010
• Texas Bar Foundation Fellow, District 7 Membership Selection Committee, 2009 
• Named "40 Under 40" by Fort Worth Business Press, 2009 

Admission & Affiliations 

• Texas, 2000
• Tarrant County Probate Bar Association
• Tarrant County Bar Association, Tax and Estate Planning Section
• Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association
• Leadership Fort Worth
• Junior League of Fort Worth, 2004-present
• Junior Woman's Club of Fort Worth, 2005-2008

significant matters

• Obtained a private letter ruling for a private foundation client regarding a Code Section 507(b)(2) transfer
• Obtained an advance ruling that a private foundation commencing a 60-month termination would be treated as a public charity during the 60-month termination period
• Represented a non-profit cancer care provider in the sale of substantially all of its assets and the sublease of its real properties to another cancer care provider
• Assisted two non-profit youth and family service providers in the combination of their assets and programs
• Represented a non-profit autism therapy provider with its merger into another non-profit service provider
• Represented a business in forming an employee hardship assistance organization and obtained Code Section 501(c)(3) exemption for such organization
• Represent numerous charitable organizations in significant corporate governance issues such as interpretation, drafting and amendment of charter and bylaw provisions, conflicts of interest, and executive compensation arrangements