4101 Perimeter Center Drive, Ste 200, Oklahoma City, OK 73112  |  Telephone: 405-623-2360

Areas Of Practice

Business Legal Services | Estate Planning | Real Estate | Tax Planning | Probate and Trusts
Business – Organizations, Contracts, and Transactions
Business owners and managers usually need a wide variety of legal services. Some needs are simple, and some complex and complicated. We focus on keeping the transactions simple and practical, but have the ability to tackle the most complex issues a business owner may face. Keeping the matters as simple and practical as possible benefits all the parties and leads to effective and efficient legal services and representation.

Our Firm has substantial experience in business law, from the formation of the business, consulting during the growth of the business, and through the sale or other termination of the business, including:

  • Analysis of current situations and proposed transactions to determine the best business organization and contract structure to help clients achieve their tax, business, and personal goals;

  • Identification of risks, and consideration of the legal and practical aspect of contracts and relationships;

  • Organization of new entities, including corporations, general or limited partnerships, and limited liability companies to accomplish specific goals that are identified in the planning process;

  • Documentation of agreements and relationships to insure that client goals will be attained;

  • Implementation of changes required or advisable due to new laws or changing business requirements;

  • Preparation and analysis of a variety of agreements, including redemption and buy-sell agreements, compensation arrangements, tax deferred retirement plans, incentives, stock options, and general contract matters to implement the client;

  • Representation before various governmental units, agencies and commissions.
How we can help:
  • Entity Selection
  • Formation and Organization
  • Acquisitions
  • Dispositions
  • Mergers
  • Contracts
  • Tax Representation
  • Corporate Matters
  • Financing
Estate Planning
The Firm provides personalized service in the area of estate planning,

  • Careful attention is given to the client's desires regarding the disposition of their estate, and appropriate analysis is given to matters such as the anticipated tax burden and estate liquidity, and special consideration is given to problems that are unique to the family or the estate of the client.

  • Development of estate plans and preparation of trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and other documents to implement the life time goals and post death tax planning;

  • Structuring tax aspects of the estate plan to minimize estate and gift taxes;

  • Family business succession planning;

  • Analysis of potential problems with administration of the client’s plan
How we can help:
  • Wills
  • Revocable Trusts
  • Irrevocable Trusts
  • Advance Directives for Health Care
  • Durable Powers of attorney
  • HIPPA Releases
  • Life Insurance Trusts
  • Trusts for Minors
  • Special Needs Trusts
  • Limited Liability Companies
Real Estate
From the ground-up construction project to the sophisticated financing transaction, our firm provides clients with a broad range of skills and experience vital to the business of the real estate industry including: Acquisition, Disposition, Construction, Financing, Sale, Taxation, Condemnation and Valuation.

The firm has worked on residential, industrial, commercial and office projects of all types and sizes, and is familiar with all the necessary elements of such projects, including:

  • Zoning & Platting;

  • Arrangements with municipalities and public and private utilities;

  • Alternative financing methods;

  • Contracting and Title issues;

  • Formation of owners' associations;

  • Establishment of easements;

  • Declarations, Restrictions and Covenants;

  • Leasing.
How we can help:
  • Contracts for acquisitions and assistance with closings
  • Contracts for dispositions and assistance with closings
  • Financing, Notes, Mortgages
  • Title issues and conveyance
  • Taxation issues
  • Commercial, office and residential leases
  • Development and land use
  • Eminent domain
  • Environmental
  • Landlord / Tenant
Tax Planning and Representation in Tax Controversies
The Firm provides personalized service in the areas of tax Planning and Representation in Tax Controversies

  • Structuring tax aspects of business, real estate, and investment transactions;

  • Family business succession planning;

  • Contested tax matters, such as tax audits, administrative hearings with local, state and federal tax officials, and litigation in the U.S. Tax Court, Court of Claims,

  • Federal District Courts, and State Courts, and Careful attention is given to the client's desires, and appropriate analysis is given to matters such as the anticipated tax burden, management responsibility, and estate, and special consideration is given to problems that are unique to the client, the client’s business, and the client’s family
How we can help:
  • Business Tax Planning
  • Personal Tax Planning
  • Succession Planning
  • Federal State and Local Tax Controversies
  • IRS Examination and Collection
  • Appeals
  • Letter Rulings
Probate and Trust Administration
Probate. "Probate" is the name given to a portion of the judicial process which deals with determining the ownership of assets owned by a decedent at the time of their death. The word is derived from a Latin word meaning proof, since proving whether a decedent had a will, and whether that will is the most recent will, is a significant part of the process of determining the ownership of assets owned by the decedent.

We represent the executor, administrator, or personal representative in the court proceeding. We advise the personal representative of their special duties and obligations in the probate, and assist in the preparation of pleadings and other necessary documents. In Oklahoma, the probate process includes filing a petition with the District Court to determine whether the decedent had a will and that the will is his last will and is valid. If there is no will or trust that fully disposes of a person's estate, the laws of intestate succession apply to determine the disposition of property in place of a Will.

Generally, the personal representative must file an inventory of the assets and liabilities of the estate of the decedent, and arranges for appraisals. Formal notice must be given to all known creditors of the estate, and it is the obligation of the personal representative to make sure that all the creditors are determined and notified of the death of the decedent. The process makes sure that the creditors of the decedent are paid, that federal, state and local taxes are paid, and that income and estate and gift tax returns are filed, if appropriate. The probate process also insures that the assets and income of the estate are accounted for, and that the proceeds are distributed to those entitled to receive them.

The personal representative and/or his counsel will need to appear before the judge on at least two occasions. There are many special provisions that may apply in a given situation. Spouses may have special rights to some property, be entitled to an allowance from the probate estate, and have a right of election to disclaim the provisions of the will, and take instead the share provided by statute.

The time to complete a probate varies from a matter of several years to as little as five months. This estimate assumes that there will be no delays in obtaining necessary information, or delays in filing federal and state income and estate tax returns or obtaining a release of the estate tax liens, and that there will be no extraordinary procedures such as contested hearings, or sales of assets, etc.

Trust Administration. Trust administration is a simplified process that is similar to probate but which proceeds without the need for judicial supervision. If a decedent had a revocable trust, administration is required to insure all legally due debts and taxes have been paid, and to convey the property from the trust to the named beneficiary. In some cases, the successor trustee continues the trust, or even several trusts, as the decedent may have specified. We advise the successor trustee regarding the requirements of the law, provisions of the trust, assist with filing required income and estate tax returns, and help the successor trustee implement the wishes of the decedent.
How we can help:
  • Probate of Wills
  • Probate Administration if no Will
  • Trust Administration
  • Trustee Succession
  • Assignment of Trust Assets
  • Conveyance of Trust Real Estate