I truly understand that the duties I perform for my clients are some of the most important issues they are dealing with when they come to visit me for the first time. Whether my client is experiencing a present crisis or trying to avoid a future one, I am here to listen attentively and patiently assist in resolving the issues they bring to my office. - Cimarron Manrique Gilson, Attorney
Why Estate Planning? When my step grandfather lost his battle with colon cancer in 2004, he died without leaving a will in place, creating an unnecessary and costly headache for my grandmother to deal with. Instead of his meager estate going to her, his wife of 43 years, the intestate laws of Texas required that half of his estate to go to his children from his prior marriage, children whom he had had little or no contact with for decades. Although his property was valued at less than $2,500, my grandmother could not sell or transfer ownership of this property without the consent of his children. Fourteen difficult months later, with the help of an attorney and costs of over $1,500, my grandmother was finally able to sell the property.
A properly crafted, written estate plan could have saved my family much time, heartache, and expense, but all too often many families, especially among poor and disadvantaged communities like the “colonia” in which my grandparents lived, fail to plan for the future.
Through this experience almost a decade ago, I realized that encouraging every one I meet, especially the poor, to prepare an estate plan and leave one's final affairs in order would be the main focus of my future legal career. Gilson Law Firm, PLLC is the outgrowth of my mission to assist people with their estate planning needs, and this mission has expanded to include legal services in areas very much related to Estate Planning, such as Probate, Family, Real Estate, and Business Formation matters.
Gilson Law Firm, PLLC also plays an active role in educating the public by presenting FREE and informational Estate Planning Seminars for churches, small groups, and local associations. “Knowledge is power,” my mother used to say, quoting Sir Francis Bacon, and I firmly believe that the best way to realize my law practice's mission is by educating people of their options. By helping them make informed choices, they will have the power to protect their assets, pass on their values, and provide for their loved ones. If you would like to attend the next seminar or have me present a seminar to your group, please contact my office for more information.
