January 2, 2020

McGinnis Lochridge is pleased to announce that Douglas J. Paul and Emily R. Franco have joined the firm as Partner and Associate respectively, in the firm’s Estate & Probate Practice Group in Austin.

"Doug and Emily bring significant experience to the firm in the highly personal area of Estate & Probate law," said Managing Partner Doug Dodds. "Their ability to connect with clients and craft effective estate planning strategies will deliver the exceptional results our clients expect from us."

Doug focuses his practice on estate planning through the use of trusts, family business entities and life insurance. He brings extensive experience in charitable giving, asset protection planning and strategies to minimize transfer and income tax. Previously in his career, Doug was a Partner with The Blum Firm and was the Director of Advanced Planning for the Wiewel Law Firm. He also teaches an Estate Planning course for the University of Texas Financial Planning Certificate Program.

Active in the professional community, Doug serves as President of the Austin chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals and previously was a Board Member of the Austin chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. He enjoys public speaking and has presented to the Austin Financial Planners Association, Texas Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, Victoria Estate Planning Council, the National Business Institute-CPA/CLE, and the Austin Chapter of CPAs.

Doug earned his M.B.A. from Louisiana State University School of Business followed soon after by his J.D. from the Louisiana State University School of Law. He received his B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. He is admitted to the State Bars of Texas and North Carolina and is Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Emily joined the Estate & Probate Practice Group having previously worked alongside Doug Paul at The Blum Firm. She advises clients on estate planning and probate issues, drafting wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and more. Emily earned her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law and her B.A. from Rice University, cum laude. She is active in the Austin legal community, participating in the Austin Bar Association Estate Planning & Probate section and in the Austin Young Lawyers Association.

Published numerous times, Emily has written about the probate process, estate planning strategies for property owners of mineral rights, and the impact of residency issues in estate planning.

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