Civil Trial Practice
Hal Moorman tries cases to the court and juries in personal injury, contract, commercial, condemnation, deceptive trade practice, will contests, contested trust and probate matters, oil and gas, and other areas of law in state district and county courts and federal courts. He represents clients in alternate dispute resolution, including both arbitration and mediation. He has participated in contested case hearings as a member of the Texas Air Control Board, the former Texas agency responsible for regulating air pollution in Texas.
Estate Planning Practice
Mr. Moorman plans estates ranging in size from modest estates to multimillion dollar estates. He counsels numerous clients in estate planning and probate matters. This includes preparing complex wills, containing provisions for testamentary trusts, marital deduction trusts, generation skipping trusts, life insurance, and powers of appointment (both general and special). He also prepares estate and gift tax returns. He represents clients before the IRS in audits and obtaining private letter rulings. He has helped clients establish family limited partnerships, corporations, private foundations, charitable trusts, limited liability companies, revocable and irrevocable trusts, pourover trusts, insurance trusts, Crummey trusts, durable general and health care powers of attorney, buy-sell agreements, directives to physicians, and guardianship designations. He has successfully counseled clients in transferring a family business from one generation to the next. He tries will contests and contested guardianships as well as other contested probate proceedings to juries and judges.
EDUCATION
Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
B.S., Civil Engineering, 1971
Southern Methodist University, J.D., cum laude, 1976
SPECIALIZATION CERTIFICATIONS/HONORS
Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Estate Planning and Probate Law,
Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Frequent Continuing Legal Education Speaker and Lecturer
The Best Lawyers in America (2001 to present)
Texas Monthly Super Lawyer (2003 to present)
Examiner: Estate Planning & Probate Specialization Exam-
Texas Board of Legal Specialization 1998-2001 -
wrote and graded one-fourth of the exam lawyers take to
become board certified
EXPERIENCE
Moorman, Tate, Urquhart, Haley, Upchurch & Yates, L.L.P.
(Partner, 1976 to present)
P. G. Bell Co., Construction Contractors; Field Engineer Turner, Collie & Braden, Inc. , Consulting Engineers;
General Civil Engineering Design and Planning
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Fellow
Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
American Association for Justice, Commercial Litigation,
Insurance Litigation, Motor Vehicle Litigation Sections
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
American Bar Association, Litigation, Tort and Insurance, Real
Property, Probate & Trust, Taxation Sections;
Condemnation, Commercial and Banking Litigation, and
Estate & Gift Tax Committees; Mentor-Networking Program
State Bar of Texas, Litigation, Construction, Taxation, Real
Estate, Probate and Trust Law Sections;
State Bar College
Washington County Bar Association, Past President
Houston Bar Association
Christian Legal Society
CIVIC ACTIVITIES
Trinity Medical Center, Board Member
Brenham Main Street Board, Board Member
Brenham Downtown Association, Past President
MIT Education Council, Member
Washington County Chamber of Commerce, Past President
Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park Association,
Past President
Texas Air Control Board, Past Board Member (former Texas
agency responsible for regulation of air pollution in Texas) Winedale Council, Past Board Member
Washington County United Way, Past Board Member
Brenham Gun & Rod Club, Past Board Member
Brenham Rotary Club
Brenham Christian Academy, Past Board Chairman
EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Southern Methodist University:
Associate Editor Journal of Air Law and Commerce
Order of the Barristers
Order of the Coif
Corpus Juris Secundum Award for Significant Legal Scholarship
Five American Jurisprudence Awards
for highest grade point average in the class
Massachusetts Institute of Technology:
President and Scholarship Chairman
- Delta Tau Delta Fraternity
Inter-Fraternity Conference Community Relations Chairman
Brenham High School:
Valedictorian
President - Student Council
ADMISSIONS TO COURTS
All Texas state courts
U.S. District Courts,
Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit |
