Concentration

All facets of estate planning and administration for clients with very high net worth, particularly designing, implementing and defending strategies to save federal gift and estate taxes, as well as strategies to transition ownership of family businesses and legacy properties from one generation to the next (or to charity)

Summary

Stephen Dyer's practice emphasizes estate and business planning for high-net-worth individuals (many of whom have family-owned businesses), representation of fiduciaries and beneficiaries in estate and trust administration and representation of charities. The principal focus of his practice is the design, implementation and defense of advanced gift and estate tax savings and business succession strategies.

Mr. Dyer represents clients in Texas and throughout the country and is widely recognized for his work in transfers of hard-to-value assets, family limited partnerships, business valuation issues and family business succession planning.

Mr. Dyer's educational background was focused on business and finance. Before becoming an attorney, he worked as an investment banker in mergers and acquisitions for Wasserstein Perella & Co., Inc.

Representative Engagements

• Founding entrepreneurs – assistance to founders of businesses, both privately and publicly owned, worth anywhere from $15 million to over $1 billion, in all aspects of restructurings and transition of ownership to subsequent generations or charity, including those businesses involved in oil and gas exploration and production, oilfield services and equipment, petrochemicals and related products, timber, various types of manufacturing, real estate (retail, multifamily, hotels, office buildings), technology (equipment and services), distribution (heavy equipment, beverages, warehousing), retailing (cars, grocery, clothing, furniture), insurance, banking, import/export, farming and ranching, tourism and services of all kinds　
• Wealthy heirs and their fiduciaries – representation of trust and estate fiduciaries and beneficiaries in dealing with each other generally and in the handling of substantial long-term family wealth and complex trust and estate administrations, including advice on how to exercise powers over trusts and estates, how to deal with financial advisors of all kinds (accountants, money managers, insurance providers), resolving conflicts among beneficiaries and resolving conflicts between beneficiaries and fiduciaries
• Wealthy individuals – representation in all aspects of their estate planning, from traditional wills, trusts, estates, and marital property issues to the creation of family limited partnerships and other entities, the implementation of advanced transfer tax avoidance strategies and charitable giving
• Professionals and executives – representation of wealthy corporate executives, doctors, lawyers, investment bankers and others in connection with wills, trusts and estates, employee benefits as they relate to estate planning, the creation of family limited partnerships, marital property issues and other matters
• Charities and their donors – assistance in the creation of private foundations, family funds at community foundations, charitable remainder trusts and charitable lead trusts, as well as specific purpose charitable gifts, naming rights gifts and other concerns; representation of prominent local charities in connection with the receipt of gifts, structuring of planned giving programs, estate administration and related matters

Publications, Speeches and Presentations

Publications

• "Estate Planning By the Numbers – Defined-Value and Other Formula Transfers," Estate Planning, May 2010 (Richard Ramirez, co-author)
• "Defined-Value Transfer Planning After McCord and Christiansen," Probate & Property, September/October 2008 (John W. Porter, co-author)
• "Planning Can Help Firm Owner Reduce or Avoid Federal Transfer Tax," Houston Business Journal, May/June 2002 (Jeffrey E. Raley, co-author)

Speeches and Presentations

• "Setting the Bar with Defined-Value Transfers," State Bar of Texas 21st Annual Estate Planning and Probate Drafting Course, Houston, October 2010
• "Managing Tax Risk With Formula Transfers," Wednesday Tax Forum, Houston, August 2009
• "Use of Defined-Value Clauses (and Alternatives) in Transfers of Closely-Held Business Interests," American Bar Association 20th Annual Spring Symposia, Section of Real Property, Trust, and Estate Law, Washington, D.C., April 2009 (Daniel H. McCarthy, co-panelist)
• "Family Limited Partnerships," State Bar of Texas 26th Annual Advanced Tax Law Course, Dallas, August 2008
• "Defined Value Gifts," State Bar of Texas 32nd Annual Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course, Dallas, June 2008
• Panelist, "The Christiansen Case and the Use of Formula Clauses," American Bar Association, Section of Real Property, Trust, and Estate Law, Teleconference and Live Audio Webcast, March 2008 (Carlyn S. McCaffrey and John W. Porter, co-panelists)
• "Family Limited Partnerships: Case Law Update and Planning Issues," Tulane Tax Institute, New Orleans, October 2007
• "Planning for Spouses: Not Just QTIPs," State Bar of Texas 18th Annual Advanced Drafting: Estate Planning and Probate Course, Houston, October 2007
• "Implementation: Family Limited Partnerships," Corpus Christi Estate Planning Council, Corpus Christi, February 2007
• "FLPs: What Now?" Houston Bar Association, Probate, Trusts and Estates Section, Houston, November 2005
• "Family Limited Partnerships: A How-To Primer From a Planner's Perspective," Mississippi Tax Institute, Jackson, Mississippi, November 2004
• "FLP Basics," Houston Bar Association, Attorneys in Tax and Probate, Houston, September 2004
• "A Current Look at Trust Committees, Trust Protectors, and Co-Trustees," State Bar of Texas 28th Annual Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston, June 2004
• "Family Limited Partnerships: A 'How-To' Primer From a Planner's Perspective" (solo), followed by a three-member panel discussion, Partnerships, Limited Partnerships, and Limited Liability Companies, The University of Texas School of Law, Austin, July 2004 (Carol A. Cantrell and Norman A. Lofgren, co-panelists) 
• Moderator, "Estate Planning for All Seasons: How to Take Advantage of Low and Rising Interest Rates," WebCredenza and State Bar of Texas Teleseminar, February 2004