Mr. Osborne is the managing partner of Osborne, Helman, Knebel & Scott, LLP. Mr. Osborne practices primarily in the area of trust and estate planning, with an emphasis on taxation, asset protection, and international transactions. Mr. Osborne is an author and frequent lecturer on numerous wealth transfer topics. He has made presentations and published articles nationally and internationally on the subjects of asset protection, foreign tax compliance, international inheritance rights, and related cross-border topics. Mr. Osborne is the founding Editor of the International Estate Planning Guide, a publication of the International Bar Association. Mr. Osborne is serving as Treasurer of the Individual Tax and Private Client Committee of the International Bar Association, and he is Vice Chair of the Board of the Texas Chapter of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. He is also a Fellow of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® 2018 for Trusts and Estates featured in U.S. News and World Report.
EDUCATION
• University of Denver (LL.M. in Taxation, 2003)
• South Texas College of Law (J.D., 2002)
• St. John’s College (M.A., Liberal Arts, 1998)
• University of Texas at Austin (B.A., English, 1996)
PRACTICE AREAS
• Estate Planning & Asset Preservation
• International Trust & Estate Planning
• International Litigation
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND HONORS
• Fellow, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
• Academician, The International Academy of Estate and Trust Law (Member, Membership Committee)
• Member, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (Chair, Board of Directors; Texas Chapter)
• Member, Private Client Global Elite (2017 - present)
• Recognized by Best Lawyers© for Trusts and Estates (2018 - present)
• Member, International Bar Association (Treasurer, Individual Tax and Private Client Committee; Former Editor, International Estate Planning Guide)
• Member, State Bar of Texas
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Austin Bar Association
• Member, The College of the State Bar of Texas
• Member, Estate Planning Council of Central Texas
• Member, The Nature Conservancy - Texas Chapter
• Member, Advisory Council, University of Texas Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS (SELECTED)
• Panel Co-Chair, "Where is the safest place for your asset protection trust upon your divorce?" IBA 2020 Virtually Together Conference, International Bar Association (2020)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Asset Protection: Strategies and Recent Developments," 17th Annual Sophisticated Trusts and Estates Law Institute, New York State Bar Association, New York, NY (2019)
• Panel Co-Chair, "Protecting your Children from their Future Spouses," 24th Annual International Private Client Conference, International Bar Association, London, England (2019)
• Presenter, "Impact of Creditor Issues on Administering Structures," 7th Annual Private Client Forum Americas Conference – The New World, Legal Week, Newport Beach, California (2019)
• Panel Co-Chair, "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil… unless, of course, it’s evil," 23rd Annual International Wealth Transfer Practice Conference, International Bar Association, London, England (2018)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Asset Protection Trust Planning," Planning Techniques for Large Estates, American Law Institute CLE, Austin, Texas (2018)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Asset Protection: Strategies and Recent Developments," 62nd Annual Estate Planning Seminar, University of Washington School of Law, Seattle, Washington (2017)
• Panelist, "Recent Developments in International Trust Litigation," The International Academy of Estate and Trust Law Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois (2017)
• Panel Co-Chair, "Hands-off those assets: cross-border strategies and vulnerabilities to protecting family wealth from civil creditors," 22nd Annual International Wealth Transfer Practice Conference, International Bar Association, London, England (2017)
• Author, "Chapter 9: Asset Protection Trusts for U.S. and Foreign Persons," International Estate Planning (Second Edition), Pub. 482, H. Christensen III (Ed.), New York, NY: LexisNexis (2016)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Asset Protection: Strategies and Recent Developments," 14th Annual Sophisticated Trusts and Estates Law Institute, New York State Bar Association, New York, New York (2016)
• Panel Co-Chair, "I want my plan in good shape - Health checks and spring cleaning your estate planning documents and tax strategies," 21st Annual International Wealth Transfer Practice Conference, International Bar Association, London, England (2016)
• Presenter, "International Trusts Update," 4th Annual Private Client Forum Americas Conference - Turn and Face the Strange: Changes, Legal Week, Bermuda (2016)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Domestic Asset Protection Trusts," 64th Tulane Tax Institute, Tulane University Law School, New Orleans, Louisiana (2015)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Asset Protection Strategies and Recent Developments," 2015 Advanced Estate Planning, Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, San Antonio, Texas (2015)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Offshore Asset Protection Trusts," 31st Annual Advanced Course International Trust and Estate Planning Conference, American Law Institute CLE, San Francisco, California (2015)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Panel Discussion on Asset Protection," Annual Summer Program at the University of Wisconsin – Estate Planning in Depth, American Law Institute CLE, Madison, Wisconsin (2015)
• Panel Chair, "FATCA in Action – Building an Empire on Which the Sun Never Sets," 20th Annual International Wealth Transfer Practice Conference, International Bar Association, London, England (2015)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Asset Protection: Strategies and Recent Developments," 12th Annual Sophisticated Trusts Estates Law Institute, New York State Bar Association, New York, New York (2014)
• Session Co-Chair, "Til the sooner of death and divorce do us part: the use of trusts, marital agreements and other structures in the protection of wealth upon the termination of marriage," Annual Conference, International Bar Association, Tokyo, Japan (2014)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Panel Discussion on Asset Protection," 50th Annual Summer Program at the University of Wisconsin – Estate Planning in Depth, The American Law Institute CLE, Madison, Wisconsin (2014)
• Session Chair, "The Past, Present and Future Relationship of Onshore and Offshore Jurisdictions," 19th Annual International Wealth Transfer Practice Conference, International Bar Association, London, England (2014)
• Author/Presenter, "A Comprehensive Approach to Asset Protection Planning," 2013 Stanley M. Johanson Estate Planning Workshop, The University of Texas School of Law, Austin, Texas (2013)
• Panelist, "Estate Planning Workshop," 2013 Stanley M. Johanson Estate Planning Workshop, The University of Texas School of Law, Austin, Texas (2013)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act and Other Foreign Reporting," 31st Annual Advanced Tax Law, State Bar of Texas, Dallas, Texas (2013)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Offshore Account Reporting Requirements," Linn Thurber LLP, Continuing Education Seminar, Houston, Texas (2013)
• Session Chair, "Big Brother is Watching You – What Information Does the Taxman Have," 18th Annual International Wealth Transfer Practice Conference, International Bar Association, London, England (2013)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Asset Protection Trust Planning," Attorneys in Tax and Probate, Houston, Texas (2013)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Offshore Account Reporting Requirements," 59th Annual Texas CPA Tax Institute, Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, Dallas, Texas (2012)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Offshore Account Reporting Requirements," 59th Annual Texas CPA Tax Institute, Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, San Antonio, Texas (2012)
• Editor, International Bar Association, International Estate Planning Guides http://www.ibanet.org/internationalestateplanningguides.aspx
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Offshore Account Reporting Requirements," 30th Annual Advanced Tax Law, State Bar of Texas, Dallas, Texas (2012)
• Presenter, "The Skies Are Clear: Is Now a Good Time For Asset Protection Planning?" 17th Annual International Wealth Transfer Practice Conference, International Bar Association, London, England (2012)
• Author/Panelist, "Offshore Account Reporting Requirements FBAR and §6038D," 59th Annual Taxation Conference, The University of Texas School of Law, Austin, Texas (2011)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Asset Protection: Trust Planning," 9th Annual Sophisticated Trusts Estates Law Institute, New York State Bar Association, New York, New York (2011)
• Author/Presenter, "Asset Protection (Simple to Complex) – Will Texas Law Protect Your Special Interests?" 35th Annual Advanced Estate Planning & Probate Course, State Bar of Texas, Fort Worth, Texas (2011)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Asset Protection: Trust Planning," 8th Annual Sophisticated Trusts Estates Law Institute, New York State Bar Association, New York, New York (2010)
• Presenter/Co-Author, "Asset Protection: Trust Planning," Wichita Estate Planning Council, Wichita, Kansas (2010)
• Panelist, "So You Don’t Want to Leave it to the Kids – Use of Trusts and Other Planning Tools- How to Plan the Multinational Estate When Constrained by Forced Heirship and Other Issues of Controlling the Family Jewels," Annual Conference, International Bar Association, Madrid, Spain (2009)
• Author/Presenter, "Tax Compliance and Asset Protection," International Forum on Asset Protection Planning, Las Vegas, Nevada (2007)
• Author/Presenter, "Tax Compliance and Asset Protection," International Forum on Asset Protection Planning, New York, New York (2007)
• Author/Presenter, "What To Do When a Spouse is Confronting Health Issues – The Estate Plan," Resolving Legal and Financial Issues in Elder Care, Dallas, Texas (2006)
• Author/Presenter, "What To Do When a Spouse is Confronting Health Issues – The Estate Plan," Resolving Legal and Financial Issues in Elder Care, Fort Worth, Texas (2006)
• Co-Author, "The U.T.C.: A Continued Threat to Special Needs Trusts – Part II, The Creation of an Enforceable Right in Almost All Discretionary Trusts," Journal of Retirement Planning (2006)
• Co-Author, "The Uniform Trust Code: A Continued Threat to Special Needs Trusts – Part II," Journal of Practical Estate Planning (2006)
• Co-Author, "After the Uniform Trust Code, Does a Family Limited Partnership Provide More Asset Protection Than a Non-Self Settled Trust?" Journal of Passthrough Entities (2005)
• Co-Author, "The Uniform Trust Code: A Continued Threat to Special Needs Trusts, Even After Amendment," Journal of Practical Estate Planning (2005) and Journal of Retirement Planning (2005)