Duncan E. Osborne
Partner
Profile
Mr. Osborne is a partner of Osborne, Helman, Scott, Knisely & Stanton, LLP. His core practice is domestic and international estate planning with an emphasis on asset protection planning. A former adjunct professor of law at The University of Texas School of Law, Mr. Osborne devotes significant energy to lecturing and writing in his practice areas as well as helping clients with regard to all aspects of their estate planning. He is a frequent author and lecturer on estate planning topics and has made presentations and published articles both domestically and internationally on the subjects of offshore trusts and asset protection planning. One of the pioneers in the field of asset protection, Mr. Osborne conceived and was the original editor and a contributing author of the four-volume treatise, Asset Protection: Domestic and International Law and Tactics, published by West Group in 1995 (a loose leaf service updated quarterly). He was also the founding chair of the American Bar Association’s Asset Protection Committee. Mr. Osborne is retained by foreign governments and financial institutions to advise them on trust and tax issues. He has also been called upon to serve as an expert witness on both sides of the docket in cases involving asset protection planning.
Education
- University of Texas Law School (J.D., with honors, 1971) Order of the Coif; Associate Editor, Texas Law Review
- University of Texas (M.A., Latin American Studies, 1968)
- Stanford University (B.A., English, 1966)
Professional Memberships and Honors
- Member, Dean's Board of Advisors, The University of Texas School of Law (2018)
- Fellow, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (Past President, Member, Board of Regents; Former Chair, International Estate Planning Committee; Former Chair, FATF Task Force)
- Estate Planning Hall of Fame (2013); National Association of Estate Planners and Councils
- Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
- Academician, The International Academy of Estate and Trust Law (Member, Executive Committee, Vice President)
- Technical Editor, Steve Leimberg’s Asset Protection Newsletter (2006 – present)
- Named Best Lawyers® 2011 Trusts and Estates "Lawyer of the Year" in Austin
- Named Best Lawyers® 2014 Trusts and Estates Litigation "Lawyer of the Year" in Austin
- Recognized by Best Lawyers® for Trusts and Estates & Trusts and Estates Litigation (1989 – present)
- Listed, Texas Super Lawyer, sponsored by Thomson Reuters and published in Texas Monthly (2003 – present)
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, State Bar of Texas
- Member, The College of the State Bar of Texas
- Member, The International Bar Association
- Member, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
- Member and Founding Chair, Asset Protection Planning Committee, American Bar Association (Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law)
- Member, Foreign Activities of U. S. Taxpayers Committee, American Bar Association (Section of Taxation)
- Member, Task Force on Gatekeeper Regulations, American Bar Association (2012-2013)
- Former Member, Advisory Board, Asset Protection Journal
- Director, Susan Vaughan Foundation, Houston, Texas
- Director, Still Water Foundation, Austin, Texas
- Former Director, Aurora Foundation, Austin, Texas
- Former Board Chair, St. Stephen’s Episcopal School, Austin, Texas
