Michael B. Knisely
Partner
Profile
Mr. Knisely is a partner of Osborne, Helman, Scott, Knisely & Stanton, LLP. His practice involves representing individuals and institutions in fiduciary litigation, including primarily trust, estate and guardianship disputes. Mr. Knisely also advises fiduciaries and beneficiaries with regard to complex and contentious trust and estate administrations. In addition, he handles appeals of a wide array of civil matters in both state and federal courts, with a focus on appeals involving trust, estate and fiduciary matters, and he has significant experience in insurance matters and in representing charitable organizations in a variety of controversies. After law school, Mr. Knisely served as a law clerk to both the Honorable Reynaldo G. Garza, of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the Honorable Felix Recio, of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
Education
- University of Texas at Austin (J.D., 2002)
- Southwestern University (B.A., History and Communication, 1999)
- Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain (Summer 1998)
Professional Memberships and Honors
- Member, State Bar of Texas
- Member, American Bar Association
- Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list, sponsored by Thomson Reuters and published in Texas Monthly (2021 - 2023)
- Selected to the Texas Rising Stars list, sponsored by Thomson Reuters and published in Texas Monthly (2015, 2016, 2017)
- Recognized in the 29th – 31st Editions of The Best Lawyers® in America in the practice area of Trusts and Estates Litigation (2023 to present)
- Member, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) – Texas Chapter
- Member, International Bar Association
- Member, The College of the State Bar of Texas
- Member, Austin Bar Association
- Member, Williamson County Bar Association
- Member, Federal Bar Association
- Member, Board of Visitors, Southwestern University
- Member, National Association of Charitable Gift Planning
- Member, Charitable Gift Planners of Austin (Former Board of Directors, Vice-Chair)
- Member, Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Western, Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of Texas
- Leadership Round Rock (Class of 2006-2007)
- Director, RTG Foundation
- Director, Pip Start, Inc. (Former)
- Director, Ascend Austin (Former)
- Director, Southwestern Fraternal Education Fund, Inc. (Former)
- Member, Seton Professional Advisors Council (Former)