JIM DUNLAP, ATTORNEY AT LAW

Jim Dunlap’s successful estate planning practice is just the latest in a series of successful careers for the Austin-based attorney. A noted lecturer and author, Mr. Dunlap has extensive experience in teaching university level courses in business law, court administration and business management. He has often been referred to by his peers as the “teaching attorney.”

With this varied background, it is a natural progression for Mr. Dunlap to devote his practice to teaching clients how to manage their own estates. His main objective for his clients is to help them avoid the courthouse in planning the best way to pass their assets from one generation to another.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Before entering private legal practice, Mr. Dunlap was a successful college professor. Considered by his students as “a teacher’s teacher”, Mr. Dunlap held teaching positions at Notre Dame, the University of Texas at Austin, St. Edward's University, Austin Community College and Southwestern University He served as the Dean of the School of Business at St. Edward's, where he helped establish the Masters of Business program. From education, Mr. Dunlap moved into court administration, serving as the first trial court administrator in Texas and the first state court administrator in Georgia. In Texas, Jim was part of a team that designed and created the first working computerized court program. After serving as State Court Administrator for Georgia, he served as a consultant to courts in their computerization program. His consultant experience also served as part of a team that started computerization of the courts in the state of Nevada. His background also includes business management: he serves as a member of the board of directors of the Cold Spring Granite Company; and writing: he is the author of a manual on court administration and he co-authored Automated Law Office Systems, for West Publishing Company. For 30+ years he has spent most of his time in his firm, the Law Office of Jim Dunlap, assisting folks on how to save their money for their family and save on legal expenses and taxes. The main objective of his firm “is to keep the estate in the family and not the government.” Of course, you are now in the middle of his current creation, that is, providing a workshop by computer and allowing the client to start his own Trust or Will by filling in the information and sending it in by use of email or computer program. Many years ago, Jim found that he could not teach estate planning to all those who wanted to know because they had jobs, things to do and care for the family. Now, with the current program on TexasTrusts.com they can attend on their own time.

EDUCATION

Mr. Dunlap received his bachelor’s degree in marketing, with a minor in economics, from Southwest Missouri State University. He then moved to Texas to complete his MBA in management at Southern Methodist University. After studying law at the University of Texas in Austin, he passed the Texas Bar exam in September 1969. Mr. Dunlap was then chosen as one of just 35 of the 750 who applied to be a Fellow of the Institute of Court Management at the University of Denver.

PERSONAL PROFILE

Mr. Dunlap is involved with several Austin area groups serving the elderly. He has lectured to these people on estate planning.

On those rare occasions when he finds time for leisure, Jim enjoys tennis and traveling. He has been married for over 43 years, and he and his wife, Rita, have two daughters and three grandchildren.