FGHW - Key Persons
Angella has served in a broad range of roles as both lawyer and business owner, including founder and owner of her own real estate development company. She has over thirty-five years of experience in commercial real estate transactions and business law, including representation of commercial real estate developers and lenders in acquisitions and dispositions of real property, commercial development, commercial leasing transactions, real estate lending transactions, and joint venture formations.
Angella's experience positions her to make strategic contributions in all aspects of commercial real estate development and related strategic planning.
Practice Areas
Commercial real estate
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Member of the National College of Probate Judges
Partner Chris Wilmoth focuses on probate, guardianship and trust litigation. He also conducts mediations and accepts appointments as a special judge, trustee, administrator, and guardian of the estate. In recent years, Mr. Wilmoth has acted as lead counsel in will contests, trust modifications, contested guardianships, breach of fiduciary duty lawsuits, and numerous uncontested probate and guardianship proceedings.
Mr. Wilmoth is a lifetime member of the National College of Probate Judges. He is a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, the Dallas Bar Foundation and the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Foundation, and is a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas. He served on the board of trustees of DAYL Foundation and the board of directors of Wesley-Rankin Community Center through 2015. He also speaks to the bar and community organizations about probate and guardianship issues.
Christian S. Kelso is a Partner at the Dallas law firm of Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter LLP, where he practices in the areas of estate planning, wealth preservation and transfer, probate, tax and transactional corporate law. His primary focus is finding practical solutions for families and businesses to avoid costly, and often heartbreaking disputes in both the courtroom and the living room. Christian is a counselor who is dedicated to making the law work for his clients and helping them understand how best to address the legal issues they face.
Christian's estate planning and wealth preservation practice involves both large and small estates, and is focused on crafting solutions that best achieve clients legal and personal goals. Maintaining wealth is often more difficult than building it in the first place, particularly over successive generations. While some clients' planning can be relatively straightforward, others require sophisticated solutions that are tailor-made to suit each family's needs. Christian understands that no single solution is appropriate for all situations, and his experience and training allow him to skillfully craft individualized plans for a wide array of clients. This process can be daunting, but Christian takes the time necessary to educate and familiarize clients with the tools available to them so they understand both why a particular solution makes sense and how it will fit into their lives. Whether they are simply trying to protect their minor children, mitigate tax exposure, or shield assets from creditor claims, Christian strives to build the right plan for each client in a way that they can understand.
Where probate of an estate is required, Christian provides assistance and advice which is focused on minimizing litigation and intra-family disputes. When proper planning is in place and other circumstances allow, this process can be straightforward and simple. Other situations, however, can be more complicated. The death of a loved one can often set an entire family at odds as emotions and tensions well up. In situations like this, Christian is able to draw on both his personal and professional experience to ease family tensions and deploy appropriate legal strategies so that clients can move on with their lives.
Christian's transactional corporate practice is focused on avoiding legal problems before they materialize. He helps businesses develop solutions that mitigate risk, both in the form of legal exposure and tax. Employing a full-time, in-house attorney can be expensive, but every business faces situations which are best addressed with the counsel of a trusted advisor. Christian fills this roll by acting as general counsel on an as-needed basis and assisting with all manner of issues.
Outside of his legal practice, Christian teaches Estate Planning and Practice at Southern Methodist University's Dedman School of Law. He also serves as a facilitator and advisor for families wishing to implement family systems and governance. His book, Building Your Castle: A practical guide for protecting your legacy, is available on Amazon and at www.christiankelso.com. Christian is dedicated, as he puts it, to avoiding the disastrous ‘Family Power Vacuum' that occurs when a family patriarch becomes disabled or passes away.
Christian S. Kelso is a native Dallasite, having attended St. Mark's School of Texas for twelve years before moving on to the University of Texas at Austin. Christian came back to Dallas for both his J.D. and LL.M. (Taxation), which he received at Southern Methodist University. Christian is an active member of the community in North Texas, both legal and otherwise, and sits on various charitable boards and other governing bodies. He speaks German fluently and lives in East Dallas with his wife and two children.
Practice Areas
Estate Planning
Christopher Elam's corporate and transactional practice has allowed him to help numerous businesses, business owners, and individuals. Mr. Elam's practice focuses on helping clients solve the contractual and business problems they face, but he aims to prevent problems from occurring in the first place through careful drafting and negotiation of agreements.
Christopher has experience in a wide range of practice areas including corporate governance, intellectual property and trademark, non-compete and confidentiality agreements, manufacturing and license issues, real estate transactions, as well as mergers and acquisitions. In addition, he has particular knowledge of the evolving regulatory framework governing direct sellers and multi-level marketers. Prior to joining Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter, he counseled owners and members of the Board of Directors of an approximately billion-dollar direct selling company.
Christopher graduated with high honors from the SMU Dedman School of Law, where he was an editor of the International Law Review. He received his Bachelor of Arts in the honors English program from the University of Texas at Austin.
Practice Areas
Business Transactions
Job Titles:
- Attorney Program, Civil Judges Panel April 12, 2013
Job Titles:
- Attorney Program
- Attorney Program Guardian Ad Litem Course, Judges Panel, May 27, 2014
Deborah J. Schmidt, an associate attorney at Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter LLP, practices in the areas of probate, guardianship, and elder law, including administrations and litigation for probate, guardianship, and trusts. Ms. Schmidt is certified by the Texas State Bar to serve as an attorney ad litem and guardian ad litem for probate and guardianship proceedings. With trial experience in civil, family, and probate law, she works tirelessly to protect and serve families.
Deborah is the previous owner of DJS Mediation Services, where she practiced mediation with a focus on family and probate matters, performed evaluations for contested custody cases and adoptions, and taught mediation courses for Collin County Community College District. In 2018, Deborah earned her law license from UNT Dallas College of Law. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in psychology and earned her M.A. in dispute resolution from Southern Methodist University.
Deborah currently resides in Allen, Texas, where she has lived with her husband and children since 1991. She enjoys yoga, soccer, tennis, skiing, and is trying to learn to golf. Deborah jumps at every opportunity to travel, especially to the mountains or white sand beaches.
Practice Areas
Probate and Guardianship Administration
Debra L. Witter has retired from the practice of law effective as of December 31, 2021. For assistance with marketing, advertising, and promotions law, trademarks, or corporate law, contact Christopher Elam at chris.elam@fghwlaw.com.
Henry S. Wehrmann practices in the primary areas of personal injury litigation defense, products liability litigation defense, toxic tort defense, and employment litigation defense. Mr. Wehrmann's practice includes representation before the Texas State judicial panel for Multi-District Litigation (MDL), in defense of asbestos cases. He also counsels clients on e-Discovery, cyber exposure, and related insurance issues. Licensed since 1983, Henry is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He has been rated AV-Preeminent® (highest possible rating for attorneys and law firms) by Martindale-Hubbell for more than 15 years.
Henry was elected to the College of the State Bar of Texas in 2015. The College is an honorary society of lawyers who are among the best trained attorneys in Texas.
In addition to litigation defense, Henry Wehrmann practices in the area of sports and entertainment law and represents clients in the amusement industry as well as serving as defense counsel for the State Fair of Texas as to liability claims brought against them. Mr. Wehrmann is a tribal lawyer authorized to practice before all courts of the Chickasaw Nation. Henry is a former chair of the Sports & Entertainment Law section of the Dallas Bar Association.
Practice Areas
Personal Injury Litigation Defense
Job Titles:
- Counsel
- Partner With Farrow
Jennifer N. Lewis is a partner with Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter LLP. Her primary practice areas are estate planning, wealth preservation and transfer, probate, guardianships, corporate law, and taxation.
Ms. Lewis routinely advises clients regarding estate and incapacity planning; federal income, estate, and gift tax issues; probate, trust, and guardianship administrations; and the formation and operation of business entities and non-profit organizations. Ms. Lewis has substantial experience in administration of trusts and decedents' estates. Ms. Lewis has served as lead counsel on complex probate cases. In addition to handling complex estates, Ms. Lewis provides cost effective estate planning and probate solutions to individuals and families.
Ms. Lewis serves as counsel to several families with complex legal entities and provides guidance regarding family limited partnerships, grantor retained annuity trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, and charitable trusts. Ms. Lewis loves engaging with her clients and gains personal satisfaction from providing the best possible legal solutions to meet her client's needs.
Ms. Lewis has been named to the list of Texas Super Lawyer "Rising Stars" (a Thomson Reuters service), which represents the top 2.5% of attorneys under the age of 40 in the State of Texas.
Practice Areas
Estate Planning
Jessica Dunne is a partner at Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter. Jessica's practice consists of probate, guardianship, and trust litigation, with a special interest in adoptions. In addition to representing individuals in various probate matters, Jessica has been appointed attorney ad litem in numerous heirship and guardianship proceedings in Dallas, Collin, and Kaufman Counties. She has also represented adoptive parents in domestic adoptions (both private and agency), CPS adoptions, and international adoptions. Jessica is a problem-solver who aims to achieve her clients' goals in the most expeditious and cost-effective manner. If a resolution cannot be reached, she is experienced and ready to advocate for her clients in court.
Jessica graduated cum laude from Baylor Law School in 2011 where she was the recipient of the Presidential Scholarship. During law school, Jessica competed in mock trial, moot court and client counseling competitions. She received recognitions including Dean's List, the "High A" in her Client Counseling and Family Law Advocacy & Procedure courses, and was awarded both the Abner V. McCall Evidence Award and the Family Law Advocacy & Procedure Award. In the summer of 2009, Jessica clerked for the late Honorable Robert E. Price in Dallas County Probate Court Two. Prior to law school, Jessica attended Texas A&M University where she graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2008. Jessica is an alumni of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and a member of Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society.
Jessica's professional memberships include the Dallas Bar Association, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, Attorneys Serving the Community and the State Bar of Texas. Jessica is also a sustaining member of the Lake Highlands Junior Women's League where she has previously served on the board.
Jessica resides in Lake Highlands with her husband, Patrick Dunne, Jr., and her three children. Patrick is the Director of Investments for ALX Land Capital. Jessica and her husband are members of Watermark Community Church of Dallas where they serve in the adoption and foster care ministry. Jessica's special interest in adoptions grew out of her own journey in adopting her son. For fun, Jessica enjoys core fusion barre, riding her peloton, traveling to vineyards, and Texas Aggie football.
Ms. Dunne has been named to the list of Texas Super Lawyer "Rising Stars" (a Thomson Reuters service) for 2020-2021, which represents the top 2.5% of attorneys under the age of 40 in the State of Texas. She has also been named to D Magazine's list of 2021 Best Lawyers under 40 and named to Best Lawyers' list of Ones to Watch for 2021-2022.
Practice Areas
Probate, Guardianship, and Trust Litigation
Julie Heath focuses her practice primarily in the area of employment litigation and counseling. In addition to litigation and arbitration defense, she counsels HR departments and businesses of every size on all aspects of employment law, from addressing day-to-day employment and personnel questions, to investigating internal employee claims, to defending governmental agency audits, to advising clients on steps for litigation avoidance. Ms. Heath is rated AV®-Preeminent™ by the peer-reviewed Martindale-Hubbell service, and she has been named a Texas Super Lawyer (a Thomson Reuters Service) and a Texas Monthly "Top Attorney in Texas" every year since 2012. She has been selected for inclusion in the Martindale Hubbell ®Bar Registry of Preeminent Women Lawyers, comprising less than 5% of women attorneys who have received the highest possible peer rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.
Ms. Heath has over 30 years of experience in the federal and state courts, including significant appellate court experience. One of her jury trial wins, which she also successfully defended on appeal, was named a "Top 10 Texas Verdict" by Texas Lawyer magazine. She has successfully defended a recent Fair Labor Standards Act jury verdict on appeal to the Fifth Circuit, and summary judgment rulings before the Dallas Court of Appeals.
Before co-founding the firm, Ms. Heath practiced in the commercial litigation section of Baker Botts LLP and as a solo employment litigation attorney.
Practice Areas
Employment Law
Liza Farrow-Gillespie, our beloved managing partner and co-founder, passed away on July 3, 2020. Liza was an extraordinary woman who was an incredibly gifted attorney and an even better person. She touched our lives in a special way and we will love and remember her always. If you would like to make a memorial gift in Liza's honor, please contribute to the No Child in Pain Foundation for Pediatric Pain Management (of which Liza and her husband Alan were co-founders), Children's Medical Center of Dallas, the Sarah T. Hughes Diversity Scholarships, or a charity of your choice.
Since co-founding the firm in 2007, Liza Farrow-Gillespie practiced law in the areas of nonprofit organizations, privately held businesses and investment, estate planning and probate, elderlaw, taxation, and asset protection. She was a passionate advocate for strategic legal planning to protect multi-generational assets, minimize tax burden, protect quality of life, prevent expensive litigation and maximize governmental benefits, while accomplishing an individual's or family's entrepreneurial and philanthropic goals. Representing multiple generations of some of Dallas's most revered families, Ms. Farrow-Gillespie conducted due diligence on private equity investments and provided counsel in advantageous structuring of deals, acquisitions, and business formation. She served as outside general counsel and board counsel to nonprofit organizations across North Texas.
Ms. Farrow-Gillespie won numerous awards for her work. She was named to the list of Best Lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine; and to the list of Texas Super Lawyers (a Thomson Reuters service) by Texas Monthly. Liza was named a "Five-Star Professional" in estate planning by Texas Monthly. She was the subject of a December 2013 profile in the business section of the Dallas Morning News, and of a March 2015 profile in the Texas Bar Journal. Ms. Farrow-Gillespie was a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Her 18-attorney law firm has been named as a "Best Law Firm" in America (small firm category) by U.S. News & World Report.
Before co-founding the law firm of Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter LLP in June 2007, Liza served as permanent briefing attorney for the late United States District Judge Barefoot Sanders, Northern District of Texas. Ms. Farrow-Gillespie is a former associate with Cohan Simpson Cowlishaw and Wulff LLP, now merged with Jackson Walker LLP; and is a 1992 honors graduate of the University of Texas School of Law (Dean's Award; Order of the Coif; Executive Editor of the Texas Law Review). She was a guest lecturer in advanced business law at SMU University and a frequent speaker on wealth preservation topics.
An avid blue-water sailor, Liza completed a six-year sailing circumnavigation with her husband in 2005. Prior to law school, Ms. Farrow-Gillespie was a professional musician in Los Angeles, and is a member of the Screen Actors Guild. Even during her law career, she continued to perform from time to time. Liza served on the board of directors of No Child in Pain Foundation, and she was a Trustee of the Dallas Opera. She was a member of the portfolio board of Texas Women Ventures Fund.
Ms. Farrow-Gillespie married in 1984 to Alan Farrow-Gillespie, M.D., a pediatric anesthesiologist at Children's Medical Center Dallas, and Professor of Anesthesiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. On February 1, 2020, Liza retired as managing partner of the firm, and retired fully from the practice of law. She passed away on July 3, 2020, after a long battle with cancer.
Education
J.D., with honors, University of Texas School of Law, 1992
Job Titles:
- Associate Attorney at Farrow
M. Spencer Turner is an associate attorney at Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter LLP. Since obtaining his license to practice law in 2016, Spencer primarily has focused his legal efforts in the trust and estates arena. His experiences in the field range from handling contentious trust disputes and will contest to carefully crafting estate plans, developing strategies for asset protection, and representing numerous family-owned businesses. Mr. Turner has been featured as a speaker on various aspects of the probate process at several seminars hosted by the National Business Institute. Before joining FGHW, Spencer served as the Managing Director at the Houser Law Firm, P.C. where he supervised the firm's legal and administrative operations in the Dallas office.
Spencer graduated from Baylor Law School in 2016 with a concentration in Estate Planning. He competed for several of the school's decorated moot court teams and was a member of Baylor Law's Transactional Team that helped draft estate planning documents for members of the local community on a pro bono basis. He interned with the Honorable Judge Jack Jones in the 146th Judicial District Court during the summer of 2014. Before attending Baylor Law, Spencer graduated summa cum laude from the University Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Spanish.
Mr. Turner maintains a variety of pursuits and extracurricular endeavors while away from the office. As a former collegiate golfer, Spencer still chases the little white ball around during the weekend. He loves hiking the dormant volcanoes surrounding his childhood home outside of Vancouver, Washington, and is on a never-ending quest to find the best chicken-fried steak in Texas. Spencer and his wife, Andréa, enjoy traveling the globe and share an affinity for '80s rock music.
Practice Areas
Probate and Guardianship Litigation
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Member of the Commercial Panel of the American Arbitration Association
Ms. O'Connor is a member of the Commercial Panel of the American Arbitration Association and is a FINRA arbitrator.
Mary L. O'Connor has become Equity Partner April 11, 2022 - 9:09 am
We are pleased to announce that Mary L. O'Connor has become an Equity Partner and the newest member of the Executive Committee. Mary joined the FGHW family in 2016. Her practice focuses on Commercial Litigation and Arbitration. In addition to representing clients in a wide range of business disputes, Mary represents public companies and their […]
Matthew Glenn's corporate and transactional practice has allowed him to help numerous businesses, business owners, and individuals. Mr. Glenn's practice focuses on:-
Matthew Glenn is now an Of Counsel of the Firm February 1, 2022 - 8:48 am
Job Titles:
- Adjunct Professor at SMU Cox School of Business
Paula Beasley helps clients reach their real estate goals. In that regard, Ms. Beasley provides counseling and facilitates negotiations for clients involved in sales and acquisitions of real estate. Commercial landlords and tenants value her extensive experience with lease negotiations. Owners and management companies of multi-family housing, including HUD-subsidized and affordable housing properties, make up a large portion of her client base, and she provides legal services and expertise on a variety of issues including evictions, vendor disputes and defense of fair housing complaints.
Paula is an Adjunct Professor at SMU Cox School of Business, where she teaches real estate law. She is currently Immediate Past President of CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) Dallas. Ms. Beasley has been named to the lists of "Best Women Lawyers in Dallas" and "Best Lawyers in Dallas under 40" by D Magazine, and "The Best Lawyers in America" by Best Lawyers®. She is an active member of Park Cities Baptist Church and a Trustee for Visible Music College.
Practice Areas
Real Estate Acquisitions and Sales
Job Titles:
- Advertising, Marketing, and Promotions
- Director of Investments for ALX Land Capital
Peter Gould has over twenty years of experience advising corporate clients on legal, operational, regulatory and compliance matters, including in-house counsel services for a Fortune 500 company and as senior in-house counsel for a leading multi-platform content and entertainment company. Mr. Gould's practice focuses on providing timely, practical advice and risk analysis related to his clients' day-to-day business operations, with the goal of solving business problems and minimizing legal risk, and providing diligent counsel when legal problems do arise.
Mr. Gould has specific expertise in a wide range of areas, including advertising, marketing, and promotions, extending from legal and contractual issues related to contests and sweepstakes to event production and risk management, as well as advertising content review and regulatory guidance, and trademark and copyright counseling. In addition, Mr. Gould has extensive experience drafting and negotiating business contracts, ranging from day-to-day operational agreements and NDAs to complex business transactions; content and intellectual property licensing; employment and labor matters; and corporate compliance and investigations.
Education
J.D., William & Mary Law School
B.A., Vanderbilt University.