Areas of Practice

estate planning

WILLS

TRUSTS

ADVANCE DIRECTIVES

BENEFICIARY DESIGNATIONS

ASSET PROTECTION

ESTATE TAXATION

prenuptial agreements

marital property agreements

 

We all care about our loved ones. We often take measures to protect them physically and financially. We also take measures to protect our property and other assets. We install home security systems, buy home, life, health, and car insurance and invest our hard-earned money with hopes that we can someday retire comfortably. Nonetheless, we often put off until tomorrow the critical planning documents that control decision making in the event of an unforeseen crisis, such as incapacity or untimely death. Sometimes tomorrow is too late.

If this resonates with you, we are here to help.

Regardless of the value of your property or size of your estate, having a valid and enforceable Will and proper advance directives will ease the emotional turmoil and financial concerns your family and friends will encounter if you become incapacitated or die. For most individuals and families, a simple will and primary advance directives is all they need to help reduce the stress on loved ones confronted with such an unfortunate event.

This is why at Pajak Law, PLLC, we offer the guidance and legal advice about such planning and a simple Will along with primary Advance Directives for a flat fee. There are no surprises and you will know how much it will cost.

For the more complex estates or custom planning, we offer an in-depth review of your unique circumstances and create an estate plan just for you. For those of you needing custom planning, we offer our legal services at our standard hourly rates.

PROBATE

 

If you own an interest in real property, a bank account, or own personal possessions, then you have an “estate”.

“Probate” refers to the legal process of transferring a person’s real estate, accounts, and other assets after death, which may include paying creditors.

“Probating a Will” is the process of asking a court to recognize the validity of a Will and admit it to Probate. This can happen with - or without - the appointment of an Executor to administer the estate.

What if there is no Will? Texas law provides a process to ask the court to determine who inherits a person’s estate and, if necessary, appoint an “administrator” of the estate. Generally, the title of “administrator” is used in place of “executor” where a person died without a Will.

Our services include:

  • Probate with a Will

  • Probate without a Will (Determination of Heirs/Heirship)

  • Administration of Estate

  • Claims against an Estate

  • Family Settlement Agreements

  • Protecting Name and Likeness Rights after Death

  • Administering and Transferring Copyrights after Death

Each estate is different and you can’t always believe what you read on the internet, so it is crucial that surviving spouse and/or children seek legal advice soon after the death of a loved one.

business & technology law

Whether you are a “start-up” or an established business, we help you form the right business organization for your needs and advise you in business and technology contracts.

Our services include:

  • Creating and Maintaining Corporations, Limited Liability Companies (LLCs), and Partnerships

  • Assist with Employment / Contractor Agreements

  • Protect against and resolve Partnership/Co-Owner Disputes

Contact us to learn what your rights are and how to minimize risks in your business ventures.

REAL ESTATE

 

The buying, selling, or leasing of residential and commercial property involves a myriad of legal considerations. We can protect you from the known and unknown risks.

We can also form companies, partnerships, and prepare joint ownership agreements, which is a necessity when buying property with others.

ENTERTAINMENT LAW

Entertainment laws permeate our lives. From social media issues to more traditional music and film matters, we can help protect you in these transactions.

Our services include:

  • Copyright Registration and Protection

  • Trademark Registration and Protection

  • Licensing Agreements

  • Publishing Contracts

  • Producer Contracts

  • Recording Contracts

  • Management Contracts

  • Film Production Contracts

  • Internet/Multimedia Contracts

We have helped a multitude of clients in entertainment matters for almost 25 years and would love to help you understand the complexities and protect your rights.

MEDIATION

 

There are times when filing a lawsuit is the only way to protect your rights or interests. However, many disputes can be resolved early through mediation. Hiring a mediator to facilitate communications allows the parties to reach an agreement on their own, which saves time and money for everyone.

Ken Pajak utilizes his experience as a litigation attorney, a transactional attorney, a law professor, and a mediator to help people resolve disputes.

sample representative matters

    • Create Trust based estate planning for high net worth clients and clients planning for incapacity during life

    • Create standard and complex Wills

    • Design contingent trusts to protect the integrity of inheritances to minor children and adult children who may struggle with substance abuse or have creditor issues

    • Provide advice, counsel, and preparation of “Advance Directives” such as Medical and Financial Powers of Attorney, HIPAA Releases, Declaration of Guardian for Minor Children, Declaration of Guardian for Adults, Disposition of Remains, and Directive to Physicians (commonly known as a “Life-Support” directive)

    • Help creative artists, entertainers, and musicians protect their intellectual property catalogs, and their legacies by centralizing management of their intellectual property before and after death

    • Regularly advise and counsel probate applicants, executors and heirs in Probate Court

    • Heirships (probate without a Will)

    • Letters Testamentary (probate with a Will)

    • Successfully represented Probate Applicant/named Co-Executor in appointment proceeding to disqualify sibling to act as Co-Executor

    • Represented sibling of deceased individual contesting alleged heir’s claim that she was a child of the deceased; required exhumation and DNA testing

    • Represented second spouse in contesting claim by a child from a prior marriage to community property CD funds

    • Represented heirs in claims to alleged partnership and copyright ownership of deceased musician

    • Represented applicant in probate of handwritten will on a napkin

    • Represent creditors in claims against deceased individual

    • Represent estates of artists and entertainers in exploiting intellectual property catalogs and protecting artist legacies

    • Organized Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, Limited Partnerships, Professional Associations, Professional Corporations

    • Negotiated volume software licensing agreements between public and private companies and Microsoft

    • Negotiated software licensing agreements between public and private companies and third-party vendors

    • Negotiated patent licensing agreements between international companies

    • Negotiated non-disclosure agreements between international companies

    • Negotiated trademark licensing agreements between international companies

    • Represented startup companies in software licensing and trademark maintenance matters

    • Represented trademark owners and applicants in oppositions

    • Represented trademark owners in assignments

    • Prosecuted trademark applications

    • Represented software programmer in copyright infringement and misappropriation lawsuit

    • Represented California company in product liability lawsuit

    • Represented Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies in offering interests to investors and SEC compliance

    • Represented radio station investment group in breach of contract issues

    • Participated in defense of several patent litigation matters concerning public software company

    • Represented employer in a breach of non-competition agreement conspiracy lawsuit in federal court

    • Facilitated the compromise of disputes as a Mediator, including workplace and pre-litigation matters

    • Represented Producer in negotiating sale of all future Producer Royalty income from Billboard top albums

    • Represented copyright owners in applications, assignments, and ownership disputes

    • Negotiated recording agreements, synchronization, and master use licenses

    • Represented film production company owners in copyright dispute with other owners

    • Represented heirs in claims to alleged partnership and copyright ownership of deceased musician

    • Represented songwriters in negotiating and litigating Publishing Agreements

    • Represented songwriters in copyright infringement disputes

    • Represented bands and individual artists in recording deals

    • Represented band members in negotiating band agreements

    • Represented record labels in various music industry contracts

    • Represent estates of deceased artists in exploiting intellectual property catalogs and protecting artist legacies

    • Represented seller of 60 unit apartment complex in West Campus to developer

    • Represented tenants and landlords in commercial and residential leases

    • Represented property owner in private road easement rights matters

    • Represented joint owner of real property in cohabitation agreements

    • Regularly represent buyers and sellers of residential and commercial real estate