Karen Gerstner

Karen Gerstner is an attorney and the founder of Karen S. Gerstner & Associates, P.C. in Houston, Texas. She established the firm in 2004 as a boutique estate planning and probate practice. Her work focuses on estate, trust, and probate law, including wills, trusts, estate planning for retirement plan benefits, incapacity planning, probate, trust administration, and post-death tax planning.

Karen earned her J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1980 and her B.A. with honors from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in 1977. She was also elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Her academic background supports her careful approach to legal analysis, tax planning, fiduciary issues, and the detailed drafting required in estate planning and probate matters.

Karen has practiced estate, trust, and probate law for more than 40 years. Before opening her own firm, she practiced estate and trust law at other firms for more than two decades and gained experience in probate and estate litigation. Although she no longer handles litigation, that background helps her identify potential problems in estate plans and guide clients toward practical planning choices.

Karen Gerstner has been Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1986 and has been a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel since 1999. She is a frequent author and speaker on estate, trust, probate, and retirement plan planning topics. Her leadership includes service with Houston and Texas estate planning organizations, reflecting a career built on detailed work, professional service, and client-focused counsel.

Law Office Affiliations

• Founder, Karen S. Gerstner & Associates, P.C.
• Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
• Member, Houston Bar Association
• Member, State Bar of Texas
• Former President, Houston Estate and Financial Forum
• Former President, Charitable Gift Planners of Houston
• Member, Houston Business and Estate Planning Council
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, College of the State Bar of Texas
• Former Officer, Attorneys in Tax and Probate
• Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
• Fellow, Houston Bar Foundation
• Member, National Association of Estate Planners and Councils (NAEPC)

Licensed State

• Texas

Education

• Case Western Reserve University School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Miami University, Oxford, Ohio
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Awards & Badges