Amanda Gyeszly
Member
Amanda Gyeszly is an attorney with two decades of experience working with clients and families on developing, implementing and administering effective strategies for transitioning wealth in a way that is both tax-effective and aligned with each client’s values and priorities.
Her practice focuses on complex estate planning and gifting strategies, business succession planning, charitable giving and exempt organizations, trust and estate administration, and assisting clients with marital property issues. Amanda also advises clients on related matters involving fiduciary law and income, estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes.
Before forming Gyeszly + Prangner, Amanda previously practiced with a boutique law firm in Houston and served as the Director of a private family office in Houston.
Education
The University of Texas School of Law
J.D., with Honors, 2004
The University of Texas
B.S., with Honors, 2001
Admissions/Certifications
- State Bar of Texas
- Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2009
Affiliations
- The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
Fellow, 2015 – present
Member, Business Planning Committee, 2019 – present
Member, Charitable Planning and Exempt Organizations Committee, 2019 – present
Chair, New Fellows Steering Committee, 2023-2025; Vice-Chair, 2022-2023; Member, 2020 – 2025
Member, Communications Committee, 2021 – 2024
- Real Estate, Probate & Trust Section of the State Bar of Texas (REPTL)
Chair, Trusts Committee, 2021-2023; Member, 2019-2021, 2024 – present
Council Member, 2019-2023
- Texas Real Estate & Probate Institute (T-REP)
Chair, Trusts Committee, 2022-2023; Member, 2024 – present
- Member, Estate Planning and Probate Law Exam Commission
Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2013-2015
- Tax Section of the State Bar of Texas
Chair, Estate and Gift Tax Committee, 2011-2013
- Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation
- Member, College of the State Bar of Texas
- Member, State Bar of Texas
Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section Tax Section
- Member, American Bar Association
Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section and Taxation Section
- Member, Houston Business and Estate Planning Council
- Member, The Estate Forum
Recognition
- Texas Super Lawyer, Law & Politics Magazine and Texas Monthly, 2021-2025
- Rising Star, Law & Politics Magazine and Texas Monthly, 2010 – 2015, 2020
Community
- Camp For All
Director, 2022 – present
Chair, Governance Committee, 2023 – present
- Houston Branch of The International Dyslexia Association
Director, 2019-2021
- The Junior League of Houston Foundation
Chairman, 2015-2017
Treasurer, 2014-2015
Director, 2014-2017
- The Junior League of Houston, Inc.
Sustaining Member, 2019 – present
Director, 2015-2016
Active Member, 2007-2019 (Chair, Community Initiatives Committee; Member, Strategic Planning Committee, Finance Council, Membership Council and Community Council)
- Houston Arboretum and Nature Center
Advisory Board Member, 2011-2016
Selected Publications/Presentations
- Moderator, Practicing on the Cliffs of Insanity Without Falling into the Pit of Despair, State Bar of Texas 31st Annual Advanced Estate Planning Strategies Course
- Author and Presenter, Practical Difficulties in Estate Planning and Administration with Private Foundations, State Bar of Texas 39th Annual Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course
- Panelist, Estate Planners’ Toolbox: Reading the Tea Leaves for the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, State Bar of Texas 28th Annual Advanced Estate Planning Strategies Course
- Author and Presenter, Drafting for Trust Modifications and Private Letter Ruling Requests, State Bar of Texas 24th Annual Estate Planning and Probate Drafting Course
- Author and Presenter, Gift and Estate Tax, Where Are We Now? University of Texas School of Law CLE 15th Annual Estate Planning, Guardianship and Elder Law Conference
- Presiding Officer, University of Texas School of Law CLE 33rd Annual Nonprofit Organizations Institute
- Course Director, State Bar of Texas 26th Annual Estate Planning and Probate Drafting Course
- Presenter, Compensation for Private Foundations: Strategies and Compliance, Philanthropy Southwest 67th Annual Conference
- Panelist, Navigating the Family Philanthropy Lifecycle, Philanthropy Southwest 68th Annual Conference
- Presenter, Fundamentals of Estate Planning, Association of Small Foundations National Conference
- Presenter and Co-Author, Corporate Issues Facing an Estate, South Texas College of Law Wills and Probate Institute
- Author and Co-Presenter, Twilight Planning: Using Advanced Techniques to Plan for Incapacity, Houston Bar Association Probate, Trust and Estate Section Meeting
- Author and Presenter, I Think I Love You, So What Am I So Afraid Of? Contractual Wills and Other Options, State Bar of Texas Advanced Drafting: Probate and Estate Planning Course
- Co-Author, Comments of the State Bar of Texas, Tax Section on the Form 706-GS(D), submitted to the IRS on May 31, 2013
- Co-Author, Comments of the State Bar of Texas, Tax Section on Proposed Regulations Regarding Net Investment Income Tax Under Section 1411 of the Internal Revenue Code, submitted to the IRS on March 4, 2013
- Co-Author, Comments of the State Bar of Texas, Tax Section on Transfers by a Trustee from an Irrevocable Trust to Another Irrevocable Trust (sometimes called “Decanting”), submitted to the IRS on May 22, 2012
