About Our Services
What is Estate Planning?
Estate planning involves two types of documents: those effective during your lifetime if you become incapacitated and those effective after your passing to distribute assets. Powers of attorney, declarations of guardian, and advanced directives (or “living wills”) appoint agents to act on your behalf while you’re unable to make decisions and end upon your death. Wills and certain trusts manage the distribution of assets after death. Proper planning can reduce the pain, stress, and expense of life’s major events.
Why Estate Planning?
Proper estate planning brings peace of mind. While creating a will can feel overwhelming, we take an empathetic, educational approach to make the process more comfortable. Planning for the future, though difficult, ensures your loved ones are better prepared to handle loss or illness.
Think of estate planning like preventative healthcare—it may not be enjoyable, but it can prevent serious issues later. Addressing questions about asset distribution, trusted decision-makers, and medical choices ahead of time reduces stress and legal complications during difficult times. In short: eat your vegetables, drink your water, and get your will done.
What is Probate?
“Probate” refers to managing and distributing a person’s assets after death. In Texas, the type of probate proceeding depends on whether there’s a valid will, the nature of the assets, and the need for estate administration. “Administration” involves gathering assets, paying debts, and distributing or selling property. Some assets can also be distributed without probate.
Services include:
About Leslie Lenckus
Leslie has been a licensed Texas attorney since 2015. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Texas A&M University, a Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law, and a Master of Dispute Resolution from the Straus Institute. During law school, she clerked at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in the Family Violence Division and the Federal Public Defender’s Office in San Antonio.
Leslie began her career as a prosecutor for the Denton County District Attorney’s Office and has since represented clients in guardianship, civil, family, probate, and estate planning matters. At Lenckus Law Firm, she focuses on probate and estate planning and serves as a court-appointed attorney for mental health patients in Denton County. Recognized as a Texas Rising Star by SuperLawyers (2021–2024), Leslie is also certified as an Attorney Ad Litem by the State Bar of Texas.
