As a longtime and respected estate planning lawyer in Dallas, it’s not uncommon for legal reporters to seek out Shackelford Melton & McKinley’s Dan Baucum for insight and analysis on legal stories involving complicated estate planning, tax and business questions.  When Baucum spoke with Dallas Morning News “Problem Solver” reporter Katie Fairbank recently, he provided more than provide a few knowledgeable quotes – he ultimately agreed to help unravel a messy dispute on a pro bono basis.

Relatives of Dallas resident Johnny Peters came to Fairbank after  Mr. Peters died of natural causes inside his apartment. With the funeral date approaching, the apartment’s property manager changed the locks on his apartment unit and blocked the family’s efforts to retrieve burial clothes and sentimental items. After receiving a series of confusing explanations from the apartment owners, Fairbank turned to Baucum for help. Writes Fairbank:

After learning about the case from Problem Solver, probate attorney Baucum offered to help the family pro bono. He spent the next week trying to reach Pinnacle’s attorney, but no one answered the phone and his calls were not returned. “If someone dies in Texas with an estate valued at less than $50,000 and no will, the people that get the possessions are the children or the grandchildren in accordance with state law,” he said.

Fairbank went on to recount how Baucum persisted and ultimately obtained a constructive response and the workings of a resolution.On Wednesday, Kin Oldham, head of the company’s central region, returned Baucum’s calls. They reached an agreement Friday. “The bottom line is that [Oldham] is willing to let me tell him who the heirs-at-law will be,” Baucum said. “He was quite reasonable. Finally, I think we’ve got something where we don’t have to go to court.” Baucum said the proper release of the possessions should be finalized next week. Oldham explained to Baucum that the company’s attorney is seriously ill and has been unavailable. Family members say they are numb from their nearly monthlong struggle. They wonder why they weren’t simply told that the attorney was sick. “I respect that, but I don’t understand why we were treated this way,” Chaney said.