SEC FORM 4

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

SCHWARZ MARK E

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

200 CRESCENT COURT

STE 1400

(Street)

DALLAS

75201

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
HALLMARK FINANCIAL SERVICES INC [ HALL ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

X	Director	10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)	Other (specify below)
	Executive Chairman

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
05/28/2009

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)		10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Employee Stock Options	$6.61	05/28/2009⁽³⁾		A		200,000		⁽⁴⁾	04/01/2019	Common Stock	200,000	⁽⁴⁾	219,167	D⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

Explanation of Responses:

1. 219,167 stock options (including the grant of 200,000 stock options reported herein) are held by Mr. Schwarz.

2. The Reporting Person is also a member of a "group" for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and accordingly may be deemed to beneficially own shares of the Issuer's Common Stock owned in the aggregate by the other members of the Section 13(d) group. The Group consists of the Reporting Person, Newcastle Partners, L.P., Newcastle Capital Management, L.P., Newcastle Capital Group, L.L.C., Newcastle Special Opportunity Fund I, L.P., Newcastle Special Opportunity Fund II, L.P. , Newcastle Focus Fund II, L.P., DSC Services Inc. and the Detroit Stoker Company. The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares of the Issuer's Common stock owned by the other members of the Section 13(d) group except to the extent of its pecuniary interest therein. Other than the derivative securities reported in footnote 1, members of the Section 13(d) group hold no other derivative securities of the Issuer.

3. The option was conditionally granted on April 1, 2009, subject to shareholder approval of an amendment to the plan under which the option was granted. The plan amendment was approved by shareholders on May 28, 2009.

4. Represents grant of employee stock options which become exercisable in seven equal installments commencing April 1, 2010.

	/s/ Mark E. Schwarz	06/01/2009
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
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