Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
NEWCASTLE PARTNERS L P
   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 __X__ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive Chairman
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
200 CRESCENT COURT, STE 1400		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/06/2009
(Street)

DALLAS, TX 75201		 4. If Amendment, Date 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
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
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)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 01/06/2009   J(3)   1,789,777 D $ 8.77 (4) 12,181,482 (1) (2) D (1) (2)  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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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 Underlying Securities
(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 of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
NEWCASTLE PARTNERS L P
200 CRESCENT COURT
STE 1400
DALLAS, TX 75201		   X   X   Executive Chairman  

Signatures

 Newcastle Partners, L.P., By: Newcastle Capital Management, L.P., its general partner, By: Newcastle Capital Group, L.L.C. its general partner, By: /s/ Mark E. Schwarz, its managing member   01/08/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date
 Newcastle Special Opportunity Fund I, L.P., By: Newcastle Capital Management, L.P., By: Newcastle Capital Group, L.L.C. its general partner, By: /s/ Mark E. Schwarz, its managing member   01/08/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date
 Newcastle Special Opportunity Fund II, L.P., By: Newcastle Capital Management, L.P., By: Newcastle Capital Group, L.L.C. its general partner, By: /s/ Mark E. Schwarz, its managing member   01/08/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date
 Newcastle Capital Management, L.P., By: Newcastle Capital Group, L.L.C. its general partner, By: /s/ Mark E. Schwarz, its managing member   01/08/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date
 Newcastle Focus Fund II, L.P., By: Newcastle Capital Management, L.P., By: Newcastle Capital Group, L.L.C. its general partner, By: /s/ Mark E. Schwarz, its managing member   01/08/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date
 /s/ Mark E. Schwarz   01/08/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* 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).
(1) Newcastle Capital Management, L.P. ("NCM") is the general partner of each of Newcastle Partners, L.P. ("NP"), Newcastle Special Opportunity Fund I, L.P. ("NSOFI"), Newcastle Special Opportunity Fund II, L.P. ("NSOFII"), and Newcastle Focus Fund II, L.P. ("NFF"). Newcastle Capital Group, L.L.C. ("NCG") is the general partner of NCM and Mark E. Schwarz ("Schwarz") is the managing member of NCG. Accordingly, each of NCM, NCG and Schwarz may be deemed to beneficially own the shares directly owned by any of NP, NSOFI, NSOFII and NFF. Mr. Schwarz is also the executive chairman and director of the Issuer.
(2) Includes (1) 7,319,113 shares of common stock of the Issuer owned by NP, (2) 50,821 shares of common stock and 19,167 options exercisable into shares of common stock owned by Mr. Schwarz, (3) a total of 3,274,830 shares of common stock owned by NSOFI and NSOFII, (4) 2,400 shares of common stock owned by NFF and (5) 1,515,151 shares of common stock controlled by NCM pursuant to an account management agreement under which NCM holds the power to vote and dispose of such shares.
(3) Transaction constitutes a distribution of shares to withdrawing partners of NP as of December 31, 2009.
(4) Closing price as of December 31, 2009.

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