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Synopsis of the areas of practice of the law firm:

Estate Planning: Evaluating the desires of the client for distribution of the client's property at his or her death and creating legal documents for preserving and transferring the client's estate and property at death for the best benefit of the client and the client's heirs and beneficiaries. This is most often accomplished through Wills or Trusts, but can also include creating beneficiary deeds, jointly owned property, family partnerships, or limited liability companies. Estate Planning also usually involves the creation of General Powers of Attorney and Medical Powers of Attorney and Living Wills to assist the client in dealing with his or her personal needs, finances and medical decisions should the client become disabled by injury, illness or other physical or mental infirmity.

Trusts: Legal entities created to own, manage and distribute assets placed into the trust by one or more persons (the grantor or settlor). The trust holds property and assets outside the grantor's or beneficiary's personal estates and ownership, which can have significant tax consequences. Trusts can be used to transfer property at one's death without going through a formal probate court process. Trusts can also be used for the continuation of businesses or financial plans following one's death. Trusts are often used as estate planning tools in conformity with existing tax laws.

Estate and Trust Administration: ‘Estate Administration' is the process of submitting a person's Will to the Probate Court for approval and appointment of a legal representative of the deceased's estate, or, in the cases where there is no Will, petitioning the Court to oversee the distribution of the intestate estate (no Will) assets to the appropriate heirs under Colorado's statutes. The Personal Representative for the estate is responsible to see that the directives of the deceased person's Will are followed, or that the intestate property is properly accumulated and distributed to the appropriate creditors and heirs under state law. ‘Trust Administration' involves counseling and assisting the Trustee with carrying out the directives of the Trust document, whether that involves ongoing duties of asset investment, business dealings or distribution of the trust assets.

Guardianships and Conservatorships: Representation of any of the various interested parties who may be involved in proceedings to appoint a fiduciary for an incapacitated person or in the administration of the incapacitated person's estate. Representation of fiduciaries (Guardians or Conservators) includes providing assistance to the fiduciary in preparing and filing fiduciary reports, accountings and financial plans for the incapacitated person.

Probate Litigation: Representing clients in contested trials or hearings before a judge or jury involving. This representation involves legal or factual disputes requiring the presentation of evidence, testimony and case law in support of legal positions which are at issue. These can be disputes on the validity of a Will or Trust, disputes over a person's capacity or ability to make decisions for themselves (guardianships and conservatorships), issues over the propriety of appointment of a fiduciary to act for an incapacitated person or disputes about the fiduciary's decisions regarding an incapacitated person's well being or finances. Litigation can also involve disagreements about specific terms or distributions under a Will or Trust, pursuit of a right on behalf of an incapacitated person, or making a claim against a trust or under a Will or an intestate person's estate. Probate litigation requires knowledge of probate court rules and procedures, insight into the use of the laws and evidence related to probate issues, and skill and experience in preparing for and making effective presentations before a judge or jury.

Foundations : Representing clients in the formation of foundations and other tax exempt entities (corporate or trust) and securing exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service. Rendering advice on administrative tax and grant practices, and assisting individuals in fulfilling their fiduciary duties as trustees, directors or managers in effective philanthropy.