Estate and Personal Planning, Estate and Trust Administration, Guardianships, Probate Litigation, Charities, Business Organizations, General Litigation, Taxation
Over the years, I have served clients in many areas of general practice. I began practicing law as the associate of a solo practitioner. After several years, I left to accept offers as a part-time deputy prosecuting attorney here in Allen County and part-time taxation and estate administration specialist with Fort Wayne National Bank Trust Department, the latter of which became a full-time position the following year. After three years at the bank, in part because of the experience and contacts gained there, I was invited to return to the practice of law by a prestigious local firm. I also returned to a part-time deputy prosecuting attorney position in which I served for nearly seven years as Chief Trial Deputy for most of the term. The growth of my private practice then required me to commit to it full-time, and for nearly a decade after leaving the prosecutor's office my practice areas included those in which I no longer offer services such as criminal law, domestic relations, bankruptcy, and personal injury, although others in this law firm do. The primary areas in which I have now practiced for many years include estate and personal planning, estate and trust administration, taxation, with a focus in individual and fiduciary income, and gift and estate transfer taxes, small business, and real estate.
Juvenile Crimes
I am a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana and graduated from Bishop Luers High School. My practice focuses on domestic relations. I am certified as a Family Law Specialist by the Family Law Certification Board of the Family and Juvenile Law Section, Indiana State Bar Association. In addition, I have been a registered domestic relations mediator since 2004.
As a partner of the firm, I focus my practice in the areas of domestic relations and family law matters, civil litigation, personal injury, business formation and transactional work. I am also trained in Collaborative Law to complement my domestic relations knowledge and experience.
Business Transactions
Business Organizations, Commercial Transactions, Real Estate, Estate and Personal Planning, Estate and Trust Administration, Mediation, Municipal Law, Probate Litigation, Agricultural Law, School Law, Taxation
My primary areas of interest and practice are civil litigation with a primary emphasis on plaintiff's personal injury, domestic relations, and mediation.
Although my early aspirations tended toward the courtroom, the fork in the road led to trust work with northern Indiana's most prominent bank. The position of counsel for the trust department permitted me to develop in-depth knowledge and experience in trust and estate administration, estate and personal planning, as well as related areas of taxation and charities. When I later opted for private practice, I chose to confine my efforts to these fields; that choice has yielded much satisfaction.
Wills
Trusts
Estate and Personal Planning, Estate and Trust Administration, Charities, Taxation, Business Organizations, Commercial Transactions, Real Estate
Power of Attorney
I recently had a discussion with a client about whether it was better to resolve a problem by seeking appointment as guardian for someone, or asking that person to do a Durable Power of Attorney. As with so many things, the answer is "it depends".