26 March 2015

Professional Publications Pending

My two part article with the working title "Judgments, Liens, Encumbrances and Garnishments in Probate" will be published in the May and June issues of the Colorado Lawyer, the principal monthly publication of the Colorado Bar Association.

The title is fairly self-explanatory, although the article will also discuss the intersection of probate law and bankruptcy law. Another topic with which I have handled a number of cases, for another day, is the intersection of probate and family law.

Admittedly, this is not the world's most glamorous legal topic.  It ranks right up there with depreciation schedules and dentistry.  But, it covers issues of importance to an important set of technical issues for practicing members of the bar who do probate work or represent creditors.  The article also points out some ambiguities and contradictions in Colorado's probate laws.

My last article in the Colorado Lawyer was in September of 1998 regarding an estate tax credit for family owned businesses that no longer exists, so it was time to write a new one.  I have also written two papers presented at academic conferences, and taught numerous continuing legal education courses since 2002 (mostly through the National Business Institute).

I was previously a full time Associate Professor of Estate Planning in the graduate program of the College For Financial Planning in Greenwood Village, Colorado, a "for profit" sister college of the University of Phoenix.  But, I was laid off using last hired, first fired logic, due to budget cuts because the College had not met profit growth goals, so I returned to private practice in November of 2005.  This wasn't the best paid employment that I've ever had.  But, I loved teaching and still do. And, this was the only job I've ever had where I didn't have to keep track of how I spent every tenth of an hour of my billable time.  It was also the last job I ever had where I was a W-2 employee and received a salary like clockwork twice a month without even having to send in an invoice requesting payment. Those are experiences that I now remember nostalgically as a self-employed lawyer.

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