Practice Areas- Estate Planning and Administration
- Creditors' Rights
- Corporate Law
Representative Work- Developed estate plans (e.g., marital deduction plans), as well as succession plans for high net worth families, including family partnerships, charitable trusts, generation-skipping trust. Handled gift and estate tax audits before the Internal Revenue Service.
- Assisted clients selling and purchasing assets and stock of closely held businesses, including asset purchases in bankruptcy proceedings. Drafted and reviewed premarital agreements and commercial contracts.
- Drafted student loan program for nonprofit educational institution, including periodic compliance reviews.
- Draft and develop organizational documentation for organizing and funding business entities for business succession.
- Litigation matters recently handled include (1) contested termination and removal of trustee of irrevocable trust, (2) action to rescind purchase of universal life insurance products sold to clients through the use of premium financing, (3) represented ward's guardian and trustee in action to set aside revocable trust and related transactions created due to undue influence of ward's family members, (4) defended estate in contested proceedings over domicile and business dispute with decedent's former shareholders (5) represented spouse asserting claim for an elective share allegedly barred by premarital agreement, (6) action to set aside beneficiary designations of decedent's annuity made payable to one family member to the exclusion of remaining family members, and (7) contested guardianship proceedings.
- Appointed as administrator for estate which involved the sale of two (2) businesses, timber land and residence, as well as the filing of declaratory judgment action, trust proceeding and special proceeding to resolve ambiguities in will and resolve dispute among heirs. Assisted heirs (and their counsel) in reaching a mediated settlement agreement.
- Creditors rights matters include workouts with lenders, serving as co-counsel to clients in Chapter 11 proceedings, defending preference actions, removal of actions to bankruptcy court, prosecuting the collection of secured and unsecured claims in state and bankruptcy courts and advising clients on credit matters (preference risks, repossessions, consumer compliance issues, etc.)
Education- University of California at Irvine (B.A., 1980)
- Wake Forest University (J.D. cum laude, 1983)
- Admitted to North Carolina Bar in 1983
Professional Organizations- American Bar Association
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Mecklenburg Bar Association
- Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law Section
- Estate Administration Manual Committee (1995-2005)
- Legislative Committee (2003-present)
- Co-Chair, Probate Section, Mecklenburg County BAR (2001-2003)
- North Carolina Bar Association's Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law Section (1995-Present)
- Estate Administration Manual Committee (1995-2003)
- Legislative Committee (2003-present)
- Director, Charlotte Estate Planning Council (2004-present)
- Director, North Carolina Lawyers Assistance Foundation (2002-present)
- Board Member, North Carolina Lawyers Assistance Program, North Carolina State Bar (2005-present)
Publications & Presentations- Will Drafting and Probate Practice, Wake Forest University School of Law (August 2006)
- Part-Time Lecturer, Central Piedmont Community College, Business Law (June 2006)
- Practice Before the Clerk Under the North Carolina Uniform Trust Code, NC Bar Foundation (October 2005)
- Drafting Trusts and Family Settlement Contracts, Wake Forest University School of Law (April 2005)
- Practice before the Clerk Trusts, Estates and Related Proceedings, Mecklenburg County Bar (January 2005)
- Trust Administration: Interpreting Distributions Standards, Disclosures to Beneficiaries, and Interpretation, Modification and Termination of Trusts, Annual Meeting for Cherry Bekaert & Holland, LLP (June 2004)
- Advanced Estate Planning and Drafting Intensive Program, NC Bar Foundation (March 2004)
- Trust Administration: Interpreting Distributions Standards, Disclosures to Beneficiaries, and Interpretation, Modification and Termination of Trusts, Annual Meeting for Cherry Bekaert & Holland, LLP (June 2004)
- Advanced Estate Planning and Drafting Intensive Program, NC Bar Foundation (March 2004)
- Estate and Trust Litigation, Annual Meeting Elder Law Section, NCBA (February 2003)
- Estate and Trust Litigation General Practice Section Annual Meeting (April 2003)
- Estate Administration, Wills and Probate Practice, Wake Forest University School of Law (April 2003)
- Litigation Basics for Estate Planners and Administrators; Annual Meeting Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law Section (July 2002)
- Guardianship, Estate Planning and Probate Survey Course, NCBA (September 2001)
Community Involvement- Director, President (1987), Vice President (1986), Plaza-Midwood Neighborhood Association (1986-1987)
- Director, Plaza-Midwood Development Board (1987-1990)
- Devonshire Elementary School-Mecklenburg County BAR Partnership (2000-2001)
- Adjunct Professor, Health Law, Winthrop University (1994-1997)
- Indigent Taxpayer Clinic (2002-present)
- Director, Hope Valley, Inc. (1998-present)
- Director, Carolina Voices (2004-present)
Personal- Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1958.
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