AS PROMISED…. WE’RE OFFERING FACEBOOK FANS A FREE COURSE FROM OUR RECENT SUMMIT! In a previous blog post, I mentioned that our Associate Director of Education, Steve Hartnett, presented a substantive course on the topic of planning for Blended Families at our recent Fall Summit. The favorable response from our Members and Guests was overwhelming! […]

The documentary Last Will and Embezzlement will fire you up with righteous indignation, as it should. As estate planning attorneys, we know all too well about the horrible betrayal of trust and shocking manipulation that goes on in the lives of many elders. We have seen and heard firsthand what can happen when someone decides […]

It’s Football Season. Did you know that the start of football season coincides with another season, pertinent to law firms? Football season also kicks off Budget Season. Many law firms, like the majority of businesses, begin preparing next year’s budget during the last quarter (some even do it while watching Monday Night Football).Here are three […]

In a law firm proprietor’s world, it is easy to get carried away with the day-to-day activities of firm life. Particularly for the small firm lawyer, a long workday can cause the attorney to overlook certain responsibilities that come with running, managing and operating the firm. Issues may arise when attorneys fail to implement hiring […]

The rate of divorce doubled for Americans aged 50 years and older between 1990 and 2009. That was a significant number of baby boomers whose lives had to change drastically from a double income family to a single income or no income unit. Divorce is disruptive at any age, but may be earth shattering after […]

If you missed my presentation “Laughing in the Face of Death: Funny Films for Funeral Planning” at the AAEPA Fall Summit, all is not lost. Here’s a recap of the film clips that were shown and the lessons from each. Laughing in the Face of Death: The Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Denial of Death by […]

At the Academy, we believe in the power of innovation. We are constantly trying to find ways to keep in touch with our colleagues and help our Members find ways to expand their businesses. As such, we enjoy learning about how people in other industries are leveraging technological innovations to help fill needs within the […]

You’ve probably heard this from your estate planning clients occasionally: “I don’t need an estate plan, because I don’t have a big estate.” That’s a persistent myth that we, as estate planning attorneys, need to chip away at, one client at a time. It starts the minute someone walks into your office. They might be […]

A Missouri woman is being accused of 1st degree murder and forgery. The murder weapon: her father’s power of attorney, allegedly forged, naming herself as the agent. The actual murder: directing that her father’s life-sustaining medical treatment be discontinued. The accused, Susan Elizabeth (“Liz”) Van Note has pleaded not guilty to the charges. This case […]

Yesterday, LinkedIn announced that enhanced Company Pages are now available for all account holders. These newly designed pages can make it easier for prospects to find, follow and engage with your firm. Firms are now able to highlight important content with the new Featured Update function, which promotes selected content to the top of their […]