Publications

Attorneys Christopher Burns, Maria Plese and Lloyd Stern contributed to the 2021 updated Minnesota Trust Administration Deskbook published by Minnesota CLE. They are co-authors of chapter 9 which addresses ‘Trustees’ Duties, Powers, and Liabilities.’ Minnesota CLE Deskbooks are comprehensive legal and practice-based texts written and edited by some of the best lawyers in the state. …

Henson Efron President, Lisa Spencer, was recently featured in a Capital Analytics Associates, Invest: Minneapolis-St. Paul series, Spotlight On article. Invest: Minneapolis-St. Paul is a comprehensive business review analyzing the key opportunities and issues within Minneapolis-St. Paul. The 9-to-5 schedule is a thing of the past but practicing law in a hybrid model is also…

The Estate Planning Gift to Give Your Millennial Children in 2019 by Megan Gorman, Forbes, December 12, 2018 Link to full article. Excerpts from article: “Most Gen Xers and Millennials, when asked by their parents, do not have their financial affairs and estate planning affairs arranged in a manner sufficient to satisfy senior generations,” says…

Thinking of an LLC? Be aware of changes in how Minnesota’s LLCs are set up. Read Clark Opdahl’s article featured on Minnesota Business Magazine’s website, Thinking of an LLC? which discusses why businesses need to be aware of new under-the-radar changes in how Minnesota LLCs are set up.

Katy Graves highlights how the practice of family law has changed since she began practicing in the 1980s when family court cases were often lengthy and resolved by court decision. “Family Matters” was published in Best Lawyer Business Edition magazine, summer 2016.

Alan Eidsness and Jaime Driggs have some guidance when it comes to the division of property in a family law article in Minnesota Lawyer™ Spousal maintenance is a tough issue for many reasons and the uncertainty surrounding whether tax consequences are considered makes it even more challenging. Read more at Spousal maintenance: when are the…

Christopher Burns with Lloyd D. Stern developed a list of changes to Minnesota trust law that are generally effective as of January 1, 2016. In a comprehensive update of the law, the Legislature codified caselaw, adopted many provisions of the Uniform Trust Code and added a provision for decanting trusts. “Key changes in Minnesota trust…

The article highlights an issue of increasing importance as we see more marriage dissolutions involving older couples who have accumulated an investment portfolio. Read more in Court should consider return on investments from attorneys Alan C. Eidsness and Jaime Driggs. Previous Articles Family Law: Don’t subpoena mental health records – Alan C. Eidsness and Jaime…

The recently published article in Minnesota MD NEWS, “Your Wealth-care Team: Partnering with Physicians to Grow, Manage and Transfer Wealth” describes how physician groups can benefit from financial and succession planning, and provides the top five financial and estate planning priorities for physicians. “It is generally fair to say that physicians are a well-educated, intelligent group…

The mental health of a party is often at issue when litigating custody or parenting time issues and medical records pertaining to a parent’s mental health can be important evidence. A recent decision from the Court of Appeals calls into question how to go about obtaining a party’s mental health records. Huber v. Vohnoutka, No….

The Minnesota Legislature recently enacted a new Minnesota Trust Code, with the assistance of a committee chaired by Chris Hunt of Fredrikson & Byron. The committee spent about 3,500 hours—yes, you read that right—over 4 and ½ years preparing the bill. Christopher Burns, attorney and Chair of the Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Group at…

The 2015 legislative session is shaping up to be an interesting one for the family law community. Attorneys Alan C. Eidsness and Jaime Driggs cover the possible changes and impacts in Pending Family Law Legislation. “This legislative session is shaping up to be an interesting one for the family law community as several bills have been introduced covering a wide…

Lisa Spencer, Katy Graves, Melissa Nilsson, Kelli Jordan, Elizabeth Sumpton and Lisa Thoreson were recently featured in a special issue of Attorney At Law magazine, Women in Law of the Twin Cities. Read more

Kathyrn Graves and Jason Damberg have some insight when it comes to drafting domestic relations orders in a family law article in Minnesota Lawyer™. Read more at Intricacies of Drafting Qualified Domestic Relations Orders.

The unanimous United States Supreme Court decision in Clark v. Rameker affirmed that funds from inherited IRAs were not protected from bankruptcy creditors. Estate, trust and probate attorney Christopher J. Burns and Kiley Henry detail the decision in their article, “When is an IRA not an IRA?” and discuss what attorneys and other advisors should…

Melissa Nilsson and William Forsyth have some insight when it comes to spending with a spousal maintenance agreement in a family law article in Minnesota Lawyer™. Spousal maintenance is a tough issue for many reasons and individual spending patterns can make it even more challenging. Read more at Spending Patterns and Resulting Effects on Spousal…

Kathyrn Graves and Jaime Driggs have some insight when it comes to the revocation of beneficiary designations upon divorce in a family law article in Minnesota Lawyer™. Read more at Revocation of Beneficiary Designations Upon Divorce.

The law governing out-of-state relocation of children changed in 2006 with the adoption of Minnesota’s removal statute, replacing the endangerment standard with an eight factor best interest standard and placing the burden of proof on the party seeking to relocate. Read family law attorneys Alan C. Eidsness and Jaime Driggs analysis in “What Type of Hearing…