I just returned from the American Academy’s Spring Summit event in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was great to see old friends and to make new ones!
At the Summit event in Indianapolis, I was particularly impressed by all the learning going on. Members were learning substantive law, practice management, marketing, ethics, and many other topics.
As I’ve written before, learning really is a lifelong process. At the recent Academy event, Members heard from many prominent speakers. Craig Reaves, Past-President of NAELA, gave a great presentation about planning for persons with special needs. He examined the use of special needs trusts, ABLE accounts, and other strategies. Tom Dillon, who focuses on attorney malpractice, gave us two great presentations on attorney ethics and ethical pitfalls.
I participated in a panel discussion on the use of Trust Protectors with 5 Members of the Academy who were kind enough to share their experiences. I gave two other presentations. Planning for Life’s Lottery looked at how to plan distribution options for differing circumstances and how to react when events do not unfold as expected. The other presentation examined the Planning Differences for First and Subsequent Marriages.
It is essential to stay ahead of the game and learn new things continually. You never know when you will pick up some tidbit that will help you, your clients, and your practice take things to the next level. Staying current keeps an estate planning attorney sharp and makes life more interesting. The Academy events and all the information and tools they provide help an estate planning attorney stay current and sharp.
Further, the Academy events are a way for estate planning attorneys to mingle and network with their colleagues who share many of their challenges and solutions.
Stephen C. Hartnett, J.D., LL.M.
Director of Education
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com
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