Trust Consultant/Counsel at National Advisors Trust (2024-05 – Present)
- Partner with investment advisors across the country to develop tailored estate planning and trust strategies, enhancing client retention and long-term asset preservation.
- Present webinars and educational speeches to investment advisors, estate planning attorneys, and other centers of influence on estate planning strategies, the value of a corporate trustee in their client's estate plan, and other topics relevant to our investment advisor clients.
- Manage the trust new business department, which includes generating new referrals from our advisory clients and other centers of influence. I manage a team of four individuals who report directly to me.
- Provide general legal counsel to our trust administration team. In addition, I review all new trust agreements and draft legal documents needed for administration, including release agreements, settlement agreements, and trustee amendments.
Counsel and Senior Trust Officer at Mariner Trust Company (2020-11 – 2024-05)
- Provides consultation and development of strategic financial and estate plans for clients of Mariner Wealth Advisors. Clients range from medium net worth clients to ultra-high net worth clients. Advise on estate plan basics to more advanced estate planning such as charitable giving, business succession planning, special needs trusts, and income/estate tax strategies.
- Oversee the management and administration of Mariner Trust Company's trusts and estates book totaling over $500M. This includes managing and developing a seven-member team of trust administrators and trust officers. I provide the ultimate decision making on the appropriateness of discretionary trust distributions.
- Draft various legal documents related to the trust and estate administration including, non-judicial modifications, family settlement agreements, trustee succession documents, fiduciary release agreements, and Crummey notices.
- Mitigate risk by providing legal advice and opinions to the trust department and wealth advisors on fiduciary trust and estate matters.
Vice President and Trust Counsel at National Advisors Trust Company (2017-05 – 2020-11)
- Provided consultation on trust and estate planning strategy, as well as legal matters, for internal clients, external estate planning professionals, and financial advisors.
- Reviewed new trust account referrals to ensure governing document and the overall account characteristics satisfy internal risk controls.
- Educated internal staff and external estate planning professionals on relevant tax, trust and estate planning changes that affected our ability to meet our client's estate planning needs.
- Assisted business development team in their client procurement efforts by educating potential clients and their estate planning team on NATC's business model and estate planning strategies.
Associate Attorney at Blake and Uhlig, P.A. (2015-05 – 2017-05)
Practice was focused on the representation of various employee benefits plans, including defined benefit pension plans, 401(k) plans, and health and welfare funds for public, private, and governmental organizations.
- Reviewed and drafted a variety of contracts and governing plan documents, including service provider contracts, summary plan descriptions, trust agreements and collective bargaining agreements.
- Advised the trustees and the plans' service providers on all applicable laws and regulations affecting these plans, including the Affordable Care Act, Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and any other applicable regulatory regimes.
- Reviewed fiduciary account activity for possible prohibited transactions and applied exemptions when necessary.
Tax Credit Consultant - Intern at Warner Robinson, LLC (2015-01 – 2015-05)
- Evaluated the operations of various technology, manufacturing, and construction companies to assess and identify potential research and development tax credits, energy tax credits, section 199 deductions, and state tax credits, available to these companies.
- Drafted memoranda to the Internal Revenue Service detailing the company's qualification for these tax credits and deductions.
- Conducted tax research for tax disputes in state and federal courts.
Summer Associate at Joseph, Hollander & Craft (2014-05 – 2014-09)
- Researched and drafted memoranda and motions, including summary judgment responses and orders.
- Drafted a reply brief for a pending civil case appeal concerning a covenant-non-compete clause.
- Interacted with clients to update them on case status and obtain necessary information.
Summer Law Clerk at United States Attorney's Office (2013-05 – 2013-08)
- Drafted a Tenth Circuit Appeals brief on marriage fraud.
- Conducted research and drafted legal memoranda which were incorporated into various court filings.
- Wrote several pre-trial motions for the criminal and civil divisions.
