Quarterly Legal Education Programs

All half day quarterly MA Forum Educational programs are free for current members in good standing. The fee for non-member attorneys is $50 per person. All attendees should register ahead of time for a proper head count for planning purposes.

Meanwhile, if you have any questions, please send a message to us via: board@maforumepa.com. Please recall that we are a purely volunteer-only Board of actively-practicing attorneys. We thank you in advance for your (and your team/staff members') courteous patience while you wait for our reply.

Winter 2018

Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Four seasons photographed on the same street from the exact same location.

Friday, February 9, 2018  8:30 AM - 12:30PM 

Hot breakfast, hot, coffee and warm, friendly networking. 

Attorney Heidi Alexander with the Massachusetts Law Office Management Assistance Program (MA LOMAP) presented information regarding risk avoidance and mitigation, best practices, and breach preparedness for law firm data security, file management, evolving technology, and the Massachusetts data security law.

Insurance industry expert Christine Cunning with the independent, Massachusetts agency of Sullivan, Garrity & Donnelly Insurance, and Christine's colleague who specializes in data security and serves as a resource to her firm, explained data security and breach coverage options, potential gaps, and some of the differences between commercial and malpractice insurance coverages.

We then engaged in a roundtable discussion about issues of importance to the group, including the newly enacted tax act and what it means for our clients' estate plans and businesses as well as for own law firm businesses.

 

Spring 2018

Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Four seasons photographed on the same street from the exact same location.

Friday, 5/11/18   8:30am-12:30 pm  at the Hilton Garden Inn in Waltham, MA.

Topic:  How the new tax act of 2017 impacts planning our clients' estates, businesses, & our law firm businesses.

Long time MA Forum member, current Board Member, and Past President, Attorney Allen J. Margulis presented for us on How the new tax act of 2017 impacts planning our clients' estates, businesses, & our law firm businesses. We explored some planning recommendations, opportunities, and pitfalls to avoid.

Summer 2018

Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Four seasons photographed on the same street from the exact same location.

Our Summer Quarterly Meeting is scheduled for:

Friday,  7/20/18
8:30am-12:30 pm
Hilton Garden Inn in Waltham, MA.

Sara Goldman Curley and Andrew M. Golden from Nutter, McClennen, and Fish, LLP presented for us about spotting, understanding, and using disclaimers and powers of appointment. We covered:

  • Elements of a qualified disclaimer under IRC § 2518 and requirements for disclaiming under MGL c. 190B, §2-801
  • Use of disclaimers in planning (including when and why to use a plan that anticipates disclaimers)
  • Use of disclaimers in administering an estate or trust (including when and why to consider disclaiming)
  • Issues when considering disclaimers in a fiduciary capacity
  • Practical tips (and traps) for disclaiming in Massachusetts
  • Types of powers of appointment and significance from tax perspective
  • Use of powers of appointment in planning (including giving a third party the ability to grant a power, and when and why to grant powers of appointment)
  • How and when to exercise powers of appointment
  • Practical tips (and traps) for use of powers of appointment, including Delaware tax trap

We followed up with an open Roundtable Discussion about a variety of topics our members chose to discuss including some fabulous group problem-solving, some practice management suggestions, clarification regarding substantive legal questions, and some patterns we are noticing in our practices.

Register Now!

Fall 2018

Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Four seasons photographed on the same street from the exact same location.

Our Fall Quarterly & Annual, full-day meeting, is scheduled for:

Friday, 10/19/18
8:30am-4:30pm
Babson College Executive Conference Center in Wellesley.

Practical Guidance for Estate Planning Attorneys with Business Owner Clients

Join us at 8:30 am for coffee and networking. Our program will begin at 9:00 AM with a Roundtable discussion comparing and sharing advice regarding intake, initial consultations with, and issue-spotting for our business owner clients. Bring One, Take One - We encourage attendees to bring a sample of something from their practices to share with others and to leave with samples others have shared.

Attorney Patrick Carlson will then lead us through advising our clients regarding the best choice of entity for their businesses at the formation stage or converting established entities.

Attorney Shehla Syed will then teach us what every estate planning attorney needs to know about intellectual property in estate planning and funding those tricky assets, especially for our business owner clients.

After a surprisingly good, buffet style luncheon, we will resume by inviting all members in good standing to participate in our annual meeting and to help direct the leadership of the forum for the year ahead. Non-member attendees may enjoy an extended lunch.

Following our annual meeting, Attorney Dan Capobianco, will provide a solid overview of issues involved in and options for effective business succession planning.

Attorney Paul Bernstein will then teach us how to audit an existing operating or buy-sell agreement. This will provide guidance regarding what to include in such an agreement and what to do practically when a business owner or her business partner divorces or dies.

Finally, please stay for an hour after we wrap up all that learning for more social networking with colleagues new and old and join us for a cocktail party to celebrate the Mass Forum's 10th anniversary.

Whether you're an experienced in business succession planning or new to this area of practice, you won't want to miss this program!

Register now!