RPTE eReport 2020 Summer Issue

Real Property Trust and Estate

WealthCounsel, LLC

WealthCounsel, LLC is excited to announce the launch of Wealth Tracx™, a comprehensive trust administration solution designed to provide attorneys and their staff with all of the documents, tools, and supporting resources needed to effectively and successfully offer trust administration services.

Trusts & Estates

Hindsight Is Always 20/20 in a Bear Market: Fiduciary Tools to Dull the Edge of Hindsight Bias in Trustee Investment Liability Lawsuits – Preparing for the COVID-19 Fallout

Julian C. Zebot and Nathaniel J. Ajouri

After the Great Recession, some courts found trustees liable for investment decisions that, at the time they were made, may have seemed reasonable. Julian Zebot and Nathaniel Ajouri apply lessons learned from the aftermath of the Great Recession to gain insight on how to protect trustees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Real Estate

As COVID-19 Prompts More Retail Tenant Bankruptcies, How Should Landlords and Lenders Respond

by Katie Clark and Cheryl Kelly

COVID-19 accelerated many things, including disruption in the retail sector.  This article provides guidance to landlords as retailers seek refuge in bankruptcy.

Trusts & Estates

Estate Planning Strategies in the Wake of COVID-19

by Lois Tilton and William Friedman

Although the economy has faltered during this COVID-19 pandemic, wealth transfer continues to grow. This article outlines a few of the estate planning techniques to make the best out of these trying times.

Real Estate

New York Court Rejects Impossibility of Performance as COVID-19 Lease Defense

by Ashley Czechowski, Meyer Last, Janice Mac Avoy, Matthew D. Parrott, Jennifer A. Yashar

This article discusses a recent New York court decision regarding a commercial tenant’s argument that the economic conditions precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic excused the tenant’s payment of rent obligations under the impossibility of performance doctrine.

Law Students

LGBTQ Planning – What Skills Do Planners Need to Properly Serve the Modern Family

by Steven Kriz and Martin M. Shenkman

LGBTQ considerations affect a much larger portion of clients than most practitioners realize. This article provides an overview of concepts, terminology and planning considerations to help practitioners integrate LGBTQ planning into their practice and planning and drafting ideas to use.

Law Students

A Socially Distanced Ceremony: Virtual Execution of Estate Planning Documents

by Nicholas Holland, Christopher M. Parker and Jane Zhao

Nicholas Holland, Christopher M. Parker, and Jane Zhao discuss virtual estate planning document execution in three states and in England.  While some of the procedures are temporary during the COVID-19 pandemic, the article provides a helpful start in looking into these issues.

Trusts & Estates

Estate of Moore: Tax Court Finds Estate Tax Traps in ‘Deathbed’ Plan

by Benjamin A. Cohen-Kurzrock

Tax Court Finds Estate Tax Inclusion Under § 2036 in “Deathbed” Estate Plan.

Professional Development

Events & CLE

Commercial Real Estate Series; Paralegal Education; Real Estate Financing; Mortgage Documents; The ABA Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law offers CLE programs at live events and during numerous teleconferences/webinars each year.

Trusts & Estates

FREE Monthly Group and Committee Conference Calls

Group and Committee conference calls are a complimentary benefit of Section membership and normally are limited to Section members. However, prospective members are welcome to join a call without charge to learn more about the Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law (RPTE) Groups and Committees, and how to become involved upon joining the Section.

Real Property Trust and Estate

RPTE Fellows

The Sections welcomes the new class of RPTE Fellows 2020-2022.

Real Property Trust and Estate

RPTE Leadership Appointments

RPTE Section Leadership

Real Property Trust and Estate

2020 Winners Law Student Writing Competition

We are delighted to announce the winners of the 2020 RPTE Law Student Writing Competition