Department News
By: CAMERON R. SEYBOLT
February 2005
It has been an eventful year for Fredrikson & Byron’s Trusts and Estates Department. On September 30, Bill Brody stepped down as chair of the department, and was appointed as the firm’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Issues. Bill also serves on the firm’s board of directors.
Our new department chair is Mark Greiner. In addition to taking over as head of the department, Mark was recently elected to the prestigious American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (“ACTEC”). Department members Bill Brody, Bronwen Cound, and Chris Hunt are also ACTEC fellows. Of over 1,000 Minnesota attorneys who practice in the area of trusts and estates, only 64 are members of ACTEC. ACTEC fellows are selected on the basis of professional reputation and ability in the fields of trusts and estates and on the basis of having made substantial contributions to these fields through lecturing, writing, teaching and bar activities.
In June, Chris Hunt received the Eugene P. Daly, Jr. Award from the Minnesota State Bar Association Probate and Trust Law Section. The award honors attorneys who have made outstanding contributions to the practice of probate and trust law in Minnesota, and has only been given six times since its 1988 inception. The last recipient was John Byron.
Bronwen Cound has returned from a short leave of absence, and in addition to managing her busy practice, she teaches a course on estate planning at the University of Minnesota Law School as an adjunct professor.
Another attorney returning to the department is Bob Weber, who has come out of retirement. In addition to advising clients on trust and estate planning and administration, Bob is involved in a wide variety of corporate, partnership and individual business and succession planning matters. Bob was an attorney with Fredrikson & Byron from 1963 to 1998 and rejoined the firm last year.
Barry Fernald continues to practice both in Minnesota and his home state of Maine. He also travels regularly to the firm’s London office, and has enjoyed assisting several clients with complex international estate planning issues this year.
David Gollin is co-authoring a chapter of the book Minnesota Trust Administration, which will be published early next year. David’s chapter describes the legal implications of administering real estate in trust. In addition, David and his father were the champions at this year’s Minneapolis Golf Club Invitational, the club’s annual guest event.
Larry Hause just finished teaching his fourth session of Hamline University’s Board School, an intensive seven-week course that provides practical, in-depth training for boards of directors of family-owned and closely held businesses. Larry co-founded the Board School in 2002 with Cary Tutelman, PhD., a family business consultant.
Dale Schoonover recently stepped down as co-chair of the Legislative Committee of the Minnesota State Bar Association Probate and Trust Law Section. Under Dale’s leadership, the Committee was primarily responsible for the enactment of Minnesota legislation in 2004 adopting portions of the Uniform Trust Code and making corrections to Minnesota’s guardianship and conservatorship statutes.
John Nelson continues to provide tax and financial analysis for clients of the department, and is currently serving as a member and vice-chairperson of the Osseo School Board.
Senior associates Dana Neu and Cameron Seybolt have both been named “Rising Stars” among Minnesota attorneys by Minnesota Law & Politics magazine.
Peter Hatinen, a 2000 graduate of New York University Law School, who has been an associate with our department since September of 2003, is participating in this year’s Leadership Twin Cities program, which is operated by the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce. Dale Schoonover is also a graduate of the program.
In September, we welcomed Nathan Laible to the department. Nathan is a graduate of Northwestern University Law School, and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota. During law school, Nathan worked as a summer associate at Fredrikson & Byron, and also at Jenner & Block, a major Chicago firm. We’re glad he chose to return to Minnesota to practice. Nate passed the bar exam and was sworn in on October 29.