Agenda / Content Covered

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1. TAKING THE FIRST STEP: FILING AN ESTATE IN PROBATE COURT
   8:30 - 9:15, Lisa A. Shearman
   
   1. Small Estate - What it is and How to File
   2. Regular Estate
   3. The Estate Timetable - What You Need to Do
   4. Proving the Will
   5. Challenging the Will
2. UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF THE PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE IN PROBATE
   9:15 - 9:55, Karen Conn Mavros
   
   1. Duties of the Personal Representative
   2. Misconduct and/or Removal
   3. Compensation Guidelines
   4. Special Administration Issues
3. ADMINISTERING THE ESTATE EFFECTIVELY
   10:10 - 11:00, Karen Conn Mavros
   
   1. How to Respond to Creditors' Claims
   2. Insolvency
   3. Managing the Estate Cash Responsibly
   4. Disclaimers
   5. Partial Distributions
4. MANAGING THE INVENTORY
   11:00 - 11:45, Eric Ladley
   
   1. Statutory Requirements and How They Affect Your Case
   2. Notice to Creditors, Beneficiaries and State Agencies - What is Required
   3. Collecting, Maintaining and Managing Assets
   4. Inventory Problems
5. DETERMINING IF SPOUSE'S ELECTIVE SHARE IS A REASONABLE OPTION
   12:45 - 1:25, Lisa A. Shearman
   
   1. Homestead Allowance
   2. How to Determine the Elective Share Estate
   3. What are Spousal Rights and Personalty?
   4. Rights of Election
   5. Step-by-Step Procedure
   6. How to Satisfy the Elective Share
6. MAINTAINING AN ETHICAL BALANCE IN PROBATE PRACTICE
   1:25 - 2:25, Rebecca A. Hobbs
   
   1. Performing Competent Legal Services
   2. Identifying the Client
   3. Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
   4. Distinguishing Between Privileged and Non-Privileged Communication
   5. Establishing Reasonable Attorneys� Fees
7. UNCOVERING THE LAWS OF INTESTACY AND HOW THEY MAY APPLY
   2:40 - 3:10, Rebecca A. Hobbs
   
8. LITIGATING THE CASE IN PROBATE COURT
   3:10 - 3:50, Richard R. Budney Jr.
   
   1. Explanation of Rules of Probate Procedure
   2. Declaratory Judgment
   3. How to Conduct Discovery
   4. What to Do on Appeal
9. PUTTING THE CASE TO REST: CLOSING THE ESTATE
   3:50 - 4:40, Richard R. Budney Jr.
   
   1. Final Accounting
   2. Distribution of Estate to Beneficiaries
   3. Discharge of Fiduciary
   4. Tax Returns - What Needs to be Filed and When

Accreditation Details:

RICHARD R. BUDNEY JR. is a partner in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania law firm of Mulvey-Budney Law P.C. His current practice is concentrated in advising and representing individuals in estate planning and probate matters. In addition, he represents claimants in all aspects of plaintiff litigation, with emphasis in Social Security disability, workers’ compensation, unemployment compensation, and personal injury. Mr. Budney earned his B.A. degree in economics from La Salle University and his J.D. degree from Widener University School of Law. He has also received his estate planning certification from Temple University School of Law.

KAREN CONN MAVROS is an attorney with Lamb McErlane PC, in their Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania office where she concentrates her practice in the area of trust and estate planning and administration. In addition to focusing her practice on estate planning and administration of trusts and estates, she has acted as a guardian and court-appointed attorney for incapacitated individuals. Ms. Conn Mavros received her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her J.D. degree from Villanova Law School, where she participated in the Federal Tax Clinic and the Environmental Law Journal. She also served as a Judicial Extern to the Honorable Marc I. Bernstein, First Judicial District of Pennsylvania. She is admitted to the Supreme Courts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

REBECCA A. HOBBS is a partner at O’Donnell, Weiss & Mattei, P.C., with offices in Pottstown and Phoenixville. She focuses her practice on elder law, special needs planning, estate planning, estate and trust administration, and Veteran’s benefits. Ms. Hobbs is a certified elder law attorney (CELA), certified by the National Elder Law Foundation as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. She is licensed to practice in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Ms. Hobbs is also the national director of ElderLawAnswers for Attorneys. Ms. Hobbs is an accredited attorney for the preparation, preservation and prosecution of claims for veterans’ benefits before the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. She is an active member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys, Pennsylvania Bar Association, and Montgomery County Bar Association (co-chair of the Elder Law Committee). Ms. Hobbs earned her B.A. degree from Eastern University and J.D. degree from Regent University School of Law.

ERIC LADLEY is an attorney with Montco Elder Law, LLP. Mr. Ladley focuses his practice in the areas of estate planning, long-term care planning, estate administration, and guardianships. He is certified as an elder law attorney ("CELA®") by the National Elder Law Foundation. He also is accredited by the Veterans Administration to represent veterans and can prepare, present and prosecute claims before the department. Mr. Ladley is a frequent presenter to the public and to organizations about topics related to veterans benefits, estate planning and long-term care. He is a member of Montgomery County Bar Association, Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys, and Lycoming Law Association. Mr. Ladley received his B.A. degree from George Washington University and earned his J.D. degree from Penn State Dickinson School of Law.

LISA A. SHEARMAN is an attorney at Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin, PC, where her practice focuses primarily on trust and estate planning, estate administration, and estate and gift taxation. She is a frequent lecturer on estate planning and administration related topics and has written several articles in this area. Ms. Shearman volunteers her time with many organizations and serves on the Board of Directors and as vice-president of the Wills for Heroes Foundation, a national organization that provides free wills and other estate planning documents for Pennsylvania’s emergency responders and veterans. She has been recognized for her pro bono service, receiving the Verdina Showell Award in 2011, an Outstanding Service Award from the Community College of Philadelphia, the Montgomery Bar Foundation Milton O. Moss Award in 2014, and the 2015 PBA Special Achievement Award. Ms. Shearman earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Scranton, her law degree from Widener University, and is a graduate of Villanova’s Graduate Tax Program (LL.M.). She is admitted before both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey bars and is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA). Ms. Shearman is treasurer of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the PBA and is a member of the PBA's Women in the Profession, a member of the Montgomery Bar Association, an officer of the MBA Probate Section, and co-chairs the MBA Women in Law Committee.