Jeff is the managing member of Trustlawyer, LLC in Rocky Hill, Connecticut ( Hartford County). He has an “AV” rating in Martindale-Hubbell and is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He’s a graduate of the University of Connecticut Law School and has done graduate study in tax law at New York University.
He works with successful individuals, families and business owners to design wealth transfer plans that benefit families, employees and charities. He has extensive experience representing both executors and contestants in will contests and has settled many large and complex estates.
Jeff has written over twenty five national articles and has lectured widely at seminars throughout the country including the University of Miami, Notre Dame, Duke University and Southern Methodist University Estate Planning Institutes, The State Bar of Texas Advanced Probate Course and the New Mexico and Oklahoma Tax Institutes.
He’s listed in “The Best Lawyers in America, Superlawyers and in “Who’s Who in American Law.” He’s been quoted several times in “Newsweek” and named as one of the State’s top lawyers in Connecticut Magazine and in Hartford Magazine.
Jeff is an avid fan of the New Britain Rock Cats, shoots in pistol and rifle competitions and is a certified scuba diver. He especially enjoys photography, primarily in New Mexico and Texas. He lives in a cabin in the woods with his wife, Morreene, a herd of cats and assorted woodland creatures.
Featured in Connecticut Law Tribune
Practice areas
We assist individuals and families to pass the right assets to the right people at the right time and in the right way. We have created the "Work Incentive Trust"(sm) to make sure that children and grandchildren appreciate the value of education and work and become useful, productive citizens.
49 years
We have settled many large and complex estates. We assist executors and trustees in navigating the tax and administrative maze of estate administration. Jeff has tried or participated in over fifteen will contests.
49 years
Plan and draft all types of trusts including bypass trusts, life insurance trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, charitable remainder and lead trusts and grantor retained annuity trusts.
49 years
An aging population. Greedy relatives. Bad economy. The perfect recipe for a will or "lifetime transfer" contest. We have extensive experience representing clients on both sides of all types of trust and estate litigation. This includes contests, construction suits, removal of trustees and other types of fiduciary litigation.
49 years
Languages spoken
German
21 New Britain Avenue
2nd Floor
Rocky Hill, CT, 06067
| No address is available.Hartford, CT
State | Status | Acquired | Updated |
---|---|---|---|
CT | Active | 1973 | 09/23/2013 |
Award name | Grantor | Date Granted |
---|---|---|
Top Estate and Trust Lawyers | Connecticut Super Lawyers | 2009 |
Who's Who in American Law | Marquis Who's Who in American Law | 1985 |
Best Lawyers in America | Best Lawyers in America | 1983 |
AV Rating | Martindale-Hubbell | 1983 |
AmJur Awards in Estate Planning and in Creditors' Rights | Lawyers Cooperative | 1973 |
Title | Company name | Duration |
---|---|---|
Managing Member | Trustlawyer, LLC | 2008 - Present |
Lawyer | Private practice | 1976 - 2008 |
Attorney (Trust Law) | The Connecticut Bank and Trust Company | 1973 - 1976 |
Association name | Position name | Duration |
---|---|---|
The Hundred Club of Connecticut | Director | 2008 - Present |
Hartford Bow Tie Swap Club | Bow Tie Swapper | 2007 - Present |
The Hospital of Central Connecticut | Corporator | 2003 - Present |
Mattabassett Rifle and Pistol Club | Member | 2003 - Present |
American College of Trust and Estate Counsel | Fellow | 1983 - Present |
Connecticut Bar Association | Executive Committee, Estates and Probate Section | 1976 - Present |
Publication name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
Conn. Bar Ass'n. Estates and Probate Newsletter - May, 2012 | Frequently Forgotten Factors in Pre-Nuptial Pacts | 2012 |
CT Bar Estates & Probate Newsletter -- December, 2010 | Some Shortcomings of Short Health Care Directives | 2010 |
U. of Miami Estate Planning Institute | Prophylaxis for Probate Practitioners: Malpractice Policies and Malpractice Prevention | 1992 |
U. of Miami Estate Planning Institute | ! Battle Stations ! Evasive, Defensive and Attack Maneuvers for Will Contests | 1989 |
Notre Dame Estate Planning Institute | Tax Planning and Drafting for Close Order of Deaths | 1981 |
Trusts & Estates | Planning for Emotionally Disabled Beneficiaries | 1980 |
The Estates, Gifts and Trusts Journal | Thwarting the Will Contest -- Some Psychological Aspects of Will Drafting and Execution | 1980 |
Notre Dame Estate Planning Institute | Last Requests -- The Right to Die and Anatomical Gifts | 1980 |
Review of Taxation of Individuals | Income Tax Planning for the Terminally Ill Taxpayer | 1979 |
The Estates, Gifts and Trusts Journal | Divorce, Remarriage and the Marital Deduction | 1979 |
Southern Methodist University Estate Planning Symopsium | Free Lunch? -- Non-Interest Loans, Leasebacks and Net Gifts | 1979 |
Notre Dame Estate Planning Institute | Naked Death Benefits -- An Estate Planning Opportunity? | 1979 |
U. of Miami Estate Planning Institute | The Emotionally Disabled Trustee | 1979 |
Taxation For Accountants | Eleventh Hour Income Tax Planning | 1978 |
Trusts and Estates | How to Use Estate Trusts - A Pretermitted Child in Estate Planning | 1977 |
Practising Law Institute | Senior Citizens and the Tax Reform Act of 1976 | 1977 |
The Estates, Gifts and Trusts Journal | Drafting Marital Deduction Formula Clauses | 1977 |
Estate Planning magazine | How to Take Steps to Guard Against a Client's Incompetence | 1977 |
Successful Estate Planning Ideas and Methods | The Durable Power of Attorney - Planning for Incapacity | 1976 |
School name | Degree | Graduated |
---|---|---|
University of Connecticut School of Law | JD - Juris Doctor | 1973 |
University of Hartford | BA - Bachelor of Arts | 1967 |
New York University School of Law | N/A |
Conference name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
When Family Law and Trusts and Estates Intersect | Frequently Forgotten Factors in Pre-Nuptial Pacts | 2012 |
Hartford Probate Forum | Fiduciaries and Firearms - Estate Planning and Settlement for Gun Owners | 2009 |
Conn. Society of CPAs - Continuing Education Program | Winning the Estate Settlement Game - Home Runs and Strikeouts | 2009 |
Planned Giving Group of Connecticut | What You Don't Know Can Hurt You: Landmines in Estate Settlement and Litigation | 2008 |
CSCPA Estate Planning Forum | Asset Protection in Plain English | 2005 |
Duke University Estate Planning Seminar | Some Stories of Successful Succession - and Some Not | 2004 |
Southern New Mexico Estate Planning Institute | Mickey Rooney Meets Liz Taylor - Planning for the Second Marriage and Beyond | 2003 |
Southern New Mexico Estate Planning Institute | Don't Get a "D" for Drafting - A Desultory Discussion of Diverse Delicts in Designing Dispositive Documents | 2001 |
Southern New Mexico Estate Planning Institute | Mo' Work, Mo' Money, Mo' Fun -- Building and Estate Planning Practice | 1999 |
CT Bar Ass'n. Probate Litigation Seminar | Probate Appeals | 1998 |
Southern New Mexico Estate Planning Institute | Emotional, Tax and Other Factors in Trustee Selection and Removal | 1997 |
Southern New Mexico Estate Planning Institute | The Means of Grace and the Hope of Glory -- Avoiding Malpractice Exposure in Estate Planning | 1996 |
University of Miani Estate Planning Instutute | Prophylaxis for Probate Practitionrs - Malpractice Polices and Malpractice Prevention | 1992 |
Connecticut Bar Association CLE Program | Preventive Medicine for the "California Disease -- Avoiding Malpractice Exposure in Estate Planning | 1992 |
University of Miani Estate Planning Instutute | ! Battle Stations ! - Evasive, Defensive and Attack Maneuvers for Will Contests | 1989 |
Notre Dame Estate Planning Institute | Tax Planning for Close Order of Deaths | 1981 |
Notre Dame Estate Planning Institute | Last Requests - The Right to Die and Anatomical Gifts | 1980 |
University of Miani Estate Planning Instutute | The Emotionally Disabled Trustee | 1979 |
Stat Bar of Texas Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course | Planning for Will Contests | 1979 |
SMU Estate Planning Seminar | Free Lunch? Non-Interest Loans, Leasebacks and Net Gifts | 1979 |
Notre Dame Estate Planning Institute | Naked Death Benefits - An Estate Planning Opportunity? | 1979 |
University of Connecticut Law School - CT Bar Ass'n | Advanced Estate Planning and Administration | 1978 |
Oklahoma State Tax Institute | The Marital Deduction After TRA '76 | 1978 |
Notre Dame Estate Planning Institute | Planning for Incapacity | 1978 |
Colby College Tax Institute | Tax Reform Act of 1976 | 1977 |
Trusts and Estates Tax Laws Seminar (1976 Tax Reform Act) | Mechanics of Estate and Gift Tax Computations | 1976 |
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David Goldman, Estate planning Attorney on May 4, 2010
Relationship: Worked together on matter
I endorse this lawyer's work. We worked together on several NFA firearms trust for clients in his sate. Jeff is very responsive and did a great job with us and the client.