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Keith L Davis

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About Keith

Mr. Davis is the managing shareholder of Davis Schilken, PC.  Mr. Davis began his estate planning practice in 1998 and joined WealthCounsel® in October 2003.  Since then, the firm has grown internally and through acquisitions to seven attorneys.  The firm practices extensively in the areas of estate and business planning with a strong referral base of CPAs and Financial Advisors.  The firm has prepared estate plans for approximately 3,000 Colorado families and settles the estates and trusts of more than 50 decedents annually.  Additionally, on a national basis, firm attorneys have prepared more than 1,000 offshore asset protection trusts.

Mr. Davis concentrates his practice in the areas of wealth transfer and preservation.  This includes general estate planning, advanced tax planning, charitable estate planning, private foundations, family limited partnerships, asset protection planning, exit planning and business continuation planning.

Prior to practicing law, Mr. Davis served as a Certified Public Accountant with Coopers & Lybrand (now Pricewaterhouse Coopers).  After leaving public accounting, and passing the Bar exam, Mr. Davis served as Vice President of Contracts at three very large engineering/construction firms – each firm had more than one thousand employees.

In these roles, he supervised a staff of as many as thirty and reported to the Firm’s General Counsel and Chief Financial Officers.  While responsible for pricing, negotiations and execution of the Firms’ contracts, he focused upon making profitable business deals at the confluence of law, finance and accounting.  He personally negotiated some of the larges construction contracts in the United States including the Boston Harbor clean up contract that employed several thousand people for several years.

Teacher/Presenter
Mr. Davis is an accomplished teacher and well-known speaker.  He speaks locally and nationally and has taught continuing education courses on estate planning to over 2,000 Colorado CPAs, Certified Financial Planners and Insurance Professionals.

Mr. Davis has also served as an adjunct faculty member at American University in Washington, D.C. and the University of Colorado at Denver.  He has taught six undergraduate accounting courses as well as courses at the MBA level.  He has also presented the Estate and Gift Tax Update portion of the University of Denver Law School’s annual symposium.

 

Education
●  Master of Laws (LLM) in Taxation, University of Denver
● Juris Doctor (JD), George Mason University
● Master of Business Administration (MBA), George Washington University
● Bachelor of Science (Accounting), West Virginia University

 

 Professional Affiliations

  • Colorado Bar Association
  • Wealth Counsel, LLC
  •  Centennial Estate Planning Council
  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

 

 

 

 

 

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Practice areas

OtherBusinessWills and living willsEstate planningProbate
  1. Probate: 20%

  2. Estate planning: 20%

  3. Wills and living wills: 20%

  4. Business: 20%

  1. Tax: 20%

Languages spoken

English

Photos and videos

1388793 1518729731

1388793 1518729811

Contact

Davis Schilken, PC

1658 Cole Blvd., Bldg. 6
Suite # 200
Lakewood, CO, 80401

DTC Office - Davis Schilken, PC

7887 E. Belleview Avenue
Suite # 820
Denver, CO, 80111

Resume

License
StateStatusAcquiredUpdated
COActive199605/13/2021
We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.
Avvo Contributions
Legal answers0
Legal guides0
Awards
Award nameGrantorDate granted
AV Preeminent RatedMartindale-Hubbell2018
Client Champion AwardMartindale-Hubbell2018
Outstanding Client Service for 2017WeathCounsel PeerGroup2017
Strategic Legal Innovator of the YearDavis Shilken Law Office2017
Work Experience
TitleCompany nameDuration
President, AttorneyDavis Schilken, PC1998 - Present
Vice President - ContractsRust International Inc1996 - 1998
Vice President - ContractsHarding Lawson Associates1992 - 1996
Vice President - ContractsICF Incorporated1986 - 1992
Associations
Association namePosition nameDuration
WealthCounsel PeerGroupMentor, Member2016 - Present
American Institute of Certified Public AccountantsMember2003 - Present
WealthCounselMember2003 - Present
Colorado State Board of AccountancyCertified Public Accountant1999 - Present
Colorado Bar AssociationMember1998 - Present
Centennial Estate Planning CouncilMember1998 - Present
Publications
Publication nameTitleDate
Davis Shilken Law BlogWhat Happens to Your Student Loan Debt When You Die?2018
Davis Shilken Law BlogSmall Business Owner? Know What Can Happen to Your Business If You Become Incapacitated or Pass Away2018
Davis Shilken Law Offices BlogWhat Do Successor Trustees and Executors Do?2017
Davis Schilken Law Office BlogAre Payable-On-Death Accounts Right for You?2017
Wealthcounsel QuarterlyMember Spotlight: Keith Davis2017
Davis Schilken Law Office BlogWhy a Spendthrift Trust Can be a Great Solution for Heirs2016
Davis Shilken Law Office BlogOrganizing for Tax (and Estate Planning) Season2016
Trusts & Estates MagazineTo Gift or Not to Gift2003
Education
School nameDegreeGraduated
University of Denver College of LawLL.M - Master of Laws2000
George Mason University School of LawJD - Juris Doctor1983
George Washington UniversityMBA - Master of Business Administration1977
West Virginia UniversityBS - Bachelor of Science1973
Speaking Engagements
Conference nameTitleDate
WealthCounsel PeerGroup May 2018 MeetingExceeding Client Expectations Through Law Firm Systems2018
Lunch & LearnA Survey of Estate Planning Techniques and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 20172018
Rocky Mountain Area Conference for Finance & Accounting ProfessionalsChange is Inevitable: Taking a Mulligan on that Outdated Irrevocable Trust2017
Bank of the WestEstate Planning - A Team Effort2017
Practice Development ShowcaseFinancial Metrics That Drive Your Practice2015
Wealth Counsel Generations Seminar34 Practice Management Ideas For Lawyers2014
Sharkey Howes & JavierPlanning for IRAs and Qualified Plans2014
RMAC Annual ConferenceThe Tax Trap in the New Tax Law2014
Quarterly UpdateThe 3.8% Surtax2014
Quarterly UpdateEst. Planning for Blended Families2014
Quarterly UpdateEst. Planning for Child Free Couples2014
Monthly Update for CPAsHow to Review Your Clients Estate Plan2014
Edward Jones InvestmentsEstate Planning for Seniors2014
Continuing Education for CPAsEstate Planning Overview for CPAs2014
Boulder CPA Chapter Monthly MeetingEstate and Income Tax Planning2014
Natl Assn of Tax Professionals ConferenceReviewing Your Clients Estate Plan2013
DU Law School Annual Tax UpdateEstate and Gift Tax Update2013
Colorado Estate Planning SymposiumAdvanced Estate and Income Tax Planning Techniques2007
Legal cases
Case nameOutcome
Estate Planning for High Net-Worth Individuals and Families
Business Formation
Probate and Trust Administration

Reviews

(9)
5 Star
89%
4 Star
0%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
11%
Review Keith Davis

Excellent service

Posted by

My husband and I have been clients of Keith for 18 years. He is professional, quite knowledgeable, and precise. All our consultation with him have been in a relaxed manner, not at all rushed. We continue to value the service given to us.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

estate planning and trust specialist

Posted by

Very organized process. Initial questionnaire not only wanted the facts of our life, but had open ended questions that focused our wishes. Inital meeting comprehensive--did not feel rushed. A few weeks later, received a draft flow diagram for each of our trusts, rather than a draft copy of the trust documents--so, easy to comprehend and change. Final meeting allowed us to make changes if we wished and we left satisfied after making difficult decisions. The fixed fee for services was reasonable Firm offers a yearly plan with a fixed fee which includes calls and an annual meeting to review changes you would like to make. This avoids hesitancy over incurring hourly fees.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

living will

Posted by

We went to a dinner hosted by Keith Davis as we have been talking about doing a will for some time. We were impressed by keith and the way he explained things so decided to make an appointment to meet with him at his office. Our appointment lasted 2 hours and Keith patiently explained all of our choices and guided us to a plan that worked for us. We then meet a again at Keiths office where he explained the final papers going over everything with us as we signed the necessary papers. This appointment also lasted two hours. At the end we were very satisfied with the work done by Keith and his office assistance they were very organized , friendly and easy to work with.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Positive experience

Posted by

Keith was very thorough and detailed in dealing with updating our Family Trust. He was very focused on ensuring we understood all of the elements of the Trust.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Very Satisfied Clients

Posted by

My wife and I hired Keith to update our estate planning documents. He and his staff were well prepared for our meetings which resulted in our documents being completed promptly, efficiently and accurately. More importantly, Keith's deep expertise allowed him to bring real clarity to our estate planning goals and the options available to us to achieve those goals.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Caring, genuine, and knowledgeable.

Posted by

Keith is a brilliant estate planning attorney with an excellent grasp on the big picture. He will spend the time needed to review your individual situation, and then apply his years of experience to provide you with a customized plan that exactly fits your needs.
This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.
Consulted attorney

Legal Excellence and Trusted Adviser

Posted by

Kieth did an outstanding job assisting us in defining an estate plan which met our situation perfectly. His deep knowledge and expertise enabled him to include language that met all of our needs, concerns, and somewhat complex situation clearly, efficiently and rapidly. He was able to build in the flexibility and security our particular situation required through clear legal structures that provide tremendous peace of mind for ourselves and our family's future. Keith will remain a trusted legal adviser and we recommend him highly to all of our family and friends.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Excellent Attorney!

Posted by

Keith Davis helped my family with our Estate Planning a few months ago, and did an EXCELLENT job! He explained everything thoroughly and we felt very comfortable with our decisions. Would recommend to my family and friends.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Upon Death

Posted by

My husband recently past and I got to experience the other side of the process. Keith did the estate plans for my husband and me in 2012. We too were impressed as Keith discussed the documents using a flow chart. Keith quoted a fee to settle the estate that was a percentage of the estate value, and his fee was 3 times higher than the hourly cost I actually ended up paying the lawyer that settled the estate. The trust documents do not reflect the information that Keith explained thru the flowchart, nor do they reflect our wishes. Basic information like being able to stay in our house rent free was omitted from the documents. A major paragraph was omitted in the ILIT making it taxable. Money was distributed to minors. Shalls instead of Mays put into question how to handle demands for distributions by secondary beneficiaries . It took 4 lawyers 6 mo to figure out how to interpret the inconsistencies in the trust documents. It felt like Keith never read the documents and just had a paralegal modify a template. My suggestion like any important decision, get a second opinion.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Attorney endorsements

(21)
Are you an attorney? Endorse this lawyer

Matthew McClintock, Estate planning Attorney on Feb 27, 2017
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I have known Keith for many years and his professionalism and legal savvy is unmatched. He is an excellent attorney who works hard to get outstanding results for his clients. I'm proud to count him among my most experienced colleagues.

Daniel Berkey, Estate planning Attorney on Sep 26, 2016
Relationship: Worked for lawyer

I endorse this lawyer.

Peter Myers, Estate planning Attorney on May 18, 2016
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I am with a colleague group with Keith Davis that meets quarterly. He has demonstrated thoughtful insights and comments on client service and the importance of proper planing. Keith is and extremely conscientious attorney, with his finger on the pulse of developments in the estate planning field. I recommend him wholeheartedly.

David Harowitz, Estate planning Attorney on Mar 28, 2016
Relationship: Worked together on matter

I endorse Keith as a wonderful professional who is knowledgeable, creative, and personable. I have had the privilege of knowing Keith for many years and working with him on interstate matters. I am endorsing him as one of the best estate planning attorneys around but also for tax, probate, and trust settlement work.

Edward Brown, Estate planning Attorney on Mar 28, 2016
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I have had the pleasure of knowing and conferring with Keith over many years. Keith is a very dedicated individual and has a strong expertise in the estate planning field. Bottom line, Keith is an extremely talented attorney.

Martha Hartney, Estate planning Attorney on Mar 24, 2016
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

Keith and his team are among the finest technicians in the country. Thorough, thoughtful, and precise. He has my absolute trust.

Kimberly Lee, Estate planning Attorney on Mar 24, 2016
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I have the pleasure of knowing Keith Davis both professionally and personally. He is intelligent, straightforward, kind and ethical. He is very dedicated to his clients and knowledgeable about estate planning. Any client would be fortunate to work with Keith and his team. I highly endorse him without reservation.

William Alexander, Estate planning Attorney on Mar 23, 2016
Relationship: Worked together on matter

Keith Davis enjoys a national reputation as a top lawyer as an active member and instructor for WealthCounsel, a national collegium for experienced top end attorneys for business and families seeking tax advice, asset protection and wealth transfers. I've called upon Keith for assistance with trust and probate matters and got prompt and warm attention from Keith and his staff as well as perfect results. I endorse this lawyer.

Jessica Pannell, Estate planning Attorney on Mar 23, 2016
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I've come to know Keith over the last few years as a peer and trusted colleague. I have always found Keith's attention to detail and meticulous adherence to processes to be helpful to his clients during the estate planning process. I will continue to refer my clients to Keith for their planning needs in Denver, CO and the surrounding areas.

William Deitch, Estate planning Attorney on Mar 23, 2016
Relationship: Worked together on matter

I endorse this lawyer and his work. Keith is a well known estate planning attorney and has the experience to address a broad range of situations as is evident by his excellent track record. I have worked together with him on matters for over 15 years and count it a privilege to know him.

Henry Weatherby, Estate planning Attorney on Nov 24, 2015
Relationship: Friend

I endorse this lawyer. I have known Keith for about 15 years and have participated in numerous continuing education programs with him. Keith is the type of attorney that you would be comfortable sending your mother to for advice and counsel.

Stanley Miller, Estate planning Attorney on Nov 22, 2015
Relationship: Worked together on matter

I know hundreds of attorneys around the United States, and I can say with confidence that none of them take what they do more seriously than Keith. He stays current on emerging issues; he teaches; he is constantly thinking about how to deliver better solutions and better service to his clients. He is nationally recognized and respected in the 5000 attorney WealthCounsel community as a leader. He has my 100% endorsement.

Thomas Fafinski, Estate planning Attorney on Nov 22, 2015
Relationship: Other

Keith is an extremely gifted lawyer. He truly understand the options and alternatives available to his clients and excels in every aspect of estate planning. Without any hesitation, I endorse this lawyer.

Andrew Strauss, Estate planning Attorney on Nov 19, 2015
Relationship: Friend

I endorse this lawyer without reservation. Keith is highly ethical, dedicated adviser with tremendous experience and skills, He is both compassionate and analytical.

Paulette Mulligan, Trusts Attorney on Nov 19, 2015
Relationship: Other

I endorse this lawyer.

Diane Freed, Elder law Attorney on Oct 17, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer.

Stephen Livens, Estate planning Attorney on Oct 6, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I have known Keith since 1999 as a professional and friend. Keith is not only an outstanding attorney, but he is also a CPA. I consult with him often regarding complex tax issues. I cannot say enough good things about Keith and his Firm.

Richard Kautt, Estate planning Attorney on Oct 6, 2014
Relationship: Co-worker

I endorse this lawyer. He is absolutely one of the most knowledgeable attorneys in this field who prepares an estate plan that is tailored for each particular client's needs. Other attorneys regularly look to him for advice and guidance on estate planning matters.

CL Huddleston, Estate planning Attorney on Oct 6, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

Keith Davis is one of the finest estate planning attorneys with whom I have had the opportunity to work; and as a CPA, he is well-qualified to help clients not only with both estate and income tax planning, including tax planning for business owners.

Carl Stevens, Estate planning Attorney on Oct 5, 2014
Relationship: Worked together on matter

I endorse this lawyer.

Cost

RATES
  • Hourly Rates$250-$475/hour
    PAYMENT METHODS

    Cash, Check, Credit Card