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Mr. Carpenter brings a distinct client-centric perspective to the practice of law, shaped by more than a decade as in-house counsel and in executive leadership roles. He understands what clients expect, and strives to leverage his own experience and DRM’s deep bench to provide efficient solutions and practical risk management. Mr. Carpenter has represented clients and developed a wide variety of infrastructure and industrial projects in markets across the northeast, overseeing development of nearly 100 renewable energy projects from Maine to Michigan to Maryland; siting, permitting and defending solid waste operations in every state between New York and Maine; and permitting and defending quarry operations in upstate New York and Vermont. He has extensive experience with hazardous site cleanup and redevelopment as well, representing responsible parties at federally listed hazardous waste sites as well as redeveloping brownfields into productive commercial sites and renewable energy projects. Throughout all of these activities – whether as an attorney or client – respectful, honest communication (leavened with a healthy dose of humor) is the guiding principle of Mr. Carpenter’s professional code.

A native Vermonter, Mr. Cowan graduated from University of Vermont in 1980 with a B.A. degree in Geography. Since that time Mr. Cowan has been continously employed in the field of land surveying in Vermont and northern New Hampshire. After earning his professional license in 1987, Mr. Cowan was appointed to the Vermont Board of Land Surveyors in 1989, where he served for over nine years. Upon completition of his terms on the board he was named a Board Member Emeritus. Mr. Cowan serves on the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying on the committee which writes, prepares, and adminiters the standard examination for land surveyors. His experience includes boundary surveys of large woodland tracts for forest product companies and conservation groups, as well as subdivision and engineering surveys in urban and suburban settings. Recent interests include providing land surveying consultation services to engineers and other design professionals, and providing assistance in boundary location problems.

Mr. McPhee was born and raised in Rutland, Vermont, where he lives with his wife Nicole and their two children. He earned his B.A. degree, with great distinction, from Castleton State College in 1987. He was the first graduate to complete the Honors Program in History while at Castleton State College. He received his J.D. Degree from Vermont Law School in 1990 and graduated cum laude. While attending law school, Mr. McPhee served as a member and development notes editor for the Vermont Law Review.

Mr. Murphy has a broad practice grounded in all types of real estate matters. His litigation practice focuses on property law, including disputes involving title and boundary issues, easements, adverse possession and prescriptive easements; public and private road issues; title insurance claims; land use, zoning and Act 250; construction, condemnation and tax appeals. In the course of his practice, Mr. Murphy has represented landowners, developers, municipalities and neighborhood groups in matters before the United States District Court for the District of Vermont, the Vermont Supreme Court, Vermont Superior Courts, the Vermont Environmental Court, the Vermont Environmental Board, the Water Resources Board, multiple Act 250 District Environmental Commissions, and various municipal zoning and planning boards. His transactional practice focuses on representing property owners and developers to establish and manage their operating entities; to acquire, finance, permit, manage, lease and/or sell (including “1031 exchanges”) a wide variety of commercial, residential, hotel, recreational, office and shopping center properties; and to establish condominiums and common interest communities.

Ms. Cooper is a member of Cooper, Riesterer, & Gross PLC, Attorneys at Law, located in Brighton, Michigan. She specializes in real estate and municipal law, counseling commercial and residential property owners, sellers, buyers, landlords, tenants, and brokers on all aspects of real estate and zoning law. Ms. Cooper is municipal counsel to a general law township and municipal water authority in Livingston County. She advises clients on their simple and complex transactional and litigation issues including purchase and sale agreements, land contracts, leases, site acquisition, development, financing, quiet title, riparian rights, easements, boundary disputes, variances, and zoning approvals. Complicated issues are often referred to her for creative solutions. Ms. Cooper is a frequent speaker, presenter, and moderator for various realtor groups and brokerages, the State Bar of Michigan’s Real Property Law Section, and various other community organizations. She is a certified instructor for CE Marketplace, Michigan’s continuing education center for real estate professionals. Ms. Cooper has been practicing law for 22 years, graduating from Wayne State Law School in 2003 cum laude and Michigan State University’s James Madison College in 1998 with high honors.

Ms. McKay is a recognized leader in environmental policy with more than two decades of experience at the intersection of science, law, and public policy. She has built a career advancing water resource protection through strategic advocacy, coalition-building, and deep engagement with regulatory and legislative frameworks. Her work is known for bridging technical expertise and policy solutions to address complex environmental challenges across the Great Lakes region. Until recently, she served as chief policy and government affairs director for the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, where she led the organization’s comprehensive policy agenda to strengthen water resource protections at the local, state, and federal levels. Earlier in her career, Ms. McKay worked with the Public Interest Research Group and in the Michigan Legislature. She was appointed by former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder to the Michigan Pipeline Safety Advisory Board. She currently serves on the Great Lakes Commission, the Michigan Underground Storage Tank Authority, the Land Information Access Association Board of Directors, and the Northern Michigan Area Committee. She also serves on the Environmental Council Board of Directors, rising to its chair from 2022 to 2024. Ms. McKay holds dual degrees in Environmental Studies and Political Science from Michigan State University.

Ms. Rivette has an Environmental Engineering degree from Michigan Technological University. For the stormwater world, she spent over 10 years with the City of Grand Rapids, where she managed their Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit. This included revising their stormwater code, reviewing land development permits, and leading the City’s green infrastructure initiatives. She also worked closely with MS4 managers across the state to work jointly on MS4 permit compliance and ensure consistency of programs in West Michigan.

Ms. Isely is a veteran of the West Michigan legal and environmental communities and has held a number of positions in the nonprofit and academic sectors focused on research, policy implementation, and collaboration. She’s served in leadership and as the interim executive director, deputy director, and director of water programs at the West Michigan Environmental Action Council; as project manager for West Michigan Strategic Alliance’s Green Infrastructure Initiative; research associate for the Annis Water Resources Institute at Grand Valley State University; Sea Grant Fellow with the Great Lakes Commission; and litigation attorney for Legal Aid of Western Michigan and the Michigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project, Inc. Ms. Isely has more than 30 years of experience in law, water policy, research, outreach, and public speaking. She holds a J.D. degree from Wayne State University Law School, an M.S. degree in Biology from Grand Valley State University, and a B.S. degree in Finance from the University of Maryland. She is appointed to the Michigan State Waterways Commission and serves on the Community Advisory Group for the PFAS contamination at the various Wolverine Worldwide contaminated sites in Northern Kent County (MI). She has published several academic and technical papers on environmental and collaborative management topics.

An economist focused on the intersection of sustainable watershed management and urban planning, Ms. Viars employs a strategic blend of policy instruments and financial tools to forge innovative solutions for pressing urban water challenges. Rooted in collaboration, her approach prioritizes diverse social and cultural values of nature to foster equitable participation and resource allocation, building both climate resilience and economic prosperity for all communities. Ms. Viars holds both an M.S. degree and a B.S. degree in Economics from the Belk College of Business at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. She previously served as an adjunct professor in Economics at Grand Valley State University and participates in various regional environmental advisory committees and as a Great Lakes Senior Environmental Leadership Fellow.

Mr. Blumstein works primarily with Alaska native corporations and other private businesses on corporate affairs, real estate transactions, Alaska native law issues, and mergers and acquisitions. His ability to quickly analyze issues and identify legal solutions across a broad range of practice areas is unique. He serves as general counsel to numerous private and public entities in the state of Alaska and represents clients in multimillion-dollar commercial and real estate transactions. In addition, Mr. Blumstein handles litigation related to government contracts, environmental law, antitrust and municipal law matters. He was named 2024 Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers for Native American Law. Mr. Blumstein earned his J.D. degree from Boston University.

Ms. Williams has been actively involved in conservation and sustainable community issues for over 40 years. She received her B.A. degree from Pomona College, summa cum laude, with a concentration in Biology and Economics. Subsequently she was graduated from Harvard Law School, with honors, and was the co-founder of and co-editor-in-chief of the Harvard Environmental Law Review. After serving in the Department of Interior’s Solicitors Honors Program in Washington D.C., Ms. Williams  represented the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska. Between 1981 and 1994, she practiced law, and was the executive director of the Alaska Consumer Advocacy Program and of the Alaska Lung Association (with an emphasis on reducing air pollution), while serving on many boards and commissions, including the Municipal Health Commission (chair of the Environmental Health Committee) and as chair of the non-profit environmental litigation firm Trustees for Alaska. In 1994, Ms. Williams received a Presidential appointment, and became the Special Assistant to the Secretary of Interior for Alaska, in which position she advised the Secretary about managing over 220 million acres of national lands in Alaska and working with Alaska tribes and others associated with the Department’s broad natural and cultural resource jurisdiction. She also was a trustee on the Exxon Valdez Trustee Council and other boards. Her public service work was recognized with multiple honors. Ms. Williams then served as the executive director of the Alaska Conservation Foundation, winning many awards in that role and helping to achieve numerous public policy victories for the environment and indigenous peoples. During her tenure, Readers Digest named Alaska Conservation Foundation as one of the 12 Best Charities in the nation. Subsequently, Ms. Williams became president of Alaska Conservation Solutions, an organization devoted to addressing climate change. In her various roles, Ms. Williams received many awards, including the first “Spirit of Defenders Award for Citizen Advocacy” from Defenders of Wildlife. After residing in Alaska for over 37 years, she moved back to California, and among other projects created the widely used Public Lands Website: “50 Great Public Land Destinations – Santa Barbara and Beyond.” She also serves as a columnist, consultant, active volunteer and a Commissioner on the Goleta Parks and Recreation Commission. Ms. Williams has published scores of law review articles, opeds and other articles, and she has been featured in local, state and national media (including 60 Minutes, the New York Times, the Washington Post and BBC). Together with her husband and her son, she appreciates, enjoys and celebrates living in Santa Barbara County, teaching at the University of California Santa Barbara, and exploring public lands and waters throughout the nation.

Mr. Farrell has over 40 years of experience before county supervisors, planning commissions and boards of zoning appeals in matters of real estate development, land use and environmental regulation, including rezoning, site plans and wetlands approvals. He has represented landowners and developers in innumerable land use nd environmental cases and controversies including comprehensive planning, infrastructure financing and bonding and microbial, asbestos and lead contamination issues. Among those he has represented are the applicant in the largest rezoning ever filed in Northern Virginia which included 26 million square feet of nonresidential space and 2,266 dwelling units. Mr. Farrell also represented dozens of plaintiff/landowners in the Fairfax County C & I and both Loudoun County down-zoning litigations. His experience on behalf of lenders and borrowers in transactions involving real estate acquisition, construction and development loans is extensive. This representation has included the acquisition, development, leasing and sale of mixed-use communities, condominium and residential projects, commercial and retail properties, the sale of REO, negotiation of workouts, and foreclosure of non-performing loans. As the former general counsel for the Fairfax County Democrats (“FCDC”), he has extensive expertise in Virginia election law, having represented FCDC during the 2013 Attorney General’s recount and in litigation versus the local and State Electoral Boards. During 2017 he represented one of the candidates in the House recounts and served as general counsel to the successful Lieutenant Governor’s campaign. Mr. Farrell’s environmental law and regulatory background is considerable and includes matters involving lender liability, CERCLA, RCRA, Clean Air, asbestos, lead, underground storage tanks, wetlands regulation and the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act.

Mr. Fox founded Fox Land Surveying, PC in 2015. He was initially registered as a land surveyor in the Commonwealth of Virginia in 2007 and has worked with a wide variety of clients from developers and contractors, to real estate agents and homeowners. The primary goal of all Fox Land Surveying projects is to provide clients with a relationship in which they feel invested and empowered, as well as leaving them with the satisfaction that their expectations have been met and that their project has been completed on-time and on-budget. Fox Land Surveying, PC, can provide the following services in-house: Mortgage Surveys, ALTA/ACSM Surveys, Boundary Surveys, Topographic Surveys, Residential Site Plans, FEMA Evaluation Certificates, and Subdivision Plats. Additionally, through relationships with other local companies Fox Land Surveying, PC, can provide a full scope of engineering and development services including subdivision design and development.

Mr. Peeples focuses his practice in the areas of maritime and riparian law, construction law, worker’s compensation, and national security. A prolific author, he has written articles on Virginia aquaculture and maritime law, including the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, the Virginia Primary Sand Dune and Beaches Act, and the Virginia Tidal Wetlands Act. Mr. Peeples has been published in a number of professional journals on a variety of topics, ranging from Virginia real property law to the Anti-Terrorism Act. He is a member of the firm’s waterfront law practice group, and he writes blog articles regularly on the group’s website devoted to waterfront (riparian) property rights law, maritime and admiralty law, and environmental law. He has also taught CLE courses on the topic of riparian rights throughout the Commonwealth. Before joining the firm in 2018, Mr. Peeples retired from the U.S. Navy after 22 years of service as a pilot. He completed seven combat deployments and served as the Commanding Officer of a helicopter squadron. His last assignment was Lead Rotational Planner for the Joint Staff, where he provided strategic advice to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the Secretary of Defense.

Ms. Dahl’s practice focuses on regulatory and energy law matters, as well as condemnation and eminent domain. Ms. Dahl is part of a team advising utilities and independent power producers on siting, routing, permitting and other regulatory matters. Ms. Dahl also assists condemning authorities and private owners in acquisition negotiations, eminent domain actions and the various land rights matters and disputes that go along with the construction of infrastructure. Prior to joining Fredrikson, Ms. Dahl worked for the University of St. Thomas Legal Services Clinic as an appellate clinic certified student attorney on a case in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mr. Knaak has been practicing law for nearly 45 years in Minnesota and 30 in Wisconsin and Colorado. He is the head of Municipal and Real Estate Development Law with Northstar Law Group. Mr. Knaak has tried cases and argued appeals throughout the country in both State and Federal Courts. For nearly that whole period he has been a city attorney. Past clients include the Minnesota cities of Fridley, Maplewood, Lake Elmo, Newport and Afton. He is currently city attorney for Ramsey and Taylors Falls, Minnesota, and continues to represent private clients on a variety of matters. Mr. Knaak also has considerable experience in litigation involving title insurance claims and title insurance. He served ten years in the Minnesota Senate, representing a district in the northeastern suburbs of the Twin Cities. Mr. Knaak was Special Counsel to the Minnesota Secretary of State in redistricting litigation and was lead counsel on the Senator Norm Coleman election recount. He is a frequent commentator on Twin City news programs on political matters and is a frequent guest political panelist of the Twin Cities Public Television Almanac program. Mr. Knaak also regularly teaches in national seminars on municipal law and has published a number of essays and articles on various topics. His article “Using Development Agreements to Further Environmental Ends: A Case Study” will be published this summer in the ABA’s Probate and Real Property Section magazine. Mr. Knaak earned his B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from John’s University, and his J.D. degree from the University of Minnesota Law School.

Mr. Morphew is 1998 graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Law. He has been practicing primarily in the areas of real estate law, eminent domain law and relocation benefits law for the past 23 years. Mr. Morphew has done numerous bench trials, jury trials and appellate litigation cases on in these areas of law and has been a featured presenter at numerous seminars on these topics. He currently serves as the Vice-President of the Monticello Economic Development Authority and is the past President of the Minnesota Eminent Domain Institute, as well as a past board member of FiberNet Monticello, a community-owned fiber optics telecommunications company.

After graduating from the University of Minnesota Law School, Ms. Pivec began her legal career in the corporate world, first at a Minneapolis-based real estate management company and then in the legal division of a large Minnesota corporation. In 2013, Ms. Pivec joined Siegel Brill as an associate attorney with an emphasis on business and real estate transactions. Leveraging her corporate experience, Ms. Pivec works primarily in the areas of closely-held businesses and real estate development. She also works with clients in estate planning and probate matters.

Mr. Roston’s practice includes a broad real estate litigation and transactional focus. His clients include both international and local individuals and companies involved in real estate. He has successfully tried scores of condemnation cases, before both court appointed commissioners and juries, and he has obtained excellent results for his clients. Mr. Roston has handled real estate transactions and disputes involving commercial and industrial sales, acquisitions, leasing and land use. As a real estate investor in addition to being a lawyer, Mr. Roston’s advice is both legally astute and pragmatic. He recognizes that most clients have a business concern, not just a legal issue to resolve. Mr. Roston has substantial condemnation law experience, representing both landowners and taking authorities. In addition to his condemnation practice, Mr. Roston represents clients in matters involving real estate including foreclosures and receiverships, zoning and land use, landlord/tenant, leasing, lien law, real estate tax protests, real estate transactional law and construction dispute resolution.

Ms. Smerud is an associate in Dorsey’s Regulatory Affairs Group, where she partners with clients to navigate the complexities of environmental and energy litigation. Ms. Smerud leverages her strong communication skills to distill intricate technical and scientific matters, empowering clients to overcome regulatory challenges and implement successful projects. Ms. Smerud represents clients in proceedings before FERC, state public utilities commissions, administrative agencies, and in state and federal court. Prior to joining Dorsey, Ms. Smerud clerked for the Honorable Chief Judge Susan Segal at the Minnesota Court of Appeals, where she honed her legal research and analytical skills. Before entering the legal field, Ms. Smerud also worked as a natural resource manager. Her experience implementing and managing conservation projects equips her with a unique perspective that enhances her ability to provide guidance on environmental and energy regulatory compliance.

Mr. Squires received his B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth and his J.D. degree from William Mitchell College of Law. Prior to founding RASW, he was an associate and shareholder at Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A.  Mr. Squires represents school districts, counties and cities throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. His primary areas of practice and experience include general municipal and school law, real estate, land use and zoning, condemnation, construction disputes, and municipal litigation, including appellate work.  Mr. Squires has argued over 50 cases to Minnesota’s Appellate Courts. He has been a frequent presenter to professional groups and organizations in the areas of his practice.  Mr. Squires is a Real Property Specialist certified by the Minnesota State Bar Association and is licensed to practice in both federal and state courts in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Mr. Winstead is a land use lawyer, focusing on quasi-judicial proceedings before the various planning and development boards, commissions, and councils of local governments across North Carolina. With a robust background in real estate litigation, Mr. Winstead possesses the experience and skills necessary to navigate the complex zoning and land use issues that developers encounter. Mr. Winstead approaches his work with a creative and deeply analytical spirit, equipping him to handle the red tape so his clients can focus on building beautiful projects.

A Raleigh native and Managing Partner of Cranfill Sumner, Mr. Wall represents clients in a wide range of matters including eminent domain and real estate-related disputes, employment law, and business litigation. Mr. Wall has a particular interest in privacy and data security and holds the Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US) designation. He is also board certified by the North Carolina State Bar as a specialist in Privacy and Information Security. Mr. Wall maintains an AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell, the peer review rating that recognizes attorneys who have reached high levels of skill and integrity. He is also a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel.

“Excellence Comes Standard” is the phrase that comes to mind when thinking about Edward L. Littlejohn, Jr. He is constantly working to improve his clients’ experiences with his law firm and raising the bar on the quality of services that his office provides.

Mr. Littlejohn believes that hard-working people deserve unparalleled legal services—especially in difficult times. He learned early on in the practice of law that the more information his clients have, the better decisions they can make. And people who are in the difficult situations need access to information so that they can make a well-informed decision. Focusing on Real Estate, Business, Estate Planning, and Personal Injury has allowed him to become well-versed in each area.

Most people who meet Attorney Edward Littlejohn, ask if he’s related to the “karate guy,” or they wonder why he keeps calling them “sir or ma’am.” Well, it’s his martial arts teaching of Discipline and Respect, which is also something that sets him apart from other attorneys.

Mr. Ockner’s practice focuses primarily on zoning, land use, and real estate litigation, and business litigation. Along with Sheldon Berns, Mr. Ockner has been instrumental in obtaining successful outcomes in several major zoning and land use cases in the Ohio Supreme Court, including Goldberg Companies, Inc. v. Council of the City of Richmond Heights, 81 Ohio St.3d 207, 690 N.E.2d 510 (1998), which reestablished that the United States Supreme Court’s standard for determining the constitutional validity of zoning ordinances set forth in Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty Co. applied in Ohio; State ex rel. Shemo v. Mayfield Heights, 95 Ohio St.3d 59 (2002), which established that property owners in Ohio may recover compensation from a municipality for the diminution in value of property during the time a municipality has enforced an unconstitutional zoning regulation against the property; State ex rel. Commt. for the Referendum of Ord. No. 3844-02 v. Norris, 99 Ohio St.3d 336 (2003), which overruled the Ohio Supreme Court’s earlier decision in State ex rel. Crossman Communities of Ohio, Inc. v. Greene Cty. Bd. of Elections, 87 Ohio St.3d 132 (1999), with respect to the proper treatment of planned unit developments; State ex rel. Webb v. Bliss, 99 Ohio St.3d 166 (2003); State, ex rel. Shemo v. Mayfield Heights, 93 Ohio St.3d 1 (2001); Shemo v. Mayfield Heights, 88 Ohio St.3d 7 (2000); and Jones v. Chagrin Falls, 77 Ohio St. 456 (1997).

Mr. Ockner has represented numerous local and national property owners and developers regarding zoning and land use issues throughout Ohio. Since the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Mr. Ockner has represented numerous national telecommunications companies in the deployment of their wireless telecommunications networks in Ohio, including administrative proceedings and litigation in the Federal and State Courts of Ohio, and in a variety of other disputes pertaining to those companies’ wireless telecommunications sites. Mr. Ockner has also represented several non-profit organizations in their efforts to develop facilities for assisted living, supportive housing, and services for unhoused youth and young adults.

Mr. Pempus has been a risk manager for more than 18 years, with experience in architecture, engineering, land use, law and professional liability insurance, and a unique and well-rounded background in the construction industry. Prior to risk management, he has 25 years of experience in the practice of architecture and engineering, and as an adjunct professor teaching professional practice courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels for the last 37 years. As a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and AIA National Ethics Council 2021 chair, he has demonstrated his impact on architectural profession. He is a licensed architect, attorney and property and casualty insurance agent.

Prior to his service at TVA, Mr. Savage was in private survey practice for 10 years specializing in dispute resolution and expert witness services. He has surveyed several disputed state boundaries to resolve jurisdictional conflicts. Mr. Savage is an adjunct professor at Cleveland State Community College where he teaches courses in boundary law, geodesy, GIS, and surveying fundamentals. He has researched and retraced the historical surveys of Henry David Thoreau and has published several articles on the subject. Mr. Savage teaches exam review and continuing education seminars at various state and local conferences across the country.

Mr. Young is a shareholder with Roetzel. His litigation practice is based in Roetzel’s Columbus office and serves a state- and nationwide clientele. Mr. Young’s practice focuses primarily on infrastructure and real estate-related issues and disputes, particularly eminent domain and easements. Two things set him apart from his peers in the infrastructure space. First, he focuses almost exclusively on representing businesses and commercial properties. This gives him a superior understanding of the unique concerns and challenges businesses face in this specialized area of the law. And second, he has long experience representing both property owners and condemning authorities. This gives him unparalleled insight into the many different issues that can arise and how both sides approach those issues. Mr. Young works hard to obtain just compensation for his clients. Throughout the eminent domain process, he educates and counsels his clients, presenting them with all available options and ensuring that they are equipped to make the right decisions for their businesses. He has represented some of the nation’s largest retail pharmacies, auto parts stores, grocery stores, discount retailers, gas stations, and pipeline companies, yet also enjoys helping smaller, local businesses. In addition to his eminent domain practice, he has considerable experience in zoning and land use, property tax appeals, and commercial foreclosures. Mr. Young also advises and represents clients with their business, contract, commercial, corporate, shareholder, securities, and trust/fiduciary issues and disputes. He earned his B.A. degree, cum laude, from The Ohio State University, and his J.D. degree, cum laude, from The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law.

Ms. Barker, CPA State and Local Tax (SALT) Director with Perkins & Co.
She has more than 20 years of experience in state and local taxes, including several years as a lead excise tax auditor with the Washington State Department of Revenue, and a B&O tax program auditor at the City of Kent. Prior to joining Perkins, Ms. Barker worked for BDO USA LLP for nine years, rising to the position of SALT Managing Director. There she spearheaded numerous projects related to multistate income/franchise and sales/use tax including research, state tax audit defense, nexus analysis, taxability determinations, mitigation and remediation, due diligence analysis, system implementation support, and ASC 450 analysis. Ms. Barker is regarded as an expert in Washington taxes, as well as other gross receipts and sales/use taxes. Her passion lies in working closely with clients and other service lines to ensure cohesive engagements and high-quality advice for clients. Ms. Barker is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute for Professionals in Taxation and the Association of Washington Business Tax & Fiscal Policy Council.

Ms. Canahai currently serves as the Interim Audit Manager for the City of Portland. Since joining the City, she has held several essential roles, including Large Business Auditor, Large Business Audit Supervisor, and Personal Income Tax Supervisor. With a strong foundation in tax administration, Ms. Canahai brings both technical and leadership expertise to her work.

Ms. Holt currently serves as the Interim Audit and Accounting Manager for the City of Portland. She brings over 20 years in governmental tax compliance and accounting experience having worked for the City of Portland Revenue Division, Oregon Department of Revenue, and University of Oregon.

Mr. McGovern, JD is a member of the faculty at South Texas College of Law Houston, where he also serves as Director of the school’s Low Income Taxpayer Clinic. Previously, he served for many years as the school’s Vice President and Associate Dean for Academic Administration. He received his undergraduate degree from Columbia University and his law degree from Fordham University School of Law. After law school, he served as a judicial clerk for Judge Thomas Meskill on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York. He then practiced law with the law firm of Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C. He subsequently earned an LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where he taught as a visiting faculty member before joining the faculty at South Texas College of Law Houston. Professor McGovern teaches and writes in the areas of business organizations and taxation. His courses include Federal Income Taxation, U.S. Taxation of International Transactions, Partnership and Subchapter S Taxation, and Federal Tax Procedure. He frequently speaks on recent developments in federal income taxation. Professor McGovern is a member of the Council of the State Bar of Texas Tax Section, a former Chair of the Houston Bar Association Section of Taxation, and a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel.

Ms. Sasaki is a seasoned attorney specializing in tax, business, and estate planning at Samuels Yoelin Kantor, LLP, where she is Partner and Chair of the Taxation Practice. She is admitted to practice in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, and Arizona. Ms. Sasaki’s expertise extends to multi-jurisdictional tax compliance, audit, and appeal, as well as private business transactional work and high net worth estate planning. In her practice, she represents a diverse clientele, including private companies, individuals, foundations, and government agencies, including the Oregon State Bar Professional Liability Fund. Ms. Sasaki serves as a fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel and the American College of Trusts and Estate Counsel. She is a member and has served as chair of the Portland Tax Forum, and the Oregon State Bar Taxation and Business Law Sections. In 2022, the Oregon State Bar appointed her to serve as a commissioner of the Oregon Law Commission. Her fellow Commissioners elected her to serve as chair of the Oregon Law Commission. In 2023 She received the Oregon State Bar’s Membership Service Award. She regularly speaks to attorney and accountant professional groups on estate planning, nonprofit, and tax topics.

Ms. Sasaki is deeply committed to legal education, serving as an Adjunct Professor at several prestigious institutions, including the University of Oregon, Portland State University and Northwestern School of Law, and Lewis & Clark College. Her teaching portfolio encompasses a range of topics, including business law, taxation, estate planning, and state and local taxation. She co-authored Oregon Estate Planning with Forms, published by LexisNexis in 2023. She and her co-author are working on the second edition, which should be released in late 2024. Having grown up in Lake Oswego, Ms. Sasaki is also passionate about giving back to her local community. She has been involved with several great charities in the area, including Junior Achievement and Portland Taiko. She currently serves as a Vice Chair of the Japanese Garden Foundation Board and as a volunteer board member with Portland Center Stage. Prior to her current role, Ms. Sasaki honed her skills at Miller Nash LLP and KPMG LLP, where she gained valuable professional experience. She holds an LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Washington School of Law, a J.D. from the University of Oregon School of Law, and a B.A. magna cum laude from Newcomb College of Tulane University.

Ms. Sweeting is a State and Local Taxation (SALT) Senior Manager with Withum. She started her career holding various tax positions at large, local companies in the forest products and high-tech industries. After a brief hiatus from the profession to stay home with her kids, Ms. Sweeting returned to public accounting and joined a Big 4 firm, where she first developed her SALT expertise. She enjoys working directly with clients to understand their businesses and help coach them through various SALT issues, as well as develop solutions that are best for each unique client. With a penchant for problem-solving, Ms. Sweeting enjoys analyzing each client’s particular business operations and solving the puzzle of how their activities intersect (and sometimes collide) with the continually transforming landscape of state taxation. Ms. Sweeting earned her Post Baccalaureate Accounting Certificate from Portland State University and her Graduate Certificate in SALT from Villanova University, Pennsylvania.

A proud lifelong Oregonian, Ms. Trudell has more than 22 years of public civil service working for Polk and Benton Counties and the State of Oregon. In 2021, Ms. Trudell was appointed Oregon’s first Taxpayer Advocate in the Oregon Department of Revenue, where she works to be a voice and resource for Oregon’s taxpayers. A graduate of Oregon State University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Ms. Trudell provides fair and equitable access to Oregonian’s economic opportunities, programs and services. Before joining the Department of Revenue, she served as the manager of the Disadvantaged and Small Business program for the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Mr. Metzger is currently a partner in the Lancaster firm of Metzger and Spencer, LLP, where he practices in the areas of taxation, probate, trusts, estate planning, business entities, real estate, orphans court practice, orphans court litigation and zoning law. Mr. Metzger previously served as the tax partner of the law firm May, Metzger and Zimmerman, LLP where he had practiced for a number of years. He received his B.A. degree, cum laude, from the University of Richmond and his J.D. degree from Temple University School of Law. Since 1990, he has been chairman of the Lancaster Township Zoning Hearing Board. Mr. Metzger is a member of the Elderly Referral Committee, the Fee Dispute Committee, the Awards Committee (chairman), the Diversity Committee, and the Corporate and Business Law Committee of the Lancaster Bar Association. He is also a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Corporate, Banking and Business Law Section and Real Property, Probate and Trust Section.

Ms. Spencer has been practicing law for 35 years and continues to focus her practice on estate planning, probate, trusts, taxation, and closely-held business issues. She often works as a consultant to other attorneys and financial professionals in estate planning, trust and taxation matters as well as serving as an expert witness in fiduciary litigation. Before founding Spencer Law Firm in 1996, Ms. Spencer was the head of the Personal Trust Department at a regional bank in Pennsylvania before returning to private practice in 1996. She is currently a partner in the Lancaster firm of Metzger and Spencer LLP. Ms. Spencer graduated summa cum laude from Dickinson College and received her J.D. and LL.M. degrees in Taxation from Boston University School of Law. She is a member of the Pennsylvania and Massachusetts bars. She taught Estate and Gift Tax Law in the Boston University School of Law Graduate Tax Program for eight years. Her column, Taxing Matters, appeared weekly in the “Business Monday” section of the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal for 14 years. She is a frequent lecturer and is the author of numerous articles on estate planning topics. Ms. Spencer was named one of Pennsylvania’s Top 50 Business Women for 2000 and has been elected as a fellow to the American College of Probate and Trust Counsel. A new edition of Your Estate Matters, a book which is a compilation of Ms. Spencer’s columns, was published in January 2015. Your Estate Matters is currently available online and can be purchased at the offices of Spencer Law Firm LLC. Ms. Spencer is also the author of a reference book for lawyers, Pennsylvania Estate Planning, Wills and Trusts Library Forms and Practice Manual, originally published 2007, 2 volumes, 1,500 pages, 280 forms, updated annually. It is available from Data Trace Publishing Company.

Mr. Morrow is a legal professional with a distinguished background in tax law, having transitioned his focus to specialize in estate planning and trust law. Holding the prestigious designation of Certified Mergers and Acquisitions Advisor®, he also serves as a non-public FINRA arbitrator and holds the esteemed position of Fellow at The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Renowned nationally, Mr. Morrow is among the most sought-after experts in the field, known for his depth of knowledge and expertise. He co-authored the acclaimed publication, “The Tools & Techniques of Estate Planning,” a foundational resource utilized for the Certified Trust Financial Advisor designation.

Mr. Schretter is an experienced financial advisor, compliance manager, and income tax preparer. In his 25-year career, he has helped many clients with both their estate planning and their estate settlement process. He is the Founder of The Legacy Message TM, where people record messages of love, appreciation, and advice to leave behind for future generations. Mr. Schretter really enjoys helping people to achieve their life and legacy goals. You can see a more detailed curriculum vitae on his website, www.BillSchretter.com.

Mr. Basofin works to advance clean energy policies in Oregon, including implementation of HB 2021, the state’s groundbreaking clean energy law. Mr. Basofin also works in coalitions to identify clean energy pathways for industry, seek consensus on siting and permitting of renewable energy facilities, and extend the benefits of our clean energy transition to rural parts of Oregon. He has held many roles in the environmental field. He began his career working in conservation with a focus on freshwater fisheries, marine protected areas, deserts, and wetlands. He spent several years as a sustainability advisor for businesses. Mr. Basofin also served as the first Director of Climate Action for Parliament of the World’s Religions, the oldest interfaith organization in the United States. He is particularly interested in the intersections within the environmental movement where coalitions of advocates, businesses, faiths, and communities can be created. Mr. Basofin holds a B.A. degree in English and Environmental Studies and a J.D. degree with a concentration in Environmental Law.

Mr. Pepple has practiced in both vertically integrated and deregulated electric markets, which gives him a unique perspective on the advantages and disadvantages of both. His practice consists of a mixture of administrative and appellate litigation, transactional work, and government affairs. Mr. Pepple represents clients before state utility commissions in all manner of proceedings, including rate cases and complex legal and policy dockets involving issues such as customer choice, integrated resource planning, and renewable portfolio standards compliance. When these matters are reviewed by the courts, he represents clients in appellate proceedings. Mr. Pepple also advises clients on matters subject to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s jurisdiction. He has handled transactions for the development of solar generation facilities and the sale of their output, asset purchase agreements for transmission and other electric facilities, and other transactional matters. Mr. Pepple provides general counsel services for customer-owned utilities. He advises businesses and wholesale customers with respect to the Bonneville Power Administration’s Regional Dialogue Contract. He also provides legislative services, including legal review of energy-related bills and testifying before legislative committees. Mr. Pepple is an active member of the Oregon and Washington State bars.

Since joining GEI in the fall of 2020, Ms. Sahler has focused on regulatory proceedings at the Oregon Public Utility Commission. Participating in a variety of dockets, on both the gas and electric side, she works to avoid fossil fuel lock-in, implement equitable decarbonization measures, and encourage a transparent and open process for new participants. Ms. Sahler also develops and vets policy options for Oregon local governments. She regularly speaks on implementation of Oregon’s Climate Protection Program, Oregon’s 100% Clean Energy for All (HB 2021), utility planning and investments, and local government decarbonization pathways. Ms. Sahler brought to GEI her extensive research and writing experience, from her dozen years as a career law clerk at the U.S. District Court, District of Oregon, as well as from advising clients in a private law firm setting in the areas of municipal and environmental law. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School, where she concentrated her coursework in environmental and natural resources law. She earned her B.A. degree from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Mr. Sanger’s legal and consulting practice focuses on energy, administrative, and public utility law. He represents energy trade associations, municipalities, electric cooperatives, irrigation districts, end-use industrial and commercial consumers, investor owned natural gas and water utilities, and renewable and cogeneration electricity producers. Mr. Sanger advises hydro, biomass, geothermal, wind, solar, cogeneration, and other electricity generators on a wide variety of transactional matters, including negotiating power purchase agreements, interconnection agreements, wholesale power sales, resource development and sales, and other matters. He has a lengthy background representing end[1]use industrial, commercial, and irrigation customers in all facets of retail rates and service quality. Mr. Sanger represents clients in energy and utility matters before state and federal courts, state public utility commissions, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Bonneville Power Administration. Mr. Sanger is also an adjunct instructor at Lewis and Clark Law School, and in Portland Community College’s Paralegal Program. Mr. Sanger graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon in 2000 with cum laude honors and an Environmental Law Certificate, and from World College Institute of New College of California in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in the Humanities with an emphasis in International Environmental Studies.

Mr. Stephenson helps clients navigate all facets of land use law and obtain entitlements and permit approvals for a wide variety of development projects in urban and rural settings. As a former urban planner, he has a valuable perspective on local government decision making and a practical understanding of project management and delivery. Mr. Stephenson’s experience includes single- and multi-family residential projects, affordable housing, assisted living, office and retail, industrial, energy facilities, and natural resource projects. He is skilled in all phases of land use matters, including planning and executing a permitting strategy, representing clients before local decision-makers, working with neighbors and other stakeholders, and negotiating public improvements and private property takings. His natural resource and energy practice focuses on project planning, risk reduction, and permitting. Mr. Stephenson has substantial experience in electrical transmission and other multi-jurisdictional development projects, including experience with the State Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC) Site Certificate process and associated state regulatory requirements. He also has considerable recent experience in land use permitting of a large and complex mineral development project. Mr. Stephenson earned his J.D. degree, cum laude, from Lewis & Clark Law School.

Ms. Villanueva’s practice focuses on Energy Law. She counsels clients on a variety of administrative and regulatory matters, including Bonneville Power Administration proceedings, the PURPA, transmission access, as well as contract, tariff and rate issues. She has particular experience assisting independent power producers with power purchase, interconnection and transmission agreements. Prior to entering private practice, Ms. Villanueva worked as an associate attorney representing investor-owned utilities and customers of investor-owned utilities as well as consumer and municipal electric utilities. She is well versed in state and federal practice before the FERC, OPUC and the WUTC. Ms. Villanueva is a member of the Oregon State Bar and the Chair of the past chair of the Oregon State Energy, Telecom and Utility Law Section.

Mr. Adelson practices throughout Florida and consults nationwide on property and property rights law, natural resources (especially water) and environmental law; property title and boundary issues, easements, shoreline property rights and submerged lands; public lands, resource conservation, agriculture, protected species; fisheries resources; boat ramps, docks, marinas, and waterway access; local, state and federal regulatory agency licensing, permitting, compliance, and remediation; firearms ownership and firearms business laws; inheritance estates and trusts; business entity formation and operation; professional ethics; and administrative and judicial trial and appellate litigation. Mr. Adelson is a certified mediator, a member of The Florida Bar, and is admitted in the Florida federal courts. He served in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Department of Natural Resources and has been in private practice since 2001. Mr. Adelson is a retired U.S. Army officer. Mr. Adelson is active in the FSU College of Law Environmental Law Society, Moot Court teams and other college and community related activities. He holds a B.A. degree from Virginia Military Institute; M.S. and M.B.A. degrees from Florida Institute of Technology; and J.D. and LL.M. degrees from Florida State University College of Law. Mr. Adelson’s LL.M. dissertation studied shoreline property rights and associated access/egress easements.

Mr. Gaylord practices in the field of eminent domain and property rights. He has successfully represented property owners statewide in jury trials, bench trials, and administrative and Value Adjustment Board proceedings. Prior to joining Gaylord Merlin Ludovici & Diaz, Mr. Gaylord served as an officer in the U.S. Army where he was deployed in both Operation Iraqi Freedom (Kuwait) and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). He is also the chairman of the Eminent Domain Committee of The Florida Bar, a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and has been recognized by numerous trade publications for his accomplishments in the field of eminent domain law. Mr. Gaylord earned his J.D. degree from John B. Stetson University College of Law.

Mr. Barkhurst has extensive litigation experience in business and real estate disputes. He has developed a special concentration in the area of eminent domain, representing governmental entities as well as landowners in numerous lawsuits. Mr. Barkhurst has successfully represented numerous owners in ranch power line takings. He also represents governmental entities in construction disputes, and he has represented contractors and subcontractors in private disputes. He also has extensive experience handling complex business dissolution and injunction cases. Mr. Barkhurst has a B.A. degree, with honors, from Southwest Texas State University and a J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Texas Tech University, and he is a former USAF Captain and F-111 Aviator. 

Mr. Bowles began working in the field of land surveying in 1978 and is certified as a registered professional land surveyor in the State of Texas. He has given seminars to lawyers, real estate professionals and other land surveyors on land surveying principles, practice and codified standards. Mr. Bowles has been an expert witness in a number of legal actions centering around boundary disputes and land surveyor negligence claims. He has given expert testimony regarding boundary resolution, minimum standards and minimum content regarding land surveys. Mr. Bowles is a member of the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors and a former member of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping.

Allie Bohannon is an associate attorney at Howard Mobley Hayes & Gontarek, PLLC. Ms. Bohannon concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning, tax reduction planning, asset protection planning and business succession planning. She also advises fiduciaries and beneficiaries with regard to trust and estate administration and in dispute resolution involving estates. Ms. Bohannon attended Belmont University – College of Law where she earned her J.D. degree in 2015. Prior to attending law school, Allie attended the University of California-Los Angeles, as an undergraduate, where she was a member of the UCLA Cross Country and Track and Field teams, earning All-American honors and All Academic honors as a student athlete, and attended Vanderbilt University as a graduate student where she earned a Master of Public Policy degree.

Caroline L. H. Bradshaw joined the Cumberland Trust team in 2007. As senior vice president and managing director of trust administration, Ms. Bradshaw is responsible for relationship management and account administration, with a focus on high-net-worth families and their needs. Additionally, she mentors trust officers and their teams, building connections between Cumberland Trust’s relationship managers, external advisors, and clients. Ms. Bradshaw also serves as the business development liaison, representing Cumberland externally and working closely with the Business Development team in evaluating new business opportunities. Her previous experience includes working in the investment banking division of JP Morgan in the firm’s New York, Hong Kong, and Sydney, Australia offices and then in the managerial roles of Vice President and Senior Client Manager for JP Morgan’s Private Client Group in New York. Here she provided comprehensive investment management and trust services, while representing individuals and families in Texas and Louisiana. Ms. Bradshaw holds a B.A. degree in Economics from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Ms. Bradshaw serves as a board member of the YWCA of Nashville and Middle Tennessee. She is also an active supporter of Cheekwood and the annual Swan Ball. Ms. Bradshaw is a regular speaker for industry events nationwide and has been a guest of the Wealth Matters radio show. She focuses on topics related to family governance structures, succession planning, and working with a corporate trustee.

Shelby Carpenter joined Cumberland Trust in 2016 and currently serves as vice president and trust officer in the Personal Trust division. In this role, she administers personal trust accounts and is dedicated to delivering personalized service with a high level of responsiveness and care to her clients. Ms. Carpenter brings a diverse financial background to her position, with prior experience at a national mortgage lender, a Nashville-based real estate team, and a local stock brokerage firm, where she held Series 7 and 66 licenses. She earned a B.S. degree in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations from Florida State University and a master’s degree in Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Carpenter holds the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) designation and is a graduate of Cannon Trust School through Cannon Financial Institute.

Stephen Crofford joined Cumberland Trust in 2016. In his role as vice president and senior fiduciary counsel, Mr. Crofford reviews and drafts documents relating to trust and estate accounts. Previously, Mr. Crofford served as fiduciary counsel and special assets officer – reviewing and preparing documents and working with unique, illiquid, and hard-to-value assets held in trust. Mr. Crofford received a B.S. degree in Political Science from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and J.D. degree from Belmont University College of Law in Nashville. He is licensed to practice law in Tennessee.

Emily Harvey is an associate attorney at Mobley & Gontarek, PLLC. She concentrates her practice in the areas of estate and trust administration, estate planning, and estate and trust litigation. Prior to joining Mobley & Gontarek, she served as Senior Law Clerk to the Honorable Frank G. Clement, Jr. on the Tennessee Court of Appeals. Ms. Harvey earned her J.D. degree from Nashville School of Law in 2016. She currently serves on the faculty at Nashville School of Law.

Ally M. Hicks is a Nashville-based attorney focusing her practice on estate and tax planning. In this role, Ms. Hicks works with families, business owners, and advisors to craft tax-efficient estate plans tailored to the needs of each client. She also represents fiduciaries in probate, guardianship, and conservatorship matters, and assists local entrepreneurs with business formation and governance issues. With a deep commitment to personalized service, Ms. Hicks is passionate about ensuring her clients feel seen, understood, and taken care of. She began her legal career in trust and estate administration, serving as both fiduciary officer and trust officer at a Nashville-based trust company. In this capacity, Ms. Hicks worked with ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their advisors to oversee the administration, legal compliance, and tax reporting of various testamentary instruments. After seeing the immeasurable benefits of a well-drafted estate plan, Ms. Hicks felt called to shift her practice into estate and tax planning.

Beth Lee joined Cumberland Trust as a Trust Officer in Estate Administration in 2022. In this role, Ms. Lee works with the Estate Administration team to support families and professional advisors in the administration of estates and administrative trusts. She focuses on being responsive, attentive, and understanding in order to build relationships with the clients and families she serves. Previously, Ms. Lee served as vice president and in-house counsel for a nationwide franchise. She also previously practiced entertainment law and employment litigation. Ms. Lee holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with minors in Political Science and English from Middle Tennessee State University. She received a J.D. degree from Nashville School of Law. Ms. Lee is a Certified Mediator and is licensed to practice law in Tennessee.

Mr. McDonald is a Nashville-based estate and tax attorney who advises clients on estate planning and wealth preservation at every stage of life. He has extensive experience in this field, from young families starting out to individuals and families with nine-figure net worths.

Jeff Mobley is a member of Mobley & Gontarek, PLLC, and he concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning, wills, trusts, estate administration and related matters. Mr. Mobley is listed in The Best Lawyers in America (2001-2023 editions) and Mid-South Super Lawyers (2005-2023 editions). He has the AV highest rating for ethical standards and legal ability from Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review ratings system. Mr. Mobley is a fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He is a co-author of Pritchard on the Laws of Wills and Administration of Estates, a three-volume treatise on the laws pertaining to wills and probate in Tennessee. Mr. Mobley teaches Estate Planning at Belmont University College of Law and Wills and Estate Planning at Nashville School of Law. He has served as president of the Nashville Estate Planning Council, as chair of the Probate Court Committee of the Nashville Bar Association, and as an officer and director of the Nashville Bar Association. Mr. Mobley graduated with High Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Kentucky. Mr. Mobley received his law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law, Order of the Coif (top 10%), and served on the Law Review. Mr. Mobley is licensed to practice in Tennessee and Kentucky.

Mr. Morales works with our partners in estate planning. He earned his law degree in California and is licensed in Tennessee and California.

Mr. Tillman has been recognized as an estate planning specialist by the Tennessee Board of Certification and Specialization and holds the Accredited Estate Planner and Estate Planning Law Specialist designations with the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils. Mr. Tillman advises clients on estate planning matters as well as closely held business owners regarding business succession.

Ethan Ward counsels clients on estate planning and the administration of trusts and estates. In this capacity, Mr. Ward works with high-net-worth individuals, families, and businesses on the implementation of tax-advantaged generational wealth transfer and business succession plans utilizing advanced estate planning techniques such as family limited partnerships, charitable entities, sales to intentionally defective grantor trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, and charitable split-interest trusts, as well as drafting wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. He also works with trust companies, family offices, and fiduciaries on the administration of complex trusts and estates. Prior to joining Bass, Berry & Sims, Mr. Ward was an associate at Husch Blackwell LLP and Holton & Mayberry P.C. and focused on estate planning.

Mr. Cohn focuses his practice on counseling individuals and families on estate and tax planning, philanthropic planning, trust formation, and preparation and review of prenuptial, postnuptial and cohabitation agreements, among various other related matters. Mr. Cohn also advises a wide array of clients in planning and establishing foundations and charitable trusts. He represents charitable organizations in connection with the receipt of gifts and bequests, as well as in their administrative affairs, including issues regarding formation. Mr. Cohn graduated from the University of Florida in 1981 with a B.S. degree in Accounting, with honors. Following his graduation from the University of Florida Law School in 1984, he proceeded to earn his Master of Law degree in Taxation from the University of Florida in 1985.

Ms. Groover has over 30 years of experience in fiduciary, legal, wealth management, business, and personal finance services. Among her strengths are innovative problem solving, strategic foresight, and conflict resolution. An amiable relationship builder, she engages clients with expert written and verbal communication skills. She is recognized for her exceptional proficiency in estate planning, trust administration, and fiduciary litigation support. Ms. Groover is an adjunct professor at Florida A&M School of Law. She is currently teaching an upper-level Trusts and Fiduciary Administration course. Ms. Groover most recently served as the vice president and senior fiduciary advisor for PNC Bank in Orlando. During her tenure, she was responsible for engaging in fiduciary decision making by executing the terms of any plan or document in which PNC served as trustee. She successfully managed complex, litigious relationships involving various assets, multiple internal departments, and outside counsel. Ms. Groover is currently a member of Orange County Bar Association, where she served as a past chair of the Estate, Guardianship, and Trust Committee. Additionally, as a member of The Florida Bar, Ms. Groover serves on the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law (RPPTL) Section, including the Estate and Trust Tax Planning Committee and the Attorney Trust Officer (ATO) Conference Committee. She is on the board of directors at the Central Florida Estate Planning Council. Ms. Groover received a B.S. degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in banking and finance, from Wilkes University and an M.B.A. degree from the University of Central Florida. She also obtained her J.D. degree with the Florida A&M University’s College of Law, where she graduated cum laude and earned the highest score in Estates and Gift Taxation, Business Associations, and Contract Drafting. She was awarded an intern position for the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Orange County Probate and Guardianship.

Mr. Hermes focuses his practice on estate planning, tax issues, real estate, business law, and elder law. His primary focus is assisting high net-worth families with estate and succession planning, wealth transfer tax, and asset protection. He also frequently acts as co-counsel to other attorneys on advanced tax and estate planning concepts. Raised in rural Wisconsin, Mr. Hermes moved to St. Augustine to attend Flagler College, where he graduated with honors with a B.A. degree in Political Science. He then accepted a full scholarship to study at Wake Forest University School of Law, obtaining both his Juris Doctor and a Master of Studies of Law with a concentration in Taxation. Mr. Hermes also serves on the Florida Probate Rules Committee, which develops and recommends probate rule amendments to the Florida Supreme Court. He is licensed in Florida and Wisconsin, and is recognized as a Board Certified Specialist in Wills, Trusts, and Estates law by The Florida Bar (a certification attained by less than 1% of Florida-licensed attorneys).

Andrés Hernández is an attorney with Saltiel Law Group, where his practice includes corporate law, international tax and estate planning for domestic and foreign high net-worth individuals, and assisting with fully compliant structures, both domestically and abroad, as well as providing succession planning solutions considering tax challenges of global wealth. He has experience advising high net-worth individuals and their families on cross-border wealth, investments, and estate planning concerns with particular focus on issues arising from civil law and common law application. Mr. Hernandez also has significant experience advising individuals and fiduciaries in estate, trust, and probate administration, and representing clients on tax controversy matters before the IRS, including streamlined filing compliance procedures. He earned his Abogado LL.B. equivalent from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, Caracas, Venezuela, his LL.M. degree and certificate in business administration from Northwestern University School of Law and Kellogg School of Management, his LL.M. degree in Taxation from Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, Illinois, and his J.D. degree from Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Hernandez is a member of The Florida Bar (member, Tax Law Section), American Bar Association and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Mr. Spinks is a distinguished attorney specializing in elder law, with a wealth of experience and a commitment to advocating for the elderly and their families. As a Board Certified Elder Law Attorney, Mr. Spinks brings expertise in the legal issues that impact seniors, including estate planning, longterm care, guardianship, veterans’ pensions, and Medicaid planning. Before practicing law, he joined the military at 17 years old, serving in the Gulf War. He was also certified as a Florida firefighter/EMT and was employed by the Polk County Fire Department. After graduating from the University of South Florida, he returned to military service as a Marine Corps officer and graduated from Florida State University College of Law. Mr. Spinks retired from the United States Marine Corps after over 25 years of service. He is admitted to the Florida and Hawaii bar associations and has been practicing law since 2000. Beyond his legal practice, Mr. Spinks is an active member of the community. He frequently conducts seminars and workshops to educate seniors and their families about their legal rights and options in estate planning, elder law, and special needs planning. He serves with the Buddy Baseball League as a coach for the Pirates, a team his son plays on. Mr. Spinks also serves on the Hillsborough County Superintendent Advisory Committee and is active in the American Legion and VFW. He serves on the elder law and military affairs committee for The Florida Bar, and he is a member of the vestry at St Mark’s Episcopal Church. With a career spanning over two decades, Mr. Spinks has established himself as a trusted advisor and advocate in the elder law community.

Mr. Davidson is partner with Hummel, Lewis & Davidson, LLP, in Bloomsburg, where his practice emphasizes real estate, boundary disputes and land use. He serves as solicitor for several municipalities and planning commissions. Mr. Davidson previously served as Chief of Land Use and Natural Resources for the Department of Agriculture, where he worked with the permitting of agricultural facilities, Clean and Green, and Agricultural Conservation Easements. Prior to joining the Department, he worked in zoning, planning and code enforcement for local government and as a surveyor and project manager for a civil engineering firm. Mr. Davidson is a Pennsylvania resident title insurance agent, Pennsylvania sewage enforcement officer (SEO), and Pennsylvania licensed land surveyor (PLS).

Ms. Lathrop is licensed as a professional land surveyor in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, and as a professional planner in New Jersey. She holds a master’s degree in Environmental Policy and has been involved in surveying since 1974 in projects ranging from construction to boundary to environmental land use disputes. Ms. Lathrop is also a certified floodplain manager through the Association of State Flood Plain Managers (ASFPM) and a certified floodplain surveyor through the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors. A former adjunct instructor at Mercer County College in New Jersey, she has also taught as part of the team for the licensing exam review course at Drexel University in Pennsylvania. Ms. Lathrop has been teaching seminars for surveyors since 1986 and has been writing articles for surveyors since 1983. She is a contributing editor for The American Surveyor magazine, and she has four articles included in the American Bar Association’s text, Land Surveys: A Guide for Lawyers and Other Professionals. She and Stephen V. Estopinal, PLS, PE co–authored a book entitled Professional Surveyors and Real Property Descriptions: Composition, Construction, and Comprehension, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. in 2011. She is also on the faculty of GeoLearn, a web-based educational provider. Ms. Lathrop is a past president of the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors and of the National Society of Professional Surveyors, and she has served on the Board of Directors for the American Association for Geodetic Surveying.

Mr. Johns has over 50 years of increasingly complex technical and policy experience in water resource management issues for the State of California, including 28 years for the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), and about 10 years for the Department of Water Resources and 13 years as an independent consultant on water rights and water transfer issues. Mr. Johns has demonstrated the ability to interpret complex scientific information and communicate conclusions in the development of comprehensive policy decisions by both regulatory and implementing agencies. Mr. Johns has extensive experience in developing, planning and resolving complex natural resources issues through the management of staff resources and technical consultants under contract. After retiring from State service in December 2010, Mr. Johns is now serving as an independent water issues consultant assisting various clients with review of historic water rights, current water right issues before the SWRCB, water and resource management issues, serving as an expert witness in litigation and assisting the Sites Project Authority with water rights and operational issues for the proposed Sites Reservoir.

Before attending law school, Mr. Turner served in the U.S. Navy, completing an eight-month deployment on the U.S.S. Nimitz Aircraft carrier, and traveling around the world. Mr. Turner graduated from UC Davis School of Law, King Hall, in 2021 with a concentration in environmental law. While in law school, he was the president of the Water Association of Law and Policy, hosted the Water Law Symposium at King Hall, and he was the co-president of the Veterans Association. While in law school, Mr. Turner pursued his passion further for environmental law taking courses such as administrative law, land use, water law, climate change, natural resources, food and farming law, and energy law. Mr. Turner worked at the California State Water Resources Control Board, where he became familiar with the administrative process and public entity laws, and he was a teacher’s assistant for an Undergraduate Water Law course at UC Davis. Driven by his passion and experience in environmental law, including but not limited to mining, mitigation and conservation banking, land use, oil and gas, farming, and water law, Mr. Turner works to ensure that Mitchell Chadwick’s clients get the best possible results.

Dr. Wang has 14 years of experience in academia, consulting, and government, specializing in flood warning systems, harbor engineering, hydropower and fish migration facilities, water supply and allocation, and water quality compliance. At the California Department of Water Resources, she contributed to CalSim 3.0 hydrology development for the State Water Project and Central Valley Project, and led hydrology development to implement Salton Sea Management Program Phase I. She also worked at the State Water Resources Control Board, focusing on water rights administration in the Legal Delta, developing new water data reporting system architecture, and supporting storm water permit investigations and economic benefit estimates for the Regional Boards. She is a registered professional civil engineer in California.

Mr. Fleischer is the founder and principal of Capital Environmental Consultants, Inc. He is an environmental scientist and professional wetland scientist with more than 15 years of experience in the environmental consulting industry. Mr. Fleischer has conducted wetland and ecological investigations at properties throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, and the Lower and Mid-Hudson Valley. His areas of expertise include all aspects of federal, state, and local wetland analysis including freshwater and tidal delineation, specializing in comprehensive determinations for routine, atypical, and problem wetlands. Mr. Fleischer has extensive experience developing solutions and providing strategic advice for a wide range of clients and projects. He holds a BS degree in Biology from SUNY New Paltz and an MS degree in Environmental Science from Pace University.

Mr. Scarborough joined Young/Sommer in 2023 and focuses his area of practice on energy, environmental, and land use law. Prior to joining, Austin worked at other law firms in the Capital Region, where he assisted clients on various energy, environmental, land use, and cybersecurity matters. He provides counsel on matters such as environmental compliance, due diligence, and obtaining permits and approvals at local and state levels. He also regularly presents on wetlands issues and updates at the state and federal level.

Dr. Schultz’s research focuses on the interaction between ecosystem functioning and plant community (diversity and composition). Her specialties include wetland ecology, ecosystem ecology, plant functional traits, and carbon cycling dynamics. She earned her Ph.D. degree in Environment and Natural Resources from The Ohio State University.

Mr. Sturm has been a practicing wetland scientist since he joined the firm in 2012 and has been a partner since 2019. He has delineated and/or assisted with delineating hundreds of acres of freshwater and tidal wetlands and has managed and conducted numerous surveys for endangered/threatened flora and fauna. In addition, Mr. Sturm conducts or assists with conducting environmental analyses such as air quality and sound level studies on a wide range of projects. He is a project manager in his own right but frequently provides technical assistance in terms of AutoCAD drawings and data collection. A graduate from Stony Brook University, Mr. Sturm obtained a B.S. degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and a B.A. degree in German Language and Literature. He currently holds the designation of Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS #3470). While not working he enjoys his time outdoors, often found birding and hiking throughout Long Island, as well as looking for owls and moths at night.

Mr. Ash, CRE, joined Carlin & Ward in 2019 bringing 15 years of experience in real estate law for public projects to the representation of property owners in eminent domain acquisitions. Now a partner at Carlin, Ward, Ash & Heiart, LLC, his practice focuses on real estate litigation and trial advocacy in eminent domain matters and tax appeals. He collaborates with experts in various disciplines including real estate appraisers, engineers, planners, and environmental consultants. Mr. Ash is certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a certified civil trial attorney, handling all aspects of condemnation valuation jury trials, commissioner hearings, and tax appeals in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Court, Tax Court, Supreme Court, and United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and Southern District of New York. In 2018, he was awarded the CRE® designation by the Counselors of Real Estate®, an international group of real estate professionals recognized as leading advisors in complex real property matters with approximately 1,000 members worldwide, of which only about 50 are practicing attorneys. Mr. Ash has been recognized as “Rising Star” and Super Lawyer in Eminent Domain 2012 through 2022. He earned his B.A. degree from Rutgers University and his J.D. degree from New England School of Law.

Ms. Baillie’s practice focuses on land use in all its variety, including development applications, redevelopment plans and projects, affordable housing, land preservation, objector work, planning and zoning, and land use-related litigation. She represents both municipal clients (land use boards) as well as private clients, uniquely positioning her to understand both the public and private sides of the land use process. Before discovering her passion for land use, Ms. Baillie worked for many years as a transactional corporate attorney in New York City. Ms. Baillie holds law degrees from the University of Chicago Law School and Cambridge University in England, from where she originally hails.

Mr. Chou is a member of the Corporate, Foreign Direct Investment, Life Sciences, Renewable Energy & Sustainability, Real Estate, Land Use, Environmental and Commercial Leasing practice groups at Hill Wallack LLP. He concentrates his practice in areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate, environmental permitting, renewable energy projects, commercial real estate transactions, commercial leasing, construction contracts and land development matters. Mr. Chou has represented domestic and foreign companies, public entities and non-profits in a wide variety of commercial, environmental, renewable energy, leasing and land use matters. He has also represented foreign entities in various corporate matters related to their investments and transactions in the United States. Mr. Chou is admitted to practice in the State Courts of New Jersey (2000) and Pennsylvania (2000) and the U.S. District Court of New Jersey (2000). He received his law degree from Rutgers Law School. Following law school, Mr. Chou served a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Lawrence M. Lawson, Assignment Judge of Monmouth County. He is a graduate of the Honors College of the University of Georgia. Mr. Chou is proficient in Mandarin Chinese.

The main focus of the Condemnation, Redevelopment, and Eminent Domain Group is property valuation litigation and representing private property owners in challenging the government’s right to take private property by the use of the power of eminent domain (also known as condemnation) and prosecuting inverse condemnation claims. Mr. Duggan regularly represents clients whose highway access and property rights have been revoked or taken by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, county agencies and utility companies, and has experience in handling all aspects of eminent domain, including relocation assistance, modification of highway access, and litigating the amount of just compensation. He represents property owners in urban redevelopment projects and pipeline cases, and he has experience in both state and federal courts. Mr. Duggan also prosecutes real estate tax appeals for banks, developers, automobile dealerships, condominium and homeowners’ associations, shopping centers, and commercial property owners and is a member of the Firm’s Flood Litigation, Development & Mitigation Group. He has been awarded the CRE® designation by the Counselors of Real Estate®, an international group of real estate professionals recognized as leading advisors in complex real property matters with approximately 1,000 members worldwide, of which less than ten percent are practicing attorneys (www.cre.org). Mr. Duggan is a frequent speaker and author on topics related to bankruptcy, eminent domain and tax appeal matters. He earned his M.B.A. degree from Seton Hall University and his J.D. degree from Seton Hall University School of Law.

Mr. Krauser is actively engaged in a wide range of commercial, industrial and vacant land assignments. He specializes in appraisals for tax appeals, condemnations, litigation and open space/land preservation. Mr. Krauser also provides corporate clients and institutional investors with an array of real estate consulting services for properties located throughout New Jersey and New York. He prepares and reviews appraisals, market studies and feasibility assignments to evaluate acquisition and disposition opportunities as well as for financing, tax appeals, bankruptcy proceedings, condemnation and asset management purposes. In addition, Mr. Krauser reviews large portfolio assignments throughout the U.S. pertaining to office, multifamily, industrial and retail properties. He joined Newmark Valuation & Advisory in 2017, when the firm acquired several affiliate offices of Integra Realty Resources (IRR). At the time of the acquisition, he was serving as a senior managing director in IRR’s Whippany office. Additionally, Mr. Krauser is qualified as an expert witness before the New Jersey Tax Court, New Jersey Superior Court, Federal Bankruptcy Court and various planning boards, commissioner hearings and county tax boards.

Mr. McNally has extensive experience in land-related litigation and transactions. Mr. McNally has been retained by a number of title insurance underwriters to litigate title claim matters on behalf of owners and lenders. He has also been retained by individual and corporate clients to address boundary line disputes. Mr. McNally has been appointed by the Superior Court of New Jersey to act as a boundary line commissioner. He has handled all aspects of commercial real estate transactions including but not limited to preparation and negotiation of contracts, assistance with due diligence, negotiation of loan documents, compliance with lender instructions and analysis of insurable and marketable title. Additionally, Mr. McNally focuses on the representation of industry professionals, such as architects and engineers. Mr. McNally is well-versed on the organization of legal entities and provides counsel to clients about the responsibilities of directors and officers. He is also a Rule 1:40 Qualified Mediator included on the roster of court-appointed mediators in the State of New Jersey. In July 2021 he joined with Paige M. Bellino, Esquire to form McNally & Bellino, LLC. Mr. McNally has been a speaker on title claim issues for New Jersey Land Title Association as well as having served as a panelist for several seminars concerning complex real estate transactions, title insurance coverage and claims and boundary issues. He has been an adjunct professor at Villanova Business School teaching a course in real estate law since the Spring 2024 semester. Mr. McNally appeared as a panelist at the 2023 and 2024 Survcon events in Atlantic City sponsored by the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors. During the 2024 Survcon event, he spoke on two separate panels; one on preparing and negotiating contracts and the other on surveyors serving as experts in litigation. Mr. McNally and his partner Paige M. Bellino successfully argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court in Green Knight v. Calderon, 252 N.J. 265 (2022) which resulted in an interpretation of the tax sale law favorable to their client. Mr. McNally is a member of the New Jersey Land Title Association, the Pennsylvania Land Title Association, the Cape May County Bar Association, an affiliate member of the Cape May County Association of Realtors and an affiliate member of the NEXUS Board of Realtors.

Mr. Anderson has been an engineer in the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Water Supply Engineering Section since 1984, and a senior engineer since 1995. He is the lead engineer responsible for water allocation review, policy analysis of water rights, and planning aspects of Iowa water law. He is also IDNR’s aquifer storage and recovery technical expert, from both a technical and a regulatory perspective. He has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, both in Civil Engineering, and both from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He has a Hydrogeology minor, and he is also an assistant professor of Practice in Iowa State University’s Geology Department, teaching Hydrogeology.

Mr. Erbe is a graduate of the Drake University Law School. He has practiced law in Iowa since 1999 and is a sole practitioner in Des Moines. He exclusively handles civil trial and litigation matters, including boundary disputes. Mr. Erbe is a member of the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American Board of Trial Advocates, and the Litigation Counsel of America.

Mr. Helfrich has been principal land surveyor with Craig R. Knoche & Associates, P.C. and its successor Koru Group PLLC in the Chicago area for the last 30 years. Mr. Helfrich first picked up a plumb bob in 1971 for Webster & Associates. From tape-and-transit to GPS, mortgage surveys to shopping centers, he has his seal on billions of dollars of commercial, residential and institutional developments and transactions in 23 counties in Illinois together with consulting and managing projects in 15 other states. Mr. Helfrich has enjoyed working with countless prominent developers, attorneys and other professionals in the field and the office. His specialties include real estate law, boundaries and boundary law, easements, rights-of-way and other encumbrances and servitudes, statutory and common-law plats, ALTA surveys, topography, building and site layout, construction- and project-management as well as land development consulting. He has presented classes and co-written manuals with the Illinois Institute For Continuing Legal Education along with classes at the University of Illinois and HalfMoon Education. Mr. Helfrich is a member of the National Society of Professional Surveyors and the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association.

Mr. Hinders has substantial experience in advising boards on legal matters, interpreting ordinances and statutes, writing policies, reviewing and recommending modifications to ordinances, negotiating collective bargaining agreements, and representing municipalities in court, and he has tried numerous jury and non-jury trials. Mr. Hinders has represented clients on cases involving a wide variety of municipal law issues, including: statute and ordinance issues, open records and open meetings issues, contract interpretation issues, zoning issues, takings issues, and writs of certiorari and mandamus. He has represented municipal boards of adjustment, zoning commissions, and drainage districts. Mr. Hinders has been named a “Best Lawyer” in the State of Iowa since 2020 in the areas of employment benefits law, employer and employee labor and employment law, and as and as a litigator in the areas of labor, employment, and municipal law. He is a graduate of Simpson College, Drake University College of Business and Public Administration, and Drake University Law School.

As the conservation easement director for Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF), Ms. Van Waus acquires new conservation easements and oversees monitoring and enforcement of 240 conservation easements protecting 28,000 acres across the state. INHF is a statewide conservation organization with a mission to protect and restore Iowa’s land, water and wildlife. Celebrating 45 years as a non-profit, INHF has protected over 200,000 acres of Iowa’s prairies, woodlands, wetlands and family farms. Ms. Van Waus has completed 80 new conservation easements during her 15-year tenure at INHF. Her other duties have included invasive species management, prescribed fire and farm management. Prior to INHF, Ms. Van Waus worked at Iowa State University and Iowa Learning Farms focusing on soil conservation and residue management in agricultural systems. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biology: Ecology and Systematics and her professional science masters degree in Ecosystem Management, both from University of Northern Iowa.