READING, PA, May 22, 2017 – Stevens & Lee Shareholders Jennifer L. Nevins and Jay R. Wagner presented at the 2017 Fiduciary Education Foundation Continuing Education Seminar held May 17-19, 2017, in Harrisburg, PA.
In the presentation, “Hot Topics in Tax and Trust Law,” Ms. Nevins and Mr. Wagner outlined the latest in tax reform based on recent proposals by the Trump administration and previous campaign promises. They discussed the House and Senate Bills H.R. 631 and S. 205 which propose the elimination of the federal estate and generation skipping taxes, but the retention of the gift tax and possibly a basis step up. They also addressed statutory changes and recent case law, particularly as they affect corporate fiduciaries.
Ms. Nevins concentrates her practice in Orphans’ Court matters, including the administration and settlement of trusts and estates, trust reformations, guardianship proceedings and administration, and litigation involving fiduciary matters and the interpretation of estate planning documents. She advises clients on matters of regulatory compliance by corporate fiduciaries. She has worked with non-profit organizations on the administration of endowment funds, compliance with gift restrictions and reformation of charitable trust and gift instruments and is experienced in the application of Pennsylvania’s cy pres doctrine.
While in law school, Ms. Nevins was a member of the Woolsack Honor Society and received The Honorable Gwilym A. Price Jr. Memorial Scholarship, awarded for excellence in legal writing and appellate advocacy. She also was Articles Editor of the Penn State Law Review.
Ms. Nevins received a J.D., summa cum laude, from the Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University and a B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Maryland. As published in Philadelphia magazine, she was recognized as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer Rising Star in 2014 and 2015.
Mr. Wagner concentrates his practice in estate and trust planning and administration, wealth preservation, trust and estate litigation, charitable and nonprofit organizations, and guardianship administration.
He is experienced in advising high net worth clients in all aspects of estate planning, including business succession planning, charitable trusts and other charitable giving techniques, use of insurance to facilitate business transition and other planning objectives, GRATS, QPRTS, defective grantor trusts and other leveraged strategies. As part of his practice, Mr. Wagner routinely advises clients about creditor and other threats to their wealth preservation goals, how various common forms of asset ownership and estate planning strategies might reduce or enhance such threats and how use of asset protection trusts and other tools can help clients preserve the wealth they have worked hard to accumulate.
In addition to planning and administration, Mr. Wagner has substantial experience in fiduciary litigation, including will and trust contests, abuse of power of attorney matters, and representation of corporate and other fiduciaries in surcharge actions. He regularly consults corporate and other fiduciaries regarding complex administration decisions with a view toward avoiding litigation, negotiates and documents non-judicial agreements to address such issues, secures court approval of such arrangements where necessary or advisable and represents clients in contested litigation regarding such matters. He is a regular author for and member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Litigating in Orphans’ Court panel.
He is AV® Preeminent™ rated by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating for legal ability and general ethics. As published in Philadelphia magazine, Mr. Wagner was recognized as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer from 2015 through 2017 by being selected by his peers as among the top 5 percent of lawyers in the Commonwealth.
He has a J.D., magna cum laude, from Villanova University School of Law and a B.B.A., magna cum laude, from Temple University.
