Preparing for the Dementia Journey: Considerations in Using Proceedings, Documents, and Financial Planning

Cathy Stricklin Krendl, a principal in Krendl Krendl Sachnoff & Way, P.C. for over 30 years, is a graduate of the University of North Texas, B.A., summa cum laude, 1967, and Harvard Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1970. For ten years she was a professor at the University of Denver College of Law where she taught corporations, securities, and business planning. Since then she has practiced business law in Denver for over thirty years, emphasizing corporations, unincorporated entities, mergers and acquisitions, and securities. As part of her practice, Mrs. Krendl counsels attorneys and directors, including directors of public companies, on disclosure and corporate governance compliance.

Mrs. Krendl has edited eleven books on Colorado law, including Colorado Methods of Practice and Closely Held Corporations in Colorado. She has co-authored two books entitled Business Organizations and the Colorado Business Corporation Act in the Methods of Practice series.

Mrs. Krendl has appeared as an expert witness in state and federal courts on issues of corporate, commercial, mergers and acquisitions, and securities law, and frequently acts as a consultant or co-counsel with other attorneys on specialized business issues. She has been active in professional organizations, having served as Chair of the Business Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association and as President of the Denver Bar Association. She has been selected by her Colorado colleagues as one of the Best Lawyers in America in Denver, Colorado for the last twenty-three years, including in 2014 for Corporate Law, Corporate Governance, and Mergers and Acquisitions.

Additionally in 2014, the Executive Council of the Colorado Business Law Section created "The Cathy Stricklin Krendl Business Lawyer Lifetime Achievement Award" and named Mrs. Krendl the first recipient, noting that Mrs. Krendl serves as both the inspiration for, and exemplar of, the lawyers to whom the award should be given. The award recognizes the contributions to the development of business law in Colorado and collegiality and high standards of competence within the Colorado business bar. She was also selected as Corporate Governance Lawyer of the Year in 2014 and has been named a Key Author with platinum status at Thomson West and a Super Lawyer in Colorado in Business Law for 2006-2014. She is listed in Chambers USA for Corporate/M&A. Krendl Krendl Sachnoff & Way, P.C. was also selected by Super Lawyers as the top medium-size law firm in Colorado in Business and Transactions for 2012.

I love the work that I have the opportunity to do. Most of my clients are seniors, and they come to us to make wise decisions about life, aging, and protecting their loved ones.

In my role as lead attorney of the Law Elder Law organization, it is my job to surround myself with people who are committed to serving our clients in a world class manner. We must be people who are trustworthy and client-oriented. Our team must see itself as an organization where not only our clients, but also our co-workers, are treated with respect and courtesy and a heartfelt commitment to put the interests of others above our own.

We can provide world class service only when we ourselves live out the Golden Rule in such a way that we imagine what we would want, and then grab the initiative and do that for others.

I invite my clients to hold me personally accountable for the actions, performance, and results of anyone on our team.

My commitment to building a world class organization is a commitment that is never-ending.

Dr. Mirarchi, is the Chief Medical & Scientific Officer of the Institute on HealthCare Directives and the Founder of MIDEO (My Informed Decision on VidEO). He is the Principal Investigator of the TRIAD (The Realistic Interpretation of Advance Directives) Research Series which has been featured by the New York Times & Wall Street Journal. His research reveals there is a new nationwide patient safety risk effecting patients who have living wills, Physicians Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment orders and those who are critically ill. His TRIAD VIII study, released by the Journal of Patient Safety, is groundbreaking and reveals we can do better for patients if we incorporate video testimony into their advance care plans.

Dr. Mirarchi, is also a practicing Emergency Medicine Physician and Medical Director of the Department of Emergency Medicine at UPMC-Hamot in Erie PA.

Julie Jason has directed Jackson, Grant’s personal portfolio management practice since the firm’s inception 25 years ago. She began working in portfolio management in 1983 when she was responsible for managed futures funds for a major broker-dealer.

Ms. Jason started her Wall Street career as a securities lawyer. Her law experience is essential in helping her coordinate with clients' attorneys and accountants with the goal of integrating the clients' estate and tax plans with their investment and financial strategies. Her alternative dispute resolution experience as a mediator and arbitrator for FINRA gives her skills to help families dealing with sensitive planning issues. FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, is the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business in the US.

Her books and columns, which have received recognition for excellence in financial journalism, promote financial literacy and investor protection.

Ms. Jason's volunteer activities include three years of service representing the state of Connecticut before the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel. TAP is a federal advisory committee whose mission is to help the IRS identify ways to improve customer service and responsiveness to taxpayer needs. In recognition for her service, she received President Obama's "Call to Service" Award.

Bob Louis is a partner in the Estate Planning and Administration Practice. He has many years of experience in assisting clients in preserving and passing on wealth and business ownership across the generations. In this work, he helps clients to develop family business succession plans, often involving benefit planning. He also assists with estate planning, including the preparation of wills, trusts and other estate planning documents, to further the process of wealth preservation and transfer, and to deal with the varying interests and needs of family members. A significant part of Bob's practice focuses on retirement plans, executive compensation, employee benefits, and tax and estate planning for those kinds of benefits. He advises clients on the methods of planning for a happy and rewarding retirement. Based on more than 40 years of experience with employee benefits and tax planning, Bob is a skilled retirement coach.

Bob enjoys explaining and demystifying these sometimes complex issues. He is the Editor of Personal Wealth Law News, a law blog hosted by the Firm that reviews developments in retirement, estate planning and other wealth-related issues. To read his blog, please click here. Bob has also written articles for the Legal Intelligencer on retirement planning issues. He is a frequent lecturer and writer on these topics to various groups, and regularly presents at Pennsylvania Bar Institute programs.

Kerry R. Peck is the managing partner of the Chicago law firm Peck Ritchey, LLC. His clients include families, hospitals, banks, the State of Illinois, County of Cook, and City of Chicago.

Mr. Peck was retained by the City of Chicago Department of Aging to rewrite the State of Illinois Elder Abuse and Neglect Act, and co-authored the book Alzheimer’s and the Law, published by the American Bar Association.

Mr. Peck has also written articles for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Chicago Bar Association Record, Illinois State Bar Journal, and various other Bar Association journals and newspapers. He frequently teaches attorneys and healthcare professionals across the country.

Mr. Peck has been repeatedly selected by his peers in statewide surveys of Illinois attorneys as a “Super Lawyer”, an attorney to whom other attorneys would refer their family. He was also named a member of the Leading Lawyers Network. In 2014 Kerry Peck was honored with the Justice John Paul Stevens Award is the Chicago Bar Association’s highest honor. The Stevens Award recognizes lawyers and judges who have demonstrated outstanding character and commitment to community throughout their careers.

Mr. Peck has extensive experience in advising individuals and banks charged with the administration of estates and trusts, and guiding fiduciaries through the probate process, including appearing in court; assisting in the transfer of assets and resolution of claims; and the implementation of decedent’s estate plans. He vigorously represents all parties in will contests and contested guardianships, including minors and disabled adults. In addition, Mr. Peck assists families with planning for disabled children or other family members who are, or are likely to become, disabled and require special protection.