Estate Planning

David grew up in Greenville and has seen our city grow exponentially. He is very proud to call Greenville his home. He is the founder of the Greene Law Firm and has been practicing law for over 45 years. He graduated from Clemson University with a B.S. in physics and continued that discipline at Florida State University where he earned his M. S. and Ph. D. degrees in Experimental Molecular Physics. He then obtained his J. D. degree in law, also from FSU and was admitted to the State Bar in 1977. In 1984 David opened his own practice and, since 1995, has specialized in the Tax Problem Resolution field. David’s extensive knowledge of mathematics helps him give his clients a distinct advantage in resolving their IRS problems. At the end of the day his passion and what excites him is seeing the clients happy with the solution that has been obtained for them and knowing they are “getting their life back.” The IRS Problem Resolution practice provided a natural progression into the field of Estate Planning, because he learned that so many people do not know how to preserve and organize their assets for their spouses, children and other loved ones. He has helped many clients form Trusts and other Estate Planning documents that assure that their assets are protected and are passed to their heirs in the manner they wish. David is married and has one adult daughter, Brittany, who has her BA from Clemson and MBA degree from Liberty University. He is a member of the Greenville County Bar, The South Carolina Bar, the American Association for Justice and the South Carolina Association for Justice. He is also a member of a national tax problem resolution group, the American Society of Tax Problem Solvers. He is admitted to practice before all South Carolina Courts, the Federal Courts and the U. S. Tax Court. Outside of the office you can usually find David at the family farm where he and his family enjoy spending time with his horse, dogs, cat and parrot. When he has time, David’s other hobby is photography and videography. In the fall David’s favorite thing is to attend or watch Clemson football. He and Jean also love to have Brittany visit from her home in Charlotte or go to visit her. David and his family are active members of Scenic Hills Baptist Church where he serves as the church’s legal counsel.

Ferris Ritchey has over 35 years of experience in a wide range of legal matters with an emphasis on Domestic Relations, Mediation, Collaborative, Probate and Estate Planning. As a domestic relations attorney, Ferris attempts to resolve complicated divorce issues such as custody and property settlement in a manner to avoid litigation if possible. Although parties to a divorce will no longer be husband and wife they will still be Mom and Dad attending their child or children’s school functions, ball games, recitals, other extra-curricular activities, graduations, wedding and more. To posture a case in a way that destroys the family is a disservice that should be avoided. This philosophy bodes well in probate matters also. Ferris works closely with trained and experienced health professionals to assist his clients in navigating the perils of divorce and similar type cases.

When I headed off to college in 1962, I had every intention of completing my four years and then becoming a teacher. But it seems life had a very different plan for me. My vision for the future started to change during my junior year at Arizona State. It was then that I married my high school sweetheart. To build up our savings, I began working full-time and attending school part-time, which put me behind schedule from my original plan. I was alright with the change, though, because working ensured that my lovely new bride could still graduate on time. After my wife graduated, I went back to school full-time. But just as everything seemed to be getting back on track, another wrench was thrown into the works — I was drafted into the Vietnam War. I had never envisioned myself joining the armed forces, but I chose to embrace the idea by applying to Officer Candidate School for the U.S. Air Force. Unfortunately, though, my military examiner deemed that I had “bad feet,” which led to my exclusion from the war. It was only after my military career was denied that I realized I hadn’t made any backup plans for the future. Fortunately, an opportunity presented itself in the form of Arizona State’s new law school. It was scheduled to open just as I was debating what to do next. With my father’s encouragement, I decided to apply. The rest, as they say, is history. The journey that brought me into the work world was nothing like what I had imagined for my future. Still, the experience taught me a lot about life and, later, law. My biggest takeaway from the whole endeavor, though, was that life is unpredictable. Luckily for me, the surprises dropped in my path led me to one that was even more fitting in the long run. In my role as an attorney — whether I’m practicing estate planning, probate law, or criminal defense — I get to put my skills and interests to use in a way that can change my clients’ lives for the better. Each day, I have the opportunity to educate, console, and guide real people facing real dilemmas. On the best of days, those same people who came to me with concerns leave feeling heard, understood, and in an overall better place. It would be unrealistic for me to say that every possibility in life can be planned for — that’s simply not true. But after more than 45 years in the legal profession, I can safely declare three truths: 1) thorough planning goes a long way, 2) with a strong support system, you can make it through even the toughest of times, and 3) getting the right kind of help can make all the difference in protecting what matters most to you. If you’d like to learn more about how I could help ease your legal burden, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Matthew is a proud native-born Tennessean and the third generation to live on my family’s farm. His roots trace back to his ancestor and the first governor of the state of Tennessee, John Sevier. While at the University of Tennessee College of Law, Matthew concentrated his studies on advocacy and dispute resolution. Prior to law school, he worked as an agent with Farm Bureau Insurance of Tennessee. Matthew understands the importance of communication, honesty, hard work, determination, and treating people the way you would want to be treated. He is honored to serve the legal needs of individuals and companies with interests in and throughout Tennessee.

Jay Marsden has been an elder law attorney in Massachusetts since 2002. In addition to his experience as an estate planning and elder law attorney, Jay spent over 16 years working as an investment advisor at Fidelity Investments in Boston, where he managed over 700 High Net Worth client relationships as part of their Private Client Group, providing both investment, retirement, and estate planning advice. He is married and the proud father of two daughters.

Attorney Putnam C. Smith represents Main Street business owners and executives, professionals of all types and local, regional and national real estate investors, developers and operators, concentrating on business and commercial real estate transactions and tax and estate planning. Common transactions include start-ups, acquisitions and sales of closely held business, tax-free mergers and reorganizations, asset purchases, leveraged buyouts and joint ventures and partnerships in a wide range of industries. He has practiced corporate law in Atlanta and the surrounding metropolitan area since 1988, initially with Nall & Miller, LLP and later with Robert W. Fisher, P.C., a tax boutique that was instrumental in the creation of Nextel and a number of international ventures in the telecommunications industry before disbanding in 1994. Before attending law school, he incorporated Jimmy Carter’s 1976 presidential campaign and worked as a legal assistant with other leading Atlanta law firms, including King & Spalding, LLP and Kilpatrick Stockton, LLP, gaining invaluable experience with public corporations and investment banks. During his tenure with Lipscomb, Johnson, Sleister, Dailey & Smith, LLP, Mr. Smith has handled private equity investments in shopping centers and industrial and commercial property in several southeastern states, land assemblages requiring services ranging from quiet title actions to road closures and a $116 million buyout to resolve a shareholder’s dispute involving a closely held technology business.

Daniel J. Cooper is a California attorney and has been the sole shareholder of Daniel J. Cooper, a professional corporation, since 1980. Mr. Cooper’s practice emphasizes estate planning, trust administration, probate, Trust & Will controversies, and the representation of clients before the U.S. Tax Court, State Board of Equalization, Internal Revenue Service, and the California Franchise Tax Board in connection with federal, state and administrative tax disputes. He is an active member of the Orange County Bar Association and the State Bar of California and is currently Chairman of the Trust & Estate Section of the Orange County Bar Association. He is authorized by the Trust & Estate Section of the State Bar of California to make presentations on the subject of Elder Financial Abuse. Mr. Cooper is active in community affairs and has been a Parks & Recreation Commissioner for the City of Laguna Hills for more than 10 years. He is also active in with the Boys Scouts of America and is currently committee chairman of Troop 729 in Laguna Hills, California. All three of his sons are Eagle Scouts. Prior to entering the legal profession, Mr. Cooper was an income tax auditor for the Franchise Tax Board and a manager in the tax department of Arthur Young & Co., Certified Public Accountants. Mr. Cooper has lectured extensively on real estate taxes, state and local taxes, and federal income taxes at the graduate school level at the University of Southern California, the University of California at Irvine and Golden Gate University. Additionally, Mr. Cooper has participated as an instructor in the continuing professional education program for the California Certified Public Accountants Education Foundation and has lectured for various professional groups. Mr. Cooper is admitted to practice law in the State of California, before the United States District Court (Southern & Central Districts), United States Tax Court and the United States Supreme Court. As an undergraduate, Mr. Cooper attended California State University at Los Angeles and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Accounting. He received his Juris Doctorate from Western State University College of Law in Fullerton, California. During the Vietnam War, Mr. Cooper served as a military policeman in the United States Army and was stationed in Hawaii and Thailand. He was honorably discharged and attended college on the GI Bill.

With nearly 30 years experience handling delicate legal matters, Gary Stewart Seflin provides the sophistication and successful results of a large firm hand in hand with the warmth and personal attention characteristic of his small firm. As a former Deputy Attorney General, a member of the Bar of the United States Supreme Court, and a municipal solicitor, Gary Stewart Seflin has extensive experience with the courts and judges throughout this Commonwealth, and beyond. Whether you need to plan your Estate, start a business, or find a tireless advocate to safeguard your rights in a personal injury matter, in retaining Gary Stewart Seflin you gain an advocate who will always place your needs first.

Leon J. Teichner and Associates is a law office in Chicago, IL. Attorney Teichner has been practicing law for 45 years. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois and his Juris Doctorate from DePaul University College of Law. During his career, his goal has been to provide his clients with excellent service. In fact, he was named as one of the best probate attorneys in Chicago by the site Expertise. In addition, he is also in the Who’s Who Directory of the top lawyers in America for 2018—2019. Attorney Teichner uses his extensive experience and knowledge of the legal field to try and provide clients with excellent legal service. Some of the case types he can help with include probate law, will and trust creation, and civil litigation. Attorney Teichner pays close attention to detail and handles each case with care. That’s because he understands that a case is more than just a job; there is a person behind every case, with hopes and fears of their own. He aims to provide each individual with the type of quality service they deserve. If you wish to learn more, then please consider calling. He can give you a free consultation and will discuss your case with you.

Kelly Forst has been an attorney in New York since 2000. Since that time, she has helped hundreds of clients navigate their separations and marriage dissolutions, and has also represented hundreds of children in divorce, custody and other matters. Over the last two decades, her practice's core principles in family law have been peacemaking and problem solving. She was the Chair of the Family Law Section of the Monroe County Bar Association (MCBA) from 2012–2014 and has served on numerous Boards and Committees of various professional organizations, including the MCBA, CLARA (Collaborative Law Association of the Rochester Area) and the New York Chapter of AFCC (Association of Family & Conciliation Courts). Ms. Forst was admitted to practice law in Virginia in 2016 and was trained in tax preparation and planning in 2015. Ms. Forst prepares individual state and federal income tax returns, and her ability to recognize and understand the tax implications of a variety of issues in divorce adds value to her services. Picture In April of 2018, Ms. Forst was admitted to the practice of law in the State of Florida, and now maintains practices in the Orlando area (Celebration) and in Rochester, NY. In 2019, her leadership and dedication to Collaborative Practice was recognized when she was selected by the Collaborative Law Association of Central Florida to represent the organization at the statewide Leadership Institute. She is an agent for Old Republic National Title Insurance Company through the Lawyer’s Fund in Florida and has nearly 30 years of experience as a real estate professional, including five years as a real estate agent, ten years as a real estate paralegal and over twenty years representing clients in the purchase and sale of real property and in real estate litigation matters.