As practice chair, Steve brings critical experience to the Trust and Estates practice and is well-equipped to deal with a variety of estate and business matters. Steve’s practice focuses on estate planning, including health care documents, powers of attorney, wills and trusts, as well as business succession planning, inheritance and estate tax planning, and related tax return preparation. He routinely represents high net worth individuals and families on a variety of sensitive and complex estate and business planning matters.
Steve also assists with the administration of decedents' estates and the administration of trusts, including dispute resolution related to such administration. His estate planning practice includes the incorporation of certain sophisticated estate planning techniques, including lifetime gifting and legacy transfers, family limited partnerships, grantor trusts, charitable trusts, the use of irrevocable life insurance trusts and other trusts.
Steve actively serves as legal counsel and advisor to numerous closely-held businesses, advising them regarding various corporate matters, including the creation and development of business succession plans.
Prior to law school, Steve practiced as a Certified Public Accountant for seven years.
Education
- Kansas State University (B.S.)
- University of Kansas School of Law (J.D.)
Bar Admission
- Kansas
- Missouri
Professional Affiliations
- The Missouri Bar
- Johnson County Bar Association
- Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
- Eastern Kansas Estate Planning Council
- Estate Planning Society of Kansas City, Missouri
Civic and Charitable Affiliations
- Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas
- Board of Directors, 2006-2012, 2020-Present
- Executive Committee, 2008-2010, 2020-Present
- Treasurer and Finance Committee, Chair, 2008-2010
- Kansas City Symphony – Planned Giving Advisory Council
Recognition
- Selected for inclusion in Missouri Lawyers Media's POWER list for Top Missouri Tax and Real Estate Lawyers, 2025
- Selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America® for Trusts and Estates, 2025-2026
- AV® Preeminent™ rating by Martindale-Hubbell
- Selected for inclusion in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
- Certified Public Accountant (inactive)
