Maslon's Third Annual Forum on Wealth Management and Litigation

Financial advisors, attorneys, and other wealth management professionals are invited to join Maslon on Wednesday, Sept. 23, for the firm's Third Annual Forum on Wealth Management and Litigation. This complimentary half-day program in Minneapolis will feature discussions on family dynamics around the transfer of wealth.

Date: Sept. 23, 2026
Time: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
Location: Walker Art Center

(Don’t) Rock the Boat: Navigating Family Dynamics in the Transfer of Wealth

This year’s program focuses on how to chart the waters of wealth and legacy while avoiding the rocks of sensitive family dynamics. On the surface, familial wealth conflicts appear to be about money. But confronted with behaviors like fixation on the distant past, attachment to particular items as a stand-in for parental affection, and the withholding of information as a means of control, those who mitigate, mediate, and litigate such disputes know that there are deeply personal issues beneath the surface, straining relationships and interfering with administration of the trust or estate.

At this half-day seminar, learn how to stay the course in these scenarios and more by leveraging effective family meetings to reach common ground, helping clients focus on their "north star" objectives when things get choppy, and cultivating acceptance in those committed to rowing in the other direction.

Agenda

• 9-9:30 a.m. Registration & Breakfast
• 9:30-9:50 a.m. Keynote | Utilizing Your EQ in Assessing and Navigating Family Dynamics
• 9:50-10:40 a.m. Panel 1 | Finding Resolution When at Loggerheads: Family Meetings, Mediation, and Litigation
• 10:40-10:55 a.m. Break
• 10:55-11:45 a.m. Panel 2 | Know Your Ropes, Adjust Your Sails: Preventing Conflict Through Careful Planning
• 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. Networking Lunch

Keynote | Utilizing Your EQ in Assessing and Navigating Family Dynamics

Hearkening to Leo Tolstoy’s opening line of "Anna Karenina": "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way," former Judge Gail T. Kulick will draw upon her judicial experience to address the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) in untangling the quagmire of familial conflict present in planning and probate matters. Judge Kulick will share her insights on how the ability to not only regulate your own emotions but also understand the emotions and motivations of your clients and their family members helps manage these dynamics, provides space to hear and be heard, and, ultimately, works towards a fair resolution.

Keynote Speaker: Judge (Ret.) Gail T. Kulick
Mediator/Arbitrator, Gilbert Mediation Center, Ltd.

Gail Kulick is a 1985 graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School. For 31 years she practiced primarily in the areas of real property, including serving as the Mille Lacs County examiner of titles, estate planning, and probate, until her appointment to the Mille Lacs County bench in 2016. Judge Kulick was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2008 and served one term. She also served the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe as commissioner of corporate affairs, acting as CEO of Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinkley from 2011 to 2012. She is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association, including the Real Property and Probate, Trusts and Estates sections.

Panel 1 | Finding Resolution When at Loggerheads: Family Meetings, Mediation, and Litigation

When family tension turns to protracted conflict, parties frequently believe the law is on their side and that a judge's order, mediation outcome, or settlement agreement can heal all wounds. The reality is more complex. In this panel, we will discuss how clients’ goals may be met (or unmet) through the various paths to resolution, drawing upon real stories and de-escalation strategies from the perspective of fiduciary, mediator, and litigator. Topics will include airing dirty laundry at the right time and place, preventing informational asymmetry, cutting through drama in settlement discussions, and helping clients "eat their spinach" when hard truths need to be accepted.

Speakers: Evan Nelson, Moderator
Partner, Maslon LLP
Evan represents clients in trust and estate disputes and in real estate litigation, which often intersect when people gift land, or attempt to do so, via their wills or trusts. He has significant experience representing both fiduciaries and beneficiaries and tailors successful litigation strategy for either.

Julian Zebot, Panelist
Partner, Maslon LLP
Julian focuses his legal practice on probate, fiduciary, and trust litigation. He has represented clients in a wide variety of contested estate, trust, probate, and elder law matters. He is a fellow of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and holds many professional leadership roles. Julian is licensed to practice law in Minnesota, South Dakota, and several appellate courts. 

Joel Sommers, Panelist
Director, Estate, Trust & Legal; Fiduciary Counselling, Inc.
Joel Sommers is a graduate of Hamline University School of Law. He practiced at Maslon LLP before joining Fiduciary Counselling, Inc., a family office in St. Paul. At Fiduciary Counselling, Inc., he manages the estate planning and administration, trust administration, and legal functions. Joel also serves as chief trust officer of Fiduciary Services Company, LLC, an affiliated Nevada private trust company. Joel is the immediate past chair of the Probate Trust & Estate Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association, and a frequent local speaker and writer on estate and trust matters.

Judge Gail T. Kulick (ret.), Panelist - See biography above.

Panel 2 | Know Your Ropes, Adjust Your Sails: Preventing Conflict Through Careful Planning

Wealth managers and estate planners can spot a wealth transfer storm brewing. In this panel, we will demonstrate how effective planning on the front end can prevent the kind of conflicts covered in our first session. Presenters will discuss important considerations related to trustee selection, distribution age requirements, prenuptial agreements, and more. They will also dive deeper into the topic of the family meeting as conflict prevention—important headwaters where an hour or two of effective communication can prevent decades of conflict downstream.

Speakers: Jack Austin, Moderator
Counsel, Maslon LLP
Jack has more than a decade of experience advising clients on estate planning and probate and trust administration. A graduate of the University of St. Thomas School of Law, he co-leads a study group of estate planning attorneys, speaks frequently on probate and estate planning topics, and enjoys mentoring law students and new attorneys. Jack is licensed to practice law in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Michael Sampson, Panelist
Partner, Chair of Estate Planning Group, Maslon LLP
Mike’s legal practice focuses on high-end estate and tax planning, estate and trust administration, charitable planning, and business succession planning. He is a frequent speaker at continuing education seminars, a fellow of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel (ACTEC), and an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota Law School. Mike is licensed to practice law in Minnesota and Arizona. 

Kelley Scrocca, Panelist
Counsel, Maslon LLP
Kelley is a highly experienced trust and estate attorney who specializes in assisting ultra high net worth clients with estate planning, asset protection planning, and complex trust administration. She has represented a wide range of individuals, from professional athletes to ranch owners to members of the U.S. Congress. Kelley is licensed to practice law in Minnesota, Florida, South Dakota, Illinois, Delaware, New Jersey, and U.S. Tax Court.

Tiffany Carmona, Panelist
Managing Director and Wealth Advisor, JPMorgan Private Bank
Tiffany works with high-performing individuals to explore wealth transfer options that establish legacies and leave a mark reflective of their values. She is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and an adjunct professor at University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. Tiffany is licensed to practice law in Illinois, New York, New Hampshire, and before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Please contact us to learn more.

Continuing Education

Maslon will seek approval for both CLE and CTFA credit.

Prior Forums:

Location, Location, Location: Strategies for Administering and Litigating Trusts Across State Lines (Sept. 16, 2025)

Maslon's Inaugural Forum on Wealth Management and Litigation (Sept. 12, 2024)