Jan. 5, 2011 — The 2010 Tax Relief Act signed into law last month provides temporary estate and gift tax relief that will have an important impact on estate planning for the next two years. Susan Minahan and Brad Kalscheur discuss planning opportunities and challenges the Act provides estate planners.

Jan. 5, 2011 – Wisconsin has not dealt specifically with the issue of legal ghostwriting — the drafting of pleadings or other documents for pro se litigants without disclosure to the court. Several federal jurisdictions are opposed to ghostwriting. Other jurisdictions allow ghostwriting so long as a lawyer is not making misrepresentations or deliberate concealments. In this article, State Bar Ethics Counsel Tim Pierce provides guidance for Wisconsin lawyers.

Jan. 5, 2011 — The Federal Trade Commission has issued a final rule to help shield consumers from mortgage assistance relief scams, which have increased over the past three years. Lawyers who provide mortgage services can take steps to become fully exempt from the rule. But the FTC warns of mortgage service providers that attempt to circumvent federal and state law by associating with or employing attorneys.