Qualifications Summary
Skilled businessman, accountant and attorney with extensive experience in diverse areas of the law, including bankruptcy, corporations, estate planning, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, mergers and acquisitions, oil and gas, securities, tax, transportation and real estate. Essentially, a life-time planning and preserving estates; primarily through complex tax and state law planning strategies, but also through experience with debtor/creditor relationships and bankruptcy.
Litigation experience primarily in federal court: bankruptcy and securities. Excellent writing and communication skills acquired through hard work since I have very little natural writing skill.
Key Accomplishments
In 2011 had a "Forrest Gump Moment" and decided (with substantial input from my family) to move back to my home state of Wyoming after more than 25 years away, occupying our family's residence in Story (near Sheridan) which we had inherited after the death of my parents. Took over an existing tax and estate planning practice in Sheridan and began changing the primary focus of that practice to the implementation of family business generational transition strategies. Attended several seminars in 2012, 2013 and 2014 and re-tooled the practice to provide an effective platform for the implementation of this focus, including a professional assistance network with individuals and firms throughout the U.S. with an emphasis in this type of estate planning.
Acquired in 2004 and grew through acquisitions and systemically a transportation company with local, interstate and international operations. This required a complete retooling of management, staff and operations and the creation of a cultural environment devoted to service. The company had $3.2M in gross revenues in 2003 which topped at $11.6M in 2009. This was a complex business from the stand point of governmental regulation and required not only skill in corporate management and development, but also intense and prolonged interaction with governmental agencies, including the DOD, DOT and GSA. Sold and liquidated this business in early 2012.
Assisted in developing and managing from 1989 until 2000 a publicly and then privately-held software company which grew from a start up in 1986 to over $50M in sales by 1999, two years after our sale of the entity but while still working for the new owners. Acquired opportunities for the business, including products and management in a private equity capacity, which primarily involved tax structuring under IRC 368 and related Code provisions. Oversaw legal, finance and public report functions and assisted HR with a staff of approximately 120 people. Worked with diverse cultural and ethnic groups (Chinese, Indians, Texans and Brits) and consumed in excess of $3M in accounting and legal services over an 11 year period which now allows me to effectively evaluate professional services from several stand points not normally found within the legal community.
Drafted registration statements and assisted in bringing effective approximately 15 initial public offerings and 10 secondary offerings from 1983 through 2000, drafted offering memorandums for approximately 40 private placements and managed approximately ten mergers/acquisitions. Represented numerous public companies in their Exchange Act filings, including Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K, 13D and Forms 3 and 4 and in developing their Exchange Act compliance procedures.
Worked in a municipal bond department for two years drafting memorandum and providing for closings at the state, municipal and special improvement district level. Extensive tax and state issue research function. Assisted in developing a schematic for funding and implementing privately-held "security facilities," writing the definitive constitutional law memorandum on the subject, which was rejected by my firm and, subsequently, accepted by Gary Hart's firm, which made a fortune through the financing of privately-held prisons on the back of my efforts.
Managed approximately 1,000 Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases as a Panel Trustee for the District of Colorado from 1988 through 1990. Prepared and filed as debtor's counsel approximately ten Chapter 11 proceedings and too many Chapter 7 proceedings to even count or remember. Litigated on behalf of debtor several "exceptions" claims and other matters and won all of them – resulting in my obtaining a large Arizona banking organization as a client approximately two months before it folded in 1990.
Represented clients before the Securities and Exchange Commission on informal and formal investigations. Secured no action conclusions in most instances and represented three U.S. District Court cases to satisfactory results. Worked as second chair with Leonard Davis (Chicago 7 fame) in representing Joe "the Pig" Pignatiello, winning a directed verdict in a widely publicized criminal securities case.
Worked in the estate planning section of a large multi-national law firm for two years representing the interests of three large, old east coast families. This rotation was done under the auspices of one of the most highly respect estate planning attorneys in the business at the time. Continued to hone these skills over the past 30 years through the experience listed above. Experience and Education.
CEO and Owner – Sunset Moving & Storage - Fort Lauderdale, FL: 2004 to 2011 • Partner and In-House Counsel – Coral Companies - Denver, CO, and San Jose, CA: 1989 to 2000 • Associate –Ballard, Spahr, Andrews & Ingersoll – Denver, CO: 1983 to 1989 • JD – University of Colorado – Boulder, CO (1983); Moot Court Competition; Top 15% Class Rank • Staff Tax Accountant – Coopers & Lybrand - Denver, CO: 1980 • CPA – Wyoming - Passed examination on first sitting: 1979; Beta Alpha Psi Honor Society
Bachelor of Science, Accounting (Honors) – University of Wyoming – Laramie, WY: 1979 Publications The Colorado Lawyer (1985): Securities Act Section 4(1)(1/2): Judicial Exemption as Applied to the Closely-held Business; University of Colorado Law Review: The Convertible, Participating Mortgage: Federal Income Tax Considerations with Professor Norton L. Steuben
