Bio

John has been practicing law in Idaho since 1974 and is a member of our estate planning team. John has extensive experience in wills and trusts, probate, taxes, real estate law, mediation and arbitration and estate planning. As an active member of the community John has served on numerous boards of directors.
 
Selected Experience

Represented estate Personal Representative in small, medium and large estates, estates ranging from less than $5,000 to several million.
 
Handled after death administration of estates governed by both wills and trusts.
 
Prepared and filed Fiduciary Income, Estate and Inheritance Tax Returns. 
 
Negotiated settlement of Estate Tax disputes.
 
Drafted hundreds of wills and trusts.  Planned estates for individuals and couples having assets in nominal amounts to estates in excess of $10,000,000.
 
Prosecuted and defended numerous Deed of Trust, Mortgage and Lien Foreclosures.
 
Drafted condominium declarations for commercial and residential condominiums. Subdivision covenants, conditions and restrictions.
 
Created planned unit developments.
 
Mediated and arbitrated over 70 matters with a completion/success rate of 80%.
 
Appointed as Master in several court proceedings.
 
Actively involved as counsel in many litigated real estate and probate cases. Prosecuted appeals to the Idaho Supreme Court and the United States 9th Circuit  Court of Appeals.
 
Contributing Author, National Network of Estate Planning Attorneys, Practice Took Kit.
 
Continuing Education
Presentations  (Partial List)
 
Income Taxation of Decedent’s
Southeast Idaho Estate Planning Counsel
Idaho State University Tax Institute
 
Estate Planning and Probate in Idaho
National Business Institute, Inc.
 
Basic Drafting of Wills and Trusts in Idaho
National Business Institute, Inc.
 
2001 Retirement Plan Distribution Proposed Regulations
Southeast Idaho Estate Planning Counsel
 
Estate Planning for Certified Public Accountants
Eastern Idaho Technical College
 
 
Classes Taken (Partial List)
Advanced Wealth Planning Strategies Esperti Petersen Institute, Sarasota, Florida 2002-2003
 
25 courses totaling over 300 classroom hours on issues relating to estate planning, wills, trusts, probate, taxation of fiduciaries.
 
10 courses totaling more than 65 hours on issues relating to real estate law, transactions and taxes
 
5 courses totaling more than 75 hours on training as an arbitrator and mediator.
 
Service Activities
Daugherty Foundation – Trustee Advisory Board, 1983-2003
 
Eastern Idaho AG Hall of Fame – Board of Directors, 1990-1996, 1999-2003
 
Idaho Falls Rotary Club
Member since 1974
President – 1988-1989
 
United States Golfing Fellowship of Rotarians
President, 1993-1996
Executive Secretary, 1996-2007
 
Idaho Community Foundation
Founding Director, 1989-1998
East Region Grants Panel Member, 1992-2001
 
Idaho Falls Public Library – Board of Trustees, 1990-2000
 
Eastern Idaho Technical College Foundation – Director, 1995
 
University of Idaho Alumni Board – Board Member, 1986-1989
 
Idaho Falls Country Club – Board of Directors, 1977-1980
 
Idaho Falls Youth Soccer Association
Director, Coach, and Referee, 1982-1990
 
Salvation Army – Advisory Board Member, 1975-1987
 
Yo Murphy Foundation – Director, 2002-Present
 
Regular service on committees for church.