Our offices will be closed on Monday, May 25, 2020 in observance of Memorial Day. 

Bob Kirkland will again be presenting at the American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education Planning for Large Estates. This year the event is being held via webcast. 

Bob's presentation this year is entitled "Recent Developments in Planning for Retirement Assets " and it will cover the SECURE Act passed by Congress right before the end of 2019. 
This Act represents a sea change in the area of estate planning for retirement benefits. Mr. Kirkland will discuss a summary of this new law, open questions left in its wake, and planning ramifications going forward. Additionally, there are a number of other event developments in planning for retirement assets, which will also be covered.
 Register today at: 
​https://www.ali-cle.org/course/Planning-Techniques-for-Large-Estates-2020-CB015

During these unprecedented times, it is our pleasure to announce the addition of Susan Teason as an attorney at our firm. She will officially start on Monday, April 6, 2020. 

​https://news.mobar.org/mn-040320/

Bob Kirkland had the honor of speaking at two different events in February.

First, he presented at the 2020 Florida Tax Institute in Tampa:
https://www.floridataxinstitute.org/agenda.shtml
His presentation "Dawn of the Dead - The Planning Continues Beyond the Grave" addressed issues that estate planning attorney's regularly encounter upon a client's death such as trust modifications, timely actions and tax reduction planning with respect to qualified retirement plans and IRAs, managing, securing and disposing of the decedent's digital presence, possible disclaimers, and income, gift and estate compliance.

Most recently he presented at the Southwest Florida STEP event today regarding Digital Assets. 

Over the weekend, on February 1, 2020, we celebrated our 20th Anniversary. We are humbled and excited to have the pleasure of celebrating this amazing milestone.
Robert (Bob) Kirkland started the firm as a solo practitioner by opening the first office in Liberty, Missouri on February 1, 2000. The firm added a second office in Overland Park, Kansas, when a few years later, Richard (Dick) Woods joined Bob. Our firm became known as Kirkland, Woods and Martinsen with the addition of partner, Scott Martinsen. We were fortunate to gain Dan Wheeler after he left his position as Commissioner of the Jackson County Probate Court.  
We have proudly grown to provide our services throughout Missouri in Springfield, Missouri, with partner Emily Kembell, and in St. Louis, Missouri with our partner John Challis.   
In addition to our partners we several of counsel and associate attorneys, and our wonderful group of paralegals and staff in our various locations to serve our clients.

The focus of our practice has always been and remains estate planning, probate and estate administration, guardianship and conservatorships, fiduciary litigation, and related matters. We combine our collective experience in a small boutique setting allowing us to represent clients of all generations and estates of all sizes, as well as addressing their related needs.

To all our past clients, current clients, and valued professionals: THANK YOU! We look forward to continuing to provide quality estate planning, fiduciary litigation, and probate legal services for the next twenty years and beyond. 

Kirkland Woods & Martinsen is pleased to announce that John Challis was recently published in the November-December 2019 edition of the Journal of The Missouri Bar.

John's article, which was featured on the Journal's cover, discusses the current status of electronic will legislation across the country and addresses some of the issues that Missouri lawyers should consider. While Missouri does not currently have electronic will legislation, with the Uniform Law Commission's recent passage of the Uniform Electronic Wills Act, and with a number of states passing their own legislation, this is an issue that Missouri lawyers and legislators will need to address soon.

John's article is available here and the entire edition of the Journal is available here.

John is a partner in the firm's St. Louis office and can be contacted at jchallis@kwm-law.com or 314-944-5201.

Kirkland Woods & Martinsen focuses its practice on estate planning, administration, litigation, and related matters. The firm has four offices in Liberty, Missouri; Overland Park, Kansas; Springfield, Missouri; and St. Louis, Missouri. The firm has fourteen attorneys across these offices and assists individual and business clients in all matters relates to trusts and estates.  More information is available at www.kwm-law.com. 

The Law Firm of Kirkland Woods & Martinsen LLP is pleased to announce that five of its attorneys were selected by Super Lawyers as top-rated attorneys.  This honor is awarded to only 5% of Missouri and Kansas lawyers.  In addition, KWM partner John Challis was included in the list of Top 50 attorneys in St. Louis, Missouri.
 

• Bob Kirkland has been awarded recognition by Super Lawyers every year since 2005.  As a founding Partner of KWM, Bob practices in the areas of estate planning and administration in the firm’s Liberty, Missouri office.  Bob has previously been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Top 100 attorney in Missouri and a Top 50 attorney in Kansas City.

 

• Scott Martinsen is a Partner in the firm’s Overland Park, Kansas office practicing in estate planning and administration and related matters.  Scott has been recognized by Super Lawyers since 2005, and was named a Top 100 attorney in Missouri in 2018.

 

• Dan Wheeler has been recognized as a top attorney by Super Lawyers each year since 2017.  Dan is a Partner in the firm’s Liberty, Missouri office practicing primarily in the areas of probate and trust administration and litigation.

 

• John Challis is a Partner in the firm’s St. Louis, Missouri office and has been recognized by Super Lawyers since 2013.  Prior to that, John was recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in 2011 and 2012.  John practices in the area of trust and estate litigation and was honored by Super Lawyers as one of the Top 50 lawyers in St. Louis for 2019.

 

• Dick Woods is Of Counsel to KWM and practices in the firm’s Overland Park, Kansas office.  Dick has been recognized by Super Lawyers every year since 2005.  Dick concentrates his practice in estate planning and real estate.

 
Kirkland Woods & Martinsen focuses its practice on estate planning, administration, litigation, and related matters.  The firm has four offices in Liberty, Missouri; Overland Park, Kansas; Springfield, Missouri; and St. Louis, Missouri.  The firm has fourteen attorneys across these offices and assists individual and business clients in all matters relates to trusts and estates.  More information is available at www.kwm-law.com. 

We are pleased to announce Bob Kirkland's latest speaking engagement will be tonight at The Greater Boca Raton Estate Planning Council. His topic is "Estate Planning with Retirement Assets” 

We are pleased to be recognized in the 2020 Edition of U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms”.

To be eligible for a ranking, a firm must first have a lawyer recognized in The Best Lawyers in America©, which recognizes the top 5% of private practicing lawyers in the United States. Several of our lawyers were recognized as The Best Lawyers in America©, and Bob Kirkland and John Challis received additional recognition as “Lawyer of the Year”.

Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.