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Brigitt M. Orfield
Of Counsel

(612) 252-2816

Practice Areas

• Tax Law
• Estate Planning, Probate, and Trust Administration

Practice Summary

Areas of Focus

• Estate Planning, Probate, and Trust Administration
• Tax Law

Representative Experience

• Preparation of wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney and health care directives
• Life insurance trusts and planning
• Coordination of beneficiary designations on insurance and retirement assets with overall estate plan
• Establishment of family businesses including family limited partnerships and LLCs
• Planning for the management and transfer of the family lake home/cabin
• Estate administration including probate and tax returns
• Creation and review of antenuptial agreements
• Sophisticated gifting strategies including grantor trusts (GRATS) and intentionally defective trusts (IDITS)
• Qualified domestic trusts (QDOTS) for non-citizen spouses
• Domestic partnersip agreements and cohabitation agreements
• Charitable gift planning including charitable remainder trusts (CRTS), charitable lead trusts (CLTS) andta private foundations
• Supplemental needs trusts and special needs trusts
• Guardianship and conservatorship law
• Medical assistance planning

Bar Admissions

• Minnesota

Professional Memberships

• American Bar Association, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section
• Minnesota State Bar Association, Probate and Trust Law Section
• Hennepin County Bar Association

Professional / Academic Honors

• Featured in the Rising Stars issue of Minnesota Law & Politics magazine in 2004
• Staff member, William Mitchell Law Review

Other Professional Experience

• Orfield & Petroski Law Firm, Attorney
• Lutheran Brotherhood, Estate and Charitable Planning Specialist

Publications / Speaking Engagements

• "Estate Planning for Mid-Career Professionals," Fort Snelling, January 2008
• "Estate Planning for the Sages of our Parish," Annunciation Church, November 2005
• "Estate Planning for Lakeshore Property – Passing on the Fun to the Next Generation," Outdoor News, March 22, 2002
• "IRS Pulls the Plug on Charitable Split Dollar Life Insurance," Advanced Marketing Review, Lutheran Brotherhood, October 1999
• "American Council on Gift Annuities Publishes New Rate Schedule," Advanced Marketing Review, Lutheran Brotherhood, October 1999
• "IRS Issues New Mortality Tables Applicable to Split-Interest Gifts ," Advanced Marketing Review, Lutheran Brotherhood, October 1999
• "Charitable Strategies Manual for Clients, Congregations and Institutions," Lutheran Brotherhood, 1997
• "Charitable Remainder Trusts: IRS Releases Proposed Regulations," Advanced Marketing Review, Lutheran Brotherhood, August 1997
• "Primer: Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997," Lutheran Brotherhood, August 1997
• "To Give or Not to Give: Problems with Making Charitable Gifts of Certain Assets," Advanced Marketing Review, Lutheran Brotherhood, April 1997
• "Building Credibility in the Charitable Marketplace," Leader, Lutheran Brotherhood, April 1997
• "Identifying Charitable Prospects: You Might be Surprised Who You Find," Leader, Lutheran Brotherhood, December 1996
• "NIMCRUT: More Than Just a Funny Name," Leader, Lutheran Brotherhood, November 1996
• "Making Big Donors Out of Young Adults: Three Simple Ways," Leader, Lutheran Brotherhood, October 1996
• "The Perks of Charitable Life Insurance," Focus, Lutheran Brotherhood, Fall/Winter 1996
• "Charitable Giving in the Business Market," Lutheran Brotherhood Career III Estate and Charitable School, October 16, 1999, February 23, 1998, October 15, 1997, April 23, 1997, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• "Estate Planning Strategies," Mauritsen Agency Estate Strategies Client Seminar, October 16, 1998, Spokane, Washington
• "The Estate and Charitable Markets," Johnson Agency Meeting, September 17, 1998, Kissimmee, Florida
• "Educational Incentives: How to Tap Into the Young Adult Market," Lutheran Brotherhood Passport '98, June 24, 1998, Bethany, Kansas and June 15, 1998, Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania
• "Getting Started in the Estate and Charitable Markets," Dungan Agency Boot Camp, May 8, 1998, Allentown, Pennsylvania
• "Charitable Consortium at Lutheran Brotherhood," May 4, 1998, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• "Charitable Strategies," Reimet Agency Meeting, April 24, 1998, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• "Creating and Growing Endowments," Pastor Seminar, April 23, 1998, Flourtown, Pennsylvania
• "Charitable Giving Tools," Lutheran Brotherhood Career II School, April 1, 1998, November 14, 1997, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• "What's New in the Estate and Charitable Markets," Lutheran Brotherhood Career III Estate and Charitable School, February 23, 1998, October 13, 1997, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• "Nuts and Bolts of Planned Giving," Lutheran Community Foundation School, November 16, 1997, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• "Estate Protection and Charitable Giving Basics," Lutheran Brotherhood Career III Estate and Charitable School, October 13, 1997, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• "Resources Available in the Estate and Charitable Markets," Lutheran Brotherhood Career III Estate and Charitable School, October 12, 1997, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• "Endowments," Lutheran Brotherhood Career III Estate and Charitable School, October 13, 1997, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• "Faith Lutheran Church Endowment Charitable Giving Seminar," Faith Lutheran Church, May 2, 1997, Coon Rapids, Minnesota
• "Charitable Giving in 1997: A Track to Success," Lutheran Brotherhood Career II School, March 21, 1997, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• "Charitable Strategies," Lutheran Community Foundation School, March 1997, October 1996, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• "Estate and Charitable Strategies and Topics," Hansen Agency Meeting, February 21, 1997, Mosinee, Wisconsin
• "Estate and Charitable Planning Seminar," Hansen Agency Client Seminar, February 20, 1997, Mosinee, Wisconsin
• "Charitable Giving in 1996: A Track to Success," Lutheran Brotherhood Career II School, November 1996, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Community Activities

• Volunteer, Fairview Hospice

Education

• Juris Doctor, cum laude, William Mitchell College of Law, 1994
• Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, University of St. Thomas
• CFP Professional Education Program, College for Financial Planning

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