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Practice Summary Christopher J. Burns is a Partner at Henson & Efron and heads up the Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Administration Practice Group. Christopher practices in estate planning, antenuptial (prenuptial) agreements, business succession planning, elder law, and estate administration. Christopher's estate planning and business succession planning assistance includes the planning and preparation of wills, revocable trusts, family cabin trusts / LLCs, irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs), qualified domestic trusts (QDOTs), family limited partnerships (FLPs), grantor trusts (GRATs), intentionally defective grantor trusts (IDGTs), charitable remainder trusts (CRTs), charitable lead trusts (CLTs), private foundations, health care directives, financial powers of attorney, special needs trusts, supplemental needs trusts, and beneficiary designations for life insurance and retirement plans. Christopher's elder law practice includes helping families with special needs through guardianships and conservatorships. Christopher also devotes a significant portion of his practice to the administration and taxation of trusts and estates (including contested estate and trust matters).
Christopher frequently speaks to individuals and professional groups about estate planning, business succession planning and estate administration. Christopher has taught new lawyers annually the basics of estate planning. Christopher has always been active in the community. His service has been recognized by his alma mater and a radio station when it named him their "Hero of the Week." His community and civic efforts have also been recognized by Woodbury Magazine.
In addition to his pro bono efforts and other civic involvements, Christopher was appointed by the Governor to the Board of the Minnesota Academic Excellence Foundation. Christopher is also a former columnist for Good Age newspaper, a mentor to St. Thomas Law School students and a member of the Woodbury Economic Development Commission and Chair of the Woodbury Business Development Commission. In addition, Christopher has been featured in the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 Rising Stars issues of Minnesota Law & Politics magazine. Christopher and his family are active members of their church, and Christopher enjoys reading, writing, politics, running, and spending time with his wife and children.
Representative Experience
- Business Succession Planning
- Estate Planning
- Elder, Guardianship and Conservatorship Law
- Gift and Estate Taxation
- Trust and Estate Administration
- Trust and Estate Litigation Appeals
Bar Admissions
- Minnesota
- U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota
Professional Memberships
- Council Member, Cornerstone Council of the St. Paul Community Foundation/Minnesota Community Foundation, appointed 2009
- President, Minneapolis and St. Paul Financial and Estate Planning Councils, 2007-2008, 2008-2009
- Member, Financial and Estate Planning Council of St. Paul 2001 to present
- Member, Minnesota State Bar Association
- Member, Hennepin County Bar Association
- Past Chair, Hennepin County Bar Association's Probate and Trust Law Section
- Member, Washington County Bar Association
- Member, Minneapolis Rotary (#9) (2001-2007)
- Past Member, Society of Financial Service Professionals
Professional / Academic Honors
- Featured in the Minneapolis Star Tribune's Today's Spotlight
- Featured in the Rising Stars issue of Minnesota Law & Politics magazine in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009. and 2010
- Featured in Woodbury Magazine article regarding Christopher’s community and education work
Publications / Speaking Engagements
- Featured Co-Presenter, Ameriprise Affluent Client Seminar Series - Estate Planning and the Use of Trusts, April 2010
- Presenter, Association of Lutheran Development Executives "ALDE" - Estate Planning in Uncertain Times, April 2010
- Co-authored Federal Estate Tax client newsletter
- Authored “Insurance: An Investment to Remember”
- Guest appearance on KARE-11's On Live on the topic of estate planning considerations for pet owners, April 2008
- Guest appearance on WCCO-TV’s 4 News on Sunday on the topic of estate planning, December 2007
- Several guest appearances on WCCO-Radio on various estate planning topics, 2007
- Co-authored and co-presented CPE seminar, "Planning Techniques for Disabled Individuals With a Focus on Supplemental Needs Trusts"
- Presented, “You Can’t Take ‘It’ With You – How You Can Leave ‘It’ Behind,” at Farmers Insurance Advanced Life Training Luncheon, Cardinal Pointe Cooperative, Woodbury Lutheran Church, CPE Seminar, and other seminars
- Co-authored and co-presented CPE seminar, “Estate Planning: It’s Never Too Late!"
- Presented, “Estate Planning for Mid-Career Professionals,” to federal government employees (Fort Snelling),2002-2010
- Columnist for “Good Age” newspaper, 2006-2008
- “Going to the chapel, prenup in hand,”
- “Leaving on a jet plane? Leave an estate plan behind,”
- “Feeling sandwiched?”
- “Getting professional help from a geriatric care manager,”
- “Death and taxes often go together,”
- “First steps in a tough time,”
- “Elvis or elevator music? Making funeral plans in advance,”
- “When I die…”
- “Estate planning and charitable giving go hand in hand.”
- Author and Presenter, “A Practical Look at the New Conservatorship Claims Statute," MAGiC Journal
- Co-authored and co-presented, “So You Think Your Client Needs a Trust” (Minnesota Continuing Legal Education – Probate and Trust Law Section Conference)
- Authored, “Wills: Don’t Die Without One”
- Co-authored and co-presented, “How to Draft a Simple Will” (Minnesota Continuing Legal Education – New Lawyers Experience), 2003-2009
- Co-authored, “Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts” (Minnesota Continuing Legal Education – Probate and Trust Law Section Conference)
- Co-authored, “Estate Tax Marital Deduction: A Minnesota Attorney Handbook” (Minnesota Continuing Legal Education)
Community Activities Educational
City of Woodbury
- Commissioner, Woodbury Economic Development Commission
- Chair, City of Woodbury’s Business Development Committee
Education
- University of Wisconsin, River Falls, with special senior academic honors
- Syracuse University College of Law, J.D. cum laude
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