Gregory T. Densen

Member

Denver, Colorado

Phone: 303.299.8314

Fax: 303.298.0940

gdensen@shermanhoward.com

Areas Of Emphasis

Education

  • Juris Doctor, University of Iowa College of Law, 1998
    • with High Distinction
    • Articles and Book Review Editor, Iowa Law Review
  • Master of Business Administration, University of Iowa, 1998
  • Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Economy, Washington University, 1994
    • magna cum laude

Gregory “Greg” Densen is a member in Sherman & Howard’s Denver office. His practice focuses on matters related to trusts and estates planning. Greg is also a member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

Experience

  • Assisted family with design and implementation of business and tax sensitive plan to transfer management and ownership of 50+ operating companies between generations; provide counsel to several families with issues of a similar nature and scope.
  • Routinely design plans to transition wealth and ideals to future generations while minimizing impact of gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxes.
  • Frequently provide counsel to surviving spouses and surviving children relating to administration of estates, transition of property to beneficiaries, and (with the assistance of family financial advisors) structures for diversification of portfolios to fit the intended disposition.
  • Serve as lead estate counsel on litigation matters relating to definition of estate and trust terms, division of trust assets among disputing beneficiaries, appointment and discharge of fiduciaries, and reformation of estates and trusts to minimize unintended transfer tax consequences.
  • Obtain numerous Guardianships and Conservatorships in contested and uncontested proceedings, counseling families on implementation and upkeep of structures to assist minors and incapacitated individuals.

Publications & Presentations

PRESS

 

PUBLICATIONS

  • Trust Protectors: Powers, Capacity, and Selection
    Colorado Lawyer | September 2012
  • Decanting in Colorado:  Nothing to Wine About
    CBA Trust and Estate Member Newsletter | June 2009

Professional Activities

  • Denver Estate Planning Council
  • Rocky Mountain Estate Planning Council
  • Executive Committee, Metro Denver EDC
  • Colorado Bar Association
    • Trust & Estate Section
      • Executive Council Member
      • Former Chairman
      • Former Co-Chairman
      • Statutory Revisions Subcommittee
  • Former Board Member, Rocky Mountain Estate Planning Council

 

CIVIC ACTIVITIES

  • Former President, Friends of Arts Street
    • An arts-based workplace development program for Denver youth.
  • Former Mentor, Byrne Foundation
    • Mentoring program for at-risk high school students.

Highlights

  • The Best Lawyers in America, Denver
    • Litigation: Trusts and Estates (2011-2024)
    • Trusts and Estates (2010-2024)
  • Chambers HNW, Band 2, Colorado Private Wealth Law (2017-2023)
  • 5280 Magazine, Top Lawyer – Estate Planning (2015-2020)
  • American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Fellow