Jessica R. Diaz

Member

Denver, Colorado

Phone: 303.299.8390

Fax:

[email protected]

Education

  • J.D., The University of Chicago Law School (2013)
  • Master of Business Administration, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business (2013)
  • Master of Arts in Elementary Education, Loyola Marymount University (2005)
  • B.A., Northwestern University (2003)
    • Psychology

 

Jessica Diaz focuses her practice on sophisticated estate, tax, and business succession planning.

Jessica works closely with clients to address a variety of planning needs and designs creative solutions that integrate each client’s family values and dynamics with sophisticated wealth transfer strategies. Her practice also includes business, marital and charitable planning; estate and trust administration; advising trustees, personal representatives, and beneficiaries; and probate litigation. She has experience with contested estate and trust matters and fiduciary counseling (including will and trust contests, trust reformations, will and trust construction, accounting actions, and claims of breach of fiduciary duty). Her charitable planning work includes advising clients on charitable giving techniques (including the use of IRAs for charitable giving and the establishment and operation of private foundations, donor-advised funds, charitable trusts, and public charities); counseling nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations from conception to dissolution; and assisting nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations with mergers, acquisitions, and affiliations.

Experience

  • Assists individuals and families with the implementation of wealth transfer strategies that reflect personal and familial goals and minimize transfer taxes (including the utilization of family partnerships, taxable gifts, and irrevocable trusts) and advises families on business succession planning.
  • Counsels clients on charitable giving techniques (including the establishment and operation of private foundations, public charities, donor-advised funds, and charitable remainder and charitable lead trusts).
  • Represents clients in the preparation and negotiation of premarital and postnuptial agreements.
  • Provides counsel to surviving family members and corporate fiduciaries relating to the administration of estates and trusts, the federal estate tax return, and the transition of property to beneficiaries.
  • Advises personal representatives, trustees, and beneficiaries with regard to trust disputes, contested estates, trust administration, and property division.  Counsels personal representatives and trustees on their fiduciary duties.
  • Represents charitable nonprofits, including both private foundations and public charities.

Publications & Presentations

PUBLICATIONS

  • Formalizing Decades of Practice: The Uniform Trust Code Comes to Colorado
    Practical Pointers from Practitioners, Probate & Property | March/April 2019
  • Tax Advisory: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act – A Few Things You Can Do Now
    Sherman & Howard Tax Advisory | December 2017
  • Litigating Disputed Estates, Trusts, Guardianships and Charitable Bequests
    Chapter 7: Representing Fiduciaries in Trust and Estate Litigation, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education | 2016

 

PRESENTATIONS

  • The New Normal in Entity Planning: A Practical Application of the Most Impactful Legislation and Judicial Rulings in Recent Memory
    31st Annual RPTE National CLE Conference | May 9, 2019
  • Philanthropic Planning and Advising 101
    Women’s Estate Planning Council | October 11, 2018

Professional Activities

  • American Bar Association
    • Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section, Fellow
  • Rocky Mountain Estate Planning Council, Board of Directors
  • Metro Denver EDC, Education & Workforce Committee
  • Colorado Bar Association
  • Denver Bar Association
  • Chicago Bar Association

Highlights

  • Best Lawyers in America, Denver
    • Tax Law (2024)
    • Trusts and Estates (2024)
    • Ones to Watch, Trusts and Estates (2021 – 2023)