Land use trends to be discussed at ABA conference

Experts will discuss land use trends and global tax enforcement for high-wealth taxpayers during the “Spring Symposia” hosted by the American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law.

This year, six joint CLE programs will be presented with the ABA Section of International Law, which is holding its Spring Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Washington on April 28-May 2. A joint Symposia Reception with the Section of International Law will be held on Thursday, April 30, from 7-10 p.m., at The National Museum of Natural History.

During the symposium, the Washington, D.C. Community Outreach Program on “Real Property Basics” takes place on Wednesday, April 29, from 2-5:30 p.m. The how-to program features an overview of negotiating and drafting a commercial purchase and sale agreement and a commercial lease, as well as navigating common disputes between residential landlords and tenants.

Program highlights include:

• “Letters, Notes and Napkins: Harmless Error and Writings Intended as Wills” — Experts will discuss the erosion of testamentary formalities and the rise in do-it-yourself estate planning, including writings intended as wills – an issue that continues to evolve and provide fertile ground for estate litigation.

• “Sea Level Rise and Property Rights: Recent Cases and Surging Issues” — Rising sea levels present challenges for coastal communities, including inundation of shores and accelerating erosion.
Topics include how regulations impact land use practices, analysis of potential takings claims and use of monetary exactions to mitigate impacts from development on climate change and to adapt to sea level rise.

• “Assisted Reproductive Technology: Issues that Estate Planners are Not Talking About but Should Be” – Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) is becoming more commonplace and the issues surrounding it are certain to become more important to estate planners in the years to come. Panelists will explore potential conflicts of interest in third-party reproduction, methods of disposition of genetic material, and status of beneficiaries conceived by ART.

The inaugural Award of the American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, will be presented to New York lawyer Richard Covey during the Capitol Steps Performance and Lunch on Thursday, April 30.