Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog

Journal of Elder Policy -- New Issue Released and a Call for Papers

The just published copy of the fifth issue of the Journal of Elder Policy was a special issue relating to older adults' access to health care and provider-patient interactions in later life. The issue can be viewed online here.

Autonomy in Later Life 

Invitation to Submit a paper for the Journal of Elder Policy, Issue 7, Summer 2023
Editor-in-Chief: Eva Kahana PhD, Distinguished University Professor,

Department of Sociology, Case Western Reserve University
​Abstracts of 500 words are due by March 1, 2023
Full papers (8000 -10000 words) are due by May 1, 2023.

Older adults are more diverse and active than ever. Despite this, many portrayals and stereotypes of older adults allude to their dependence on others. While later life does tend to come with unique challenges (e.g. health issues, functional impairment), older adults tend to be far more proactive and adaptive than society (and research) gives them credit for.

This issue of the Journal of Elder Policy seeks to explore issues related to autonomy in later life.

We welcome both empirical (qualitative and quantitative) and conceptual papers from diverse disciplines with an emphasis on policy implications.

Topics may include but are not limited to:

• Meaningful employment in later life (new or continuing)
• Finding new directions in retirement
• Relocation in later life
• New relationships in later life
• Managing identity when having to rely on others due to illness/functional impairments
• Shifts in family dynamics (e.g. adult children attempting to manage care/finances, suggestions of downsizing)
• Speaking up in health care contexts
• Adaptation to widowhood in later life

Authors should send a 500-word abstract related to their paper by March 1, 2023 to Managing Editor, Kaitlyn Langendoerfer, PhD ([email protected]).

​The Journal of Elder Policy is an Open Access Journal sponsored by Policy Studies Organization. There is no publication fee. All articles will be peer-reviewed. More information about the Aims and Scope of the journal and previous issues can be found here: https://journalofelderpolicy.org/   

Please contact Prof. Naomi Cahn at [email protected] or Prof. Nina A Kohn at [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns.

Call for papers for Modern Studies in the Law of Trusts, Wealth Management & Philanthropy 2023

The fifth conference in the “Modern Studies in the Law of Trusts, Wealth Management & Philanthropy” series will take place on 27-28 July 2023 at the Yong Pung How School of Law, Singapore Management University (Singapore). The 2023 conference will be co-organised by Singapore Management University, Centre for Commercial Law in Asia, the University of York, and The Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London.

The theme of the conference is “The Law of Trusts, Wealth Management & Philanthropy: Innovation and Reform in the Law of Trusts”. The conference will focus on current developments and challenges facing trust law, wealth management and philanthropy, with particular focus on the need for innovations responding to contemporary developments and emerging issues – for example, technological disruption, new forms of regulation, climate change and sustainability goals - that impact global families and how they manage their wealth. The conveners of the conference (Richard Nolan (York), Tang Hang Wu (SMU), Yip Man (SMU) and James Lee (KCL)) plan to publish a selection of the papers presented at the conference in a special edition of a journal (subject to review and availability of space). 

If you would like to offer a paper, please submit a working title and an abstract (of no more than 1500 words) by 15 March 2023 by email to James Lee ([email protected]) and Yip Man ([email protected]).  The conference conveners are particularly keen to hear from Global South, women and emerging scholars in the field. Acceptance will be on a rolling basis and the conference conveners will be grateful for early submissions. There are no speaker registration fees for those whose papers are accepted this conference. Speakers and attendees are expected to meet their own travel costs and accommodation for this conference. 

ACTEC Call for Papers: Alternative and Critical Perspectives on Trusts and Estates

The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel announces a Call for Papers with a focus on alternative and critical approaches to trust and estate practice and scholarship. This special issue of the ACTEC Law Journal will be devoted to the intersection of the law of succession—broadly defined—with gender, race, class, age, and inequality, as well as with other areas of the law. The law of wills, trusts, and intestacy is more important than ever in a time of increasing wealth inequality and cultural division. Potential papers could take many forms, ranging from empirical work to literature to comparative law to doctrinal analysis to suggestions for reform. This issue will be comprised of shorter articles (2500-5000 words). Topics may include developments in tax law, adaptations in legal technology, racial justice and diversity, new or impending statutory reform, remote or electronic estate planning documents, the funeral and death industry, and other topics that demonstrate the way in which the trust and estate landscape is shifting. Procedure for Submissions: Authors wishing to contribute to this special volume should email a brief proposal with estimated word count to: Professor Naomi Cahn, Editor, ACTEC Law Journal, at [email protected]. Please include “ACTEC Theme Volume” in the subject line of your e-mail. Deadline to Submit Proposals: Wednesday, March 22, 2023 Selected articles will be published in the ACTEC Law Journal, Volume 49, Issue 1, with an anticipated publication date of December 2023. Final articles will be due by August 1, 2023.

The AALS Section on Trusts and Estates Call for Papers: “Post-Pandemic Pedagogy in Trusts & Estates”

The following is from an AALS announcement:

The AALS Section on Trusts and Estates is pleased to announce a Call for Papers: “Post-Pandemic Pedagogy in Trusts & Estates” 

Selected papers will be presented at the Trusts & Estates Program Session at the 2022 AALS Annual Meeting held in San Diego from January 4-7, 2023. 

Program Description: We invite papers and/or presentations that provide insights into educating law students in trusts & estates. These insights might take a variety of forms. For example, papers/presentations might describe classroom techniques and innovations, innovations in course design or structure, or novel courses. They might discuss proposals that show how we might incorporate issues of race, gender, class, sexual orientation, immigration status, and/or disability into our classrooms. They might also explore the lessons learned during the time we have all now spent teaching during the pandemic. Or contributions might be completely forward looking and propose novel ideas or experiments in teaching that you have not yet implemented.

Eligibility: Full-time faculty of AALS member schools or non-member fee-paid schools as of the submission deadline are eligible to submit papers. For co-authored papers/presentations, both authors must satisfy the eligibility criteria.

Submissions, due dates and method: Submissions should be of abstracts between 250 and 1,000 words, inclusive of any footnotes. The submissions for this panel can either describe an intended paper or a presentation that you will provide. Scholarship may be at any stage of the publication process from work-in-progress to completed article, but if already published, scholarship may not be published any earlier than 2022. We welcome legal scholarship across a wide variety of methodological approaches. Each potential speaker may submit only one abstract for consideration.

There are two submission due dates. The Section seeks detailed abstracts in late summer, with final papers due in late fall.

• • The due date for detailed abstracts is August 31, 2022.
  • The due date for final papers/and or presentation materials is November 15, 2022.

Abstracts and papers should be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word format to Philip Hackney at [email protected]. The subject line should read “AALS Trusts & Estates Section CFP Pedagogy Submission.” By submitting an abstract for consideration, you agree to attend the 2023 AALS Annual Meeting Trusts & Estates Program Session should your paper be selected for presentation.

Submission review, selection, conference attendance: Abstracts and papers will be reviewed by members of the Section’s Executive Committee. Selected presenters will be announced by October 1, 2022. The Call for Paper presenters will be responsible for paying their own AALS registration fee, hotel, and travel expenses.

Inquiries or questions: Any inquiries about the Call for Papers should be directed to Philip Hackney at the contact information noted above.

AALS Section on Trusts and Estates Call for Papers: “Works in Progress in Trusts & Estates"

The following is from an AALS announcement:

The AALS Section on Trusts and Estates is pleased to announce a Call for Papers: “Works in Progress in Trusts & Estates” 

Selected papers will be presented at the Trusts & Estates Program Session at the 2022 AALS Annual Meeting held in San Diego from January 4-7, 2023. 

Program Description: The Section seeks submissions on a variety of topics and methodological approaches related to Trusts & Estates Law. We are interested in all states of article development.

Eligibility: Full-time faculty of AALS member schools or non-member fee-paid schools as of the submission deadline are eligible to submit papers. For co-authored papers, both authors must satisfy the eligibility criteria. We particularly encourage new voices in the field to submit.

Submissions, due dates and method: Submissions should be of abstracts between 250 and 1,000 words, inclusive of any footnotes. Scholarship may be at any stage of the publication process from work-in-progress to completed article, but if already published, scholarship may not be published any earlier than 2022. We welcome legal scholarship across a wide variety of methodological approaches. Each potential speaker may submit only one abstract for consideration.

There are two submission due dates. The Section seeks detailed abstracts in late summer, with final papers due in late fall.

• • The due date for detailed abstracts is August 31, 2022.
  • The due date for final submission is November 15, 2022.

Abstracts and papers should be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word format to Eric Chaffee at [email protected]. The subject line should read “AALS Trusts & Estates Section CFP WIP Submission.” By submitting an abstract for consideration, you agree to attend the 2023 AALS Annual Meeting Trusts & Estates Program Session should your paper be selected for presentation.

Submission review, selection, conference attendance: Abstracts and papers will be reviewed by members of the Section’s Executive Committee. Selected presenters will be announced by October 1, 2022. The Call for Paper presenters will be responsible for paying their own AALS registration fee, hotel, and travel expenses.

Inquiries or questions: Any inquiries about the Call for Papers should be directed to Eric Chaffee at the contact information noted above.

"Journal of Law Teaching and Learning" Announced

The below announcement is posted as a courtesy to Emily Grant, Professor of Law. Co-Director, Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, Washburn University School of Law.

The Institute for Law Teaching and Learning is thrilled to be launching a new scholarly journal.  The Journal of Law Teaching and Learning will publish scholarly articles about pedagogy and will provide authors with rigorous peer review. We hope to publish our first issue in Fall 2023. 

If you have a scholarly article that might fit the needs of The Journal of Law Teaching and Learning, please consider submitting it directly to us via email at [email protected] or through the Scholastica platform.

Call For Papers: ACTEC Law Journal -- Privacy in the Probate Field

The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel announces a Call For Papers on the following topic:

With increasing public attention focused on protecting our privacy, the practice and study of trusts and estates has been profoundly affected by a series of issues concerning the safeguarding of private information. Estate planners and law school professors have become more likely to consider a multitude of issues relating to privacy rights. 

A special issue of the ACTEC Law Journal will be devoted to a discussion of the intersection of Trusts and Estates and privacy issues and will be comprised of brief articles (3,000 word maximum). The conception of privacy issues is broad and intended to encompass all relevant matters of legal concern that a trusts and estates lawyer or professor might address. Suggested topics include silent trusts, taxation of privacy rights, corporate transparency and the impact on disclosure of ownership rights, identity confidentiality, incapacity planning to avoid a conservatorship, planning for public figures, and classic core trusts and estates topics like wills, trusts, intestacy, probate administration, and nonprobate transfers. 

Procedure for proposals: Authors wishing to contribute to this special volume should send a brief proposal of 250-300 words to Professor Naomi Cahn, Associate Editor, ACTEC Law Journal, at [email protected]. Please include “ACTEC Privacy Issues” in the subject line of your e-mail.

Proposals are due by April 4, 2022, and decisions will be made by the beginning of May.  Early submissions are encouraged as proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis.  Given the brevity of each article, articles that delve into one or two topics in detail will normally be preferred over more general articles. We encourage submissions by authors from a variety of backgrounds, including those actively involved in fiduciary administration or the practice of law.

Final articles will be due by August 1, 2022 and will be published in the ACTEC Law Journal, Volume 48, Issue 1.

Call For Papers: ACTEC Law Journal Modernizing Trusts and Estates

Call For Papers: ACTEC Law Journal Modernizing Trusts and Estates

The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel announces a Call For Papers on the following topic:

As trusts and estates academics and practitioners look forward into the remainder of the 21^st century, we acknowledge the aspects of law and practice that are changing, that should change, and that should resist change.

A special issue of the ACTEC Law Journal will be devoted to a discussion of the topic of Modernizing Trusts and Estates and will be comprised of shorter articles (2,500-5,000 words).  The issue will focus on what matters are of most importance to the forward-looking trusts and estates professional.  Topics may include developments in tax law, adaptations in legal technology, racial justice and diversity, new or impending statutory reform, remote or electronic estate planning documents, the funeral and death industry, and other topics that demonstrate the way in which the trusts and estates landscape is shifting.

Procedure for proposals: Authors wishing to contribute to this special volume should send a brief proposal with estimated word count to Professor Alyssa A. DiRusso, Editor, ACTEC Law Journal, at [email protected].  Please include “ACTEC Theme Volume” in the subject line of your e-mail.

Proposals are due by March 15, 2021 and authors will be notified whether their article has been selected for publication by April 1, 2021.  Given the brevity of each article, articles that delve into one or two topics in detail will normally be preferred over more general articles. We encourage submissions by authors from a variety of backgrounds, including those actively involved in fiduciary administration or the practice of law.

Final articles will be due no later than August 1, 2021, and earlier submissions are welcome. Selected articles will be published in the ACTEC Law Journal, Volume 47 Issue 1, with an anticipated publication date of December 2021.

OSU can lead the way in ending diversion of dollars from scholarship endowments to entertain rich alums: David Marburger and Jeffrey Moritz

Ohio State University has dealt with a lot in the wake of COVID-19. The football season has been cancelled and brought back, they have had to deal with COVID-10 on campus and have even dealt with a $250 million cut in the operating budget. These obstacles have not been easy to overcome for the new president, Kristina Johnson. 

Another obstacle that has been lingering in the shadows is that Ohio State University has been spending millions of dollars that come from privately funded endowments. Due to this massive expenditure, a slew of students are paying for tuition that "private benefactors already have supplied the money to pay." 

An endowment is essentially a lump sum payment from a wealthy alum to a university. In exchange for the endowment, the university commits to spend the funds on a specific cause. 

The universities will invest the payment on order to preserve the original sum (the corpus) allowing the payment to continually generate money for scholarships. 

Sounds reasonable right? Well unfortunately, this is not always what happens. Jeff Moritz discovered that his deceased fathers endowment to Ohio State University was "sinking." Moritz retained an attorney to investigate the blunder and hopefully rectify it.

After studying hundreds of pages of public records, it was found that "nearly half of Ohio State University's 300 largest privately funded endowments established over the last 30 years are underwater." 

After Ohio State University was put on notice about this terror, they removed the link on its website allowing the public to review such records, stating that the removal of the link was due to "maintenance." 

However, it appears that unchecked spending is the actual problem.

See OSU can lead the way in ending diversion of dollars from scholarship endowments to entertain rich alums: David Marburger and Jeffrey Moritz, Cleveland.com, November 22, 2020. 

Special thanks to Susan N. Gary (University of Oregon School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention. 

Stetson’s Journal of Aging Law & Policy Call for Papers

The below announcement is posted as a courtesy for Prof. Rebecca Morgan, Stetson University School of Law:

Stetson’s Journal of Aging Law & Policy, the preeminent journal for cutting-edge issues of national and international aging law and policy, is seeking articles for its Volume 13, which will be published in May 2022. Stetson’s Journal of Aging Law & Policy is a unique journal with an elder law emphasis that also focuses on both law and policy.

If you are interested in submitting an article for publication, please email Nicholas Marler, Managing Editor, at [email protected].

Submission requirements: Articles must be in 12-point font and double spaced. Citations should be in accordance with either the ALWD or BlueBook citation manuals and the article must be related to a relevant elder law topic. Submission preferences: The Journal seeks articles that are between 10,000 and 20,000 words. However, consideration may be given to articles that fall outside of this word requirement.

Questions should be directed to Nicholas Marler, Managing Editor, at [email protected].