Announcement
Transition of RLK to Its Two Partners
Rushforth Lee & Kiefer LLP (RLK) officially began business on June 1, 2017 as a limited-liability partnership formed by two professional limited-liability companies (PLLCs): (1) Rushforth Firm, Ltd. (RFL), which is owned by attorney Layne T. Rushforth; and (2) Lee & Kiefer, PLLC (L&K), which is owned by attorneys Kenny E. Lee and Daniel P. Kiefer.
RLK will cease to practice law on March 31, 2020 and will be dissolved. Starting April 1, 2020, the partners will operate as two separate and independent law firms: Rushforth Firm Ltd. and Lee Kiefer & Park.
Rushforth Firm Ltd. (RFL)
Attorney Layne T. Rushforth (“Layne”) is not retiring, but, after more than 40 years of practicing law, Layne is reducing the scope of his law practice. To that end, starting in April, Layne will practice law as the sole attorney of Rushforth Firm Ltd., and he will focus his limited practice as explained below. Layne plans to limit office consultations and to encourage clients to confer using telephone and video conferences. Layne’s practice will be focused primarily on consulting with attorneys, family offices, fiduciaries, and client advisors with respect to Nevada law relating to trusts and estates, as follows:
Nevada Estate Planning
Layne will work with clients and their advisors to implement advanced estate-planning strategies used by high net-worth clients that involve one or more Nevada trusts and/or other Nevada entities. Layne will also act as a consultant or co-counsel with other attorneys and will collaborate with other client advisors regarding Nevada law as it applies to estate-planning matters, including the preparation of Nevada trusts, such as Nevada Incomplete-Gift, Non-Grantor Trusts (NINGs) and Nevada Asset-Protection Trusts (“Self-Settled Spendthrift Trusts” or “SSSTs”). For most basic estate-planning work, clients will be referred to other attorneys or law firms.
Trust-and-Estate Administration Consultant/Witness
Layne will also continue to be a Nevada trust-and-estate consultant for other law firms, family offices, trustees, and advisors with respect to the administration of trusts and estates governed by Nevada law. As part of that, Layne will provide advice and prepare documents relating to the modification of irrevocable trusts, such as by decanting, a nonjudicial settlement agreement, or a judicial reformation. Layne will continue to serve as an expert consultant or witness in trust-and-estate disputes. Starting in April of this year, if a matter that requires court confirmation, approval, or ratification, Layne will, with the client’s approval, associate another attorney or firm of the client’s choosing as co-counsel for court filings and appearances. Beginning in April, most basic probate and trust-administration cases will be referred to other attorneys or law firms.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
In the latter half of 2020, Layne may be persuaded to act as a mediator or arbitrator in trust-and-estate disputes.
Lee Kiefer & Park Firm (LKP)
L&K is adding Matthew W. Park as a named partner and will do business as Lee Kiefer & Park Firm (LKP). When the transition is final, the attorneys affiliated with RLK [excluding Layne and Joseph J. Powell (“Joey”)] and its staff will become employees of LKP. Lee Kiefer & Park can be reached at (702) 333-1711.
Attorney Joey Powell
As of April 1, Joseph J. Powell (“Joey”) will be practicing law with the firm of Hutchison & Steffen, and he can be reached at 702-385-2500. This page will be updated with Joey’s e-mail address when it has been assigned.
Transition
We will try to make the transition of client files and legal work as transparent and as smooth as possible. All of our plans for the transition of our clients’ files — except as to the reduced scope of Layne’s practice — are subject to our clients’ approval.
Case Transition
LKP‘s Cases
LKP will focus its practice on trust-and-estate administration, including trust-administration and probate cases, as well as on trust-and-estate litigation. For the most part, LKP will assume the legal practice of RLK and will continue to provide the legal services previously provided by RLK. Except for cases handled by Joey, all cases in the probate court will remain with LKP.
Joey’s Cases
Cases that are presently being handled by Joey will be transitioned to Joey at his new firm, Hutchison & Steffen, except as to any case involving a conflict of interest between the client and Hutchison & Steffen.
Layne’s (RFL‘s) Cases
Because Layne is limiting the scope of his practice, only a limited number of existing client files will transition to RFL. Clients will be informed as to whether Layne is retaining the file. Clients whose cases are not within the new, limited scope of Layne’s law practice will be provided suggestions as to one or more potential attorneys who can handle the cases. Ultimately, each client affected can select the attorney of his or her choice to represent him or her in Layne’s place. For new legal work involving trust-and-estate matters, Layne encourages potential clients and their advisors to contact him so that Layne can evaluate whether he or another attorney is the best one to handle that matter. If Layne is not the right fit, Layne can discuss other attorneys who may be better suited to provide the services that the client needs.*
Contact Information
Phones
RFL will use 702-255-4552 as its main line and 702-255-4677 as its fax line, while LKP will have a new main line and fax number. So as not to disrupt communication with our clients, their advisors, and others:
- For the rest of 2020, all personnel from both firms can be reached at 702-255-4552;
- From April through the end of June this year, faxes sent to 702-255-4677 will go to both RFL and LKP; and
- This page will be updated with LKP‘s new telephone line and fax number when they become available.
Office Addresses
As of April 1, 2020:
- The address for RFL will be 5550 Painted Mirage Rd., Suite 320, Las Vegas, NV 89149-4584; and
- The office of LKP will be our existing location at 1707 Village Center Circle, Suite 150, Las Vegas, NV 89134-0597.
E-Mail Addresses
Starting in April, Layne Rushforth will use layne@rushforthfirm.com as his primary e-mail address, and the LKP team will use <name>@lkpfirm.com for its new e-mail addresses. Joey Powell will use an e-mail address at hutchlegal.com, and this page will be updated when we have it. Regardless, the existing e-mail addresses [i.e., <name>@rlklegal.com] will continue to work for the foreseeable future.
Billing
We respectfully request the patience of our clients as to billing during 2020.
- Through the end of March, RLK will continue to bill for all services as in the past. Until all pre-April services have been fully paid for, clients will continue to receive billing invoices from RLK.
- RFL and LKP will each bill for its own services that are rendered after March 31, 2020, and each firm’s invoices will need to be paid separately.
Conclusion
We appreciate working with you, and we thank you for your patience and understanding regarding our transition into two firms.
