Wendi Temkin

Founding Partner, Retired

My first exposure to estate planning was after the birth of my oldest child.

We went to see a well-respected estate planner in town who asked us a few questions, sent us on our way, and called us back a few weeks later to hand us our completed estate planning documents. He didn’t really explain what he was doing or why, and didn’t say anything to us about the need to review these documents over time to make sure they still made sense for us. We paid him several thousand dollars, took our documents home, stuck them on a shelf, mentally checked “estate planning” off our list, and we never gave our plan a second thought.

Years later, when I decided to make the shift from a litigation practice to estate planning, I pulled my estate plan out and took a look at it with more knowledgeable eyes. I was shocked to realize my plan would not have kept my kids from a public and painful transition involving the probate court. In addition, my plan was will based, which meant that there was nothing in place to protect my kids or my assets if I became incapacitated. In retrospect, this plan would not have functioned at all in the way I would have wanted it to.

I do things differently

I provide a different breed of estate planning services. I have helped hundreds of clients thoughtfully plan for life’s eventual twists and turns. Estate planning can be a daunting process but I make sure my clients are fully educated about the choices they have so they can feel confident the choices they make are the right ones. I also know that even the best laid plans need to be reviewed on a regular basis because change is inevitable: change to your family, your needs, your health, your assets, or your goals.

I also know that estate planning needs to be about more than the transition of monetary assets. That is why I help my clients preserve and pass on their personal legacy as well—their stories, insights, values and experiences. These are the priceless things that often get lost when somebody passes away.

My Professional Background Qualifies Me…

I graduated with honors from the Boalt Hall School of Law at U.C. Berkeley in 1991. I have also spent hundreds of hours advancing my knowledge through various continuing education programs on estate planning.

I am an active member of Wealth Counsel®, a national organization of more than 4,000 estate planning attorneys who have pooled their knowledge and resources to produce continuing education programs and cutting-edge document drafting systems that are constantly updated to reflect changes in the law. I am a member of the Boulder County and Colorado Bar Associations, as well as the Estates and Trusts Section of the Colorado Bar.

My Life Experience Drives Me…

As a mom, I understand that this process is not about the people who are doing the planning. It is about the family members who will be left behind if something happens to us. Estate planning is really your gift to your kids so that they can have the best transition possible if something were to happen to you. It’s for these reasons that I work tirelessly to provide all my clients with the most thorough and well-thought-out estate planning possible. It would be my pleasure to provide you with peace of mind and your family with the long-term security they deserve.