Author: Adam Diemond
The Importance of Community Involvement
Our firm recently held our 2nd annual Kemp Klein Foundation Charity Golf Outing. As I attended the event, I reflected on our commitment to the community. We believe it is imperative to support local charities and to be involved at every level in the community. Our golf outing may be our biggest event of the year but our team spends many hours at local charities. We also gather together internally to make blankets for our foundation partners as well as adopting families over the holidays.
We started The Kemp Klein Foundation in 1994 and our firm commitment exceeds $2 million in services and dollars since the Foundation’s inception. This year we gave $24,500 to Say Detroit which is a favorite charity of radio personality, journalist and best-selling author Mitch Albom. We appreciate all of the assistance Mitch Albom gave us this year which included recording promotional announcements on behalf of the outing and for having shareholder Bob Zawideh on the Mitch Albom show.
The golf outing was an outstanding event and several members of our firm did incredible work. Shareholder Bob Zawideh led the golf outing, working with friend of the firm, Karen Katko, to organize the day. Christina Kowalenko worked tirelessly on the silent auction. Kerri Shutt, Geri Hames, Barb Mackin, Pam Mackley, Stavi Varlamos and Adam Diemond all contributed to the success of the golf outing in a variety of roles. Our volunteer team included friends and family of firm members such as Bob Zawideh’s wife. It is difficult to single out everyone from that day and I am grateful we came together as a firm to support our community.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and The Importance of Relationships
The shift to AI has dominated headlines in 2023. It is extraordinary to witness the impact of AI in all industries. Many law firms are moving critical functions to AI in an effort to become more efficient and for cost savings. At Kemp Klein, we acknowledge AI’s current and coming role, but we also believe AI will never replace one of our core values and what we believe has made Kemp Klein special for over 50 years. We value relationships. We strive to not only serve our clients at the highest level, but we want our clients to know that we value them as individuals in a way AI is not capable of and never will be. As an example, I can’t tell you the number of times one of our team has stayed after hours to talk with a client or attorney to complete critical work, and to make sure deadlines aren’t missed.
AI is not able to talk with a client who is in distress, understand their needs with compassion, and give clients the attention they deserve. AI is not able to celebrate the milestones in our clients’ lives and provide comfort during the difficult times.
We do see an opportunity to utilize AI to enhance our services and assist our team but we will never shift our emphasis on service, trust and most importantly relationships.
Brian Jenney Sponsors The 2023 Mighty Gobbler 5k and 1 Mile Run / Walk
On behalf of Kemp Klein, Brian Jenney is supporting The Mighty Gobbler 5k and 1 Mile Run / Walk. We have been a proud supporter of this event for many years.
The Mighty Gobbler 5K and 1 Mile Run / Walk takes place on November 23, starting at 8:30 am for the 1 Mile fun run/walk and 9:00 am for the 5K. The race will begin at Lutheran Church of the Master, 3333 Coolidge Hwy., in Troy. The course winds through neighborhoods and commercial areas, and is a mixture of roads and sidewalks.
The event benefits three local charities Micah 6 Community, Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers and Troy People Concerned. Micah 6 Community serves Pontiac residents through programs that increase their access to fresh food; promote economic development; stabilize neighborhoods; and provide spiritual and emotional support. Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers makes it possible for older and disabled adults to enjoy independence and quality of life through a network of supported, prepared and fulfilled volunteers. Troy People Concerned is a service organization supporting Troy residents in time of need with assistance, information and referrals.
For more information about the event: https://www.mightygobbler.com/
Sydney McMillan Supports Stage Nature Centers Nature Uncorked Annual Fundraiser
On behalf of The Kemp Klein Foundation, Sydney McMillan is supporting Stage Nature Centers Nature Uncorked Annual Fundraiser.
The City of Troy’s nature center is operated by the Troy Nature Society, a nonprofit organization that raises funds to support the programs and outdoor activities offered at the Stage Nature Center. This popular 100-acre nature preserve with two miles of walking trails and its large interpretive building are dedicated to the education of the community about the natural world. All proceeds from the event help underwrite the educational nature programs and operations of the nature center.
Nature Uncorked takes place at the Troy Community Center on Friday, November 10th, from 6-9pm.
The mission of the Kemp Klein Foundation is to provide support to charitable organizations and to promote volunteerism throughout the firm and community. The Kemp Klein Foundation is funded via proceeds from our casual Friday donations and contributions from the firm. Since its inception, the Foundation has contributed over $1,000,000 to hundreds of worthwhile causes which reflect our shared values.
For more information about this event visit: https://troynaturesociety.org/
For more information about The Kemp Klein Foundation visit: https://kkue.com/community_involvement/
Edward Nahhat visits Clawson Middle School's Plan for Success Class
Kemp Klein Attorney Edward Nahhat recently visited Clawson Middle School’s Plan for Success Class and shared the story of how he is able to find a way to keep his passions as part of his life. He shared his dream of bringing outdoor theatre to his community, and twenty-some years later, Shakespeare Royal Oak is still going strong at Starr Park each summer.
Everyone from the class wrote him this kind letter.
We are proud of the commitment our team has to community involvement.
Learn more about Mr. Nahhat: https://kkue.com/edward-m-nahhat/
Buttiglieri and Zawideh Successful in $4.2 Million Settlement Over Will Dispute
Kemp Klein Attorneys Joseph P. Buttiglieri and Robert S. Zawideh successfully represented the the plaintiffs in a case in which they were disinherited. This was a complex will contest involving a solitary man who died with no wife or children. The decedent never owned real estate, a car, a phone or a computer. He had no recent relationship with his two nieces, who were his only heirs.
When he died, his estate was worth approximately $21,000,000. Three years before he died, the decedent became a ward of the court. At the time, everyone, including decedent, believed he did not have a will. During the course of the guardianship and conservatorship, the decedent told a psychiatrist that he did not have or want a will and repeated this in two independent psychological exams. Before the wardship, he said as much to his financial advisors. Both psychologists reported that decedent had testamentary capacity. The conservator informed the court of his belief that there was no estate plan, and whoever was in charge would have to make sure the ward had one whether he wanted one or not.
The court appointed an attorney to assist the ward in preparing an estate plan. From 2018 to 2020, the court-appointed attorney drafted multiple wills, three of which were signed, all with varying dispositions of his property, and all of which expressly disinherited his heirs. One of the wills left two recently hired caregivers over $5 million each. The last will left his entire estate to several charities with which the decedent never had a relationship. After he died, the nieces objected to the probate of the last known, proffered will, arguing that he died intestate.
Thereafter, another charity came forward with a nonholographic unwitnessed document they claimed to be a will. Due to the numerous wills executed by the decedent, a significant concern was the issue of dependent relative revocation, which could have resulted in a separate jury trial over each individual will.
After hotly contested litigation, all the parties agreed to a 60/40 split of the estate, with the 40% group (who weren’t in the final will), arbitrating their claims to the balance of the 40%. After several days of arbitration, the 40% group asked the arbitrator to act as a mediator, at which point the case settled, with a substantial award for the disinherited nieces.
In Re Ronald Schaddelee Irrevocable Trust: Is a Trust a Contract and What If It Is?
–Published in Steve Leimberg’s Financial Products Planning email Newsletter, August 23, 2023
Alan A. May
