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Joel A. Bernstein: A Distinguished Massachusetts Attorney
Joel A. Bernstein is a well-known attorney who specializes in trusts and estate law in Massachusetts. He has worked in this field for over 30 years. Joel started his career in 1983 at Hawk Mountain Corporation in Vermont, where he improved how they handled deeds. In 1985, he moved to Scheier, Scheier, and Graham to better their process for transferring real estate ownership. Advancements in Legal Practice In 1987, Bernstein joined Kopelman and Paige in Boston. There, he helped make their litigation practices more efficient by using technology. After earning an LL.M. in Taxation from Boston University, Joel set up his own law firms, first in Wellesley and then in Lexington. He wrote three articles about the economics of law and how to use technology in legal work. Contributions to Legal Education and Literature Joel has been a board member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys and has written for the American Bar Association's "Probate and Property" magazine. He teaches across the country for Surgent McCoy, focusing on estate and trust taxation, and has also written for "Loring and Rounds: A Trustee's Handbook." Workshops and Advocacy Joel is famous for leading over 300 workshops where he teaches the benefits of using trusts for estate planning. His workshops have helped many people understand how to manage estates better. Legacy and Philosophy Joel A. Bernstein is known for combining technology with legal work, being a great teacher, and leading new ideas in the legal field in Massachusetts. In his book, "Legal Writing in Plain English," Bryan A. Garner explains that writing clearly means using simple and direct language, choosing interesting yet easy words, and avoiding complicated ones when simple ones will do. Joel strongly believes in and practices this straightforward approach in his legal work. |
I have the education and experience to help you, including a Tax Law degree. And will try to share it as plainly as I can. |
PublicationsI began writing for publications early in my career and have enjoyed writing about legal topics that interest me. I've been published in over 15 national publications and was even mentioned in a 120-year-old treatise on the topic of the Administrative Trust.
A Trustee's Handbook (1898), Edited by Professor Charles Rounds, Jr. In 2008, I met and studied under Professor Charles Rounds, Jr., of Suffolk University, the editor to the (1898) Loring and Rounds: A Trustee's Handbook, a leading authority in the trust field. I suggested and edited a section in the treatise on the topic of the Administrative Trust. Professor Rounds refers to me in the book for my work in the area of automating the post-death administration of trusts. Columnist and writer for national law publications
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Public appearancesI've enjoyed speaking about estate planning and providing continuing education to attorneys and accountants. Thanks to my automation practices and efficiency skills, I found the time to do this despite a busy law practice!
Early proponent of the revocable living trust
Starting in 1993, I was among the first attorneys in Massachusetts to give public talks about the revocable living trust as a better alternative for some people to having a will. I enjoyed speaking on the topic and still do it, although less frequently. Continuing education for attorneys and accountants After seeing me speak, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of MA, Charles Schwab, and the Foundation for Continuing Education engaged me to give continuing education to attorneys and accountants. By 2000, I had given over 300 public and private talks. The audiences included the American Bar Association, MA Society of CPAs, MA Society of Enrolled Agents, and Surgent McCoy on a national CPA level. |
Wills & Trusts—in plain EnglishFace, don't avoid, death, disability, and taxes. It’s easier than you think.
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I began my practice as a real-estate attorney. Within a few years, I explored the specialty of estate planning and decided to make that my life's work.
Board of Governors: American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, 1992
In 1992, I learned about revocable living trusts (the modern approach to estate planning) from the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, based in San Diego, CA. The Academy appointed me to its board of governors. In-house counsel for Hawk Mountain Corporation, 1980s My first legal job was the attorney for the then well-known Vermont company, Hawk Mountain Corporation. The company built environmentally sensitive homes in Vermont's Green Mountains. By 1984 I'd computerized the way the builder created deeds to achieve higher accuracy and speed. PCs were still new, so my work was innovative, an early example of legal automation. While living in Woodstock, Vermont, I wrote my first article, describing the process I'd created at Hawk Mountain. By 1985, the American Bar Association (ABA) read the description and appointed me as technology chief for their Real Estate User Group and columnist for their national journal, Probate and Property. |
Massachusetts Wills & Trusts
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Copyright © 2025 by Joel Bernstein. All rights reserved. Disclaimer
The material is provided for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. This Alert may constitute attorney advertising and is not intended to communicate with anyone in a jurisdiction where such an Alert fails to comply with all laws and ethical rules of the jurisdiction.
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