Category: Our Attorneys
Significant Proposed Changes to Minnesota Veterans Homes Rules
November 17, 2021 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.
By: Cathryn Reher While there has been a great deal of publicity about the ground-breaking ceremonies around the state for additional Minnesota Veterans Homes, far less publicized are the 88 pages of proposed changes to the Minnesota Rules. These proposed changes will impact both veterans and their spouses whether they currently reside, or have future plans to reside, at one of these facilities. The current rules can be viewed at: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/1f367ca5/5mJ1ZMz-4kSkcAQfk_IInA?u=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/9050. You will want to check out the proposed rule changes at: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/71a018ff/xz80iGxVIUKb4jigTsKN0w?u=https://mn.gov/mdva/assets/2021-10-15-rd4384_tcm1066-502928.pdf. From an initial review of the proposed rule changes, many are adverse or more restrictive than under the current rules. If you read the MDVA description of the proposed rule changes, you would have no idea what changes are afoot. For instance, one of the proposed changes will impact a current and future facility resident’s holding a real property interest in the form of a life estate. The change adopts a valuation method for a life estate which could result in as much as a twenty to thirty percent increase in the equity value allocated to a Veterans Home resident. If the life estate were sold, the resident’s maintenance charge would increase until the full value of the interest, along with other available assets, was reduced below $3,000. For any persons holding…
Read MoreExperienced Elder Law/Elder Care and Special Needs Planning Attorney Cathryn Reher Joins Barna, Guzy & Steffen Law Firm
July 26, 2021 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.
Attorney Cathryn Reher has joined the firm as a Shareholder with more than 30 years of experience. She is recognized for her thorough and detailed estate and long-term care planning analysis and passionate advocacy on behalf of her clients. Cathryn will work closely with our existing team of Estate Planning Attorneys, enhancing the firm’s ability to serve our community. She is certified in federal veterans benefits and has assisted clients with Veterans Homes planning since 1993. Since the 1990s, Cathryn has regularly served as faculty and makes presentations on elder law and special needs planning topics at continuing legal education courses for attorneys through Minnesota CLE and the Minnesota NAELA chapter. She also teaches courses to non-legal professionals obtaining continuing education credits and served as faculty for more than a decade with Kaplan Professional Schools. Long recognized as a leader in her field of law, Cathryn has received multiple accolades from peers and clients over the years. She has been repeatedly named a Super Lawyer, including an award as ‘Top 5 Elder Law Super Lawyer.’ The Minnesota State Bar association awarded her the 2005 Mary Alice Gooderl Award and in 2019 she was named to the Elder Law Section Hall of Fame. Elder Law/Elder Care and Special Needs Planning impacts everyone, not just…
Read MoreScott Lepak Named to the Public Employment Relations Board
November 19, 2020 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.
Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd. is pleased to announce that Governor Walz has appointed shareholder Scott Lepak to serve on the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). Scott will serve as the alternate public employer’s representative. The Board is the body charged with addressing unfair labor practice charges under the public sector labor relations law. This Board was originally active from 1971 to 1991 and was recreated in 2014. Scott is a shareholder in our labor and employment section. He has been working in this area for well over 30 years. Scott noted that he appeared before this Board as an advocate during its original mission. He is delighted to now serve in this new capacity. He also pointed out, in response to numerous questions from public employer clients, that he will continue to represent public sector employer and municipal clients. “This is very much a less than part time gig,” Scott said. “We needed another representative to get cases processed when the regular public sector board member had a conflict or was unavailable. I am excited to join the well-regarded members of this Board when needed as an alternate.” Congratulations, Scott, on your appointment to the Minnesota Public Employment Relations Board. Scott M. Lepak has represented employers on labor and employment matters in…
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