e-mail:jbrucesmith@brettlaw.com

Education:

• University of Illinois (B.S., with high honors, Bronze Tablet, 1974)
• University of Illinois (J.D., 1977)

Practice Areas:

• Estate Planning Law
• Estate and Trust Administration

Experience:

• J. Bruce Smith became a lawyer in 1977, and for ten years represented clients in general litigation in state and federal courts and administrative hearings. In 1987 he joined Brett & Daugert, and for several years assisted clients with estate planning and general business matters including purchase and sales of businesses and formation of partnerships and corporations. By 1992, his practice had become primarily and is today exclusively limited to advising and assisting clients regarding estate planning, the preparation of wills, trusts and other related documents, the administration of estates and trusts and the planning of charitable gifts.
  
  Bruce has assisted thousands of clients of all economic levels, from recipients of public benefits to those whose annual incomes are millions of dollars. His work includes recognizing and organizing the legal aspects of marriage, divorce and death. Bruce’s primary interest is helping his clients make plans for during their lifetimes and after that recognize their life circumstances, which sometimes include marriages between partners with separate children, personal vulnerabilities such as mental health issues or substance abuse, and complex family dynamics. The circumstances of those same clients often include wealth, accomplishment and personal and family success.
  
  Bruce is the happy father of two children, David and Maya.

Admitted to Practice:

• Washington State Supreme Court, 1981
• Illinois State Supreme Court, 1977 (inactive)

Associations:

• Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
• Whatcom County Bar Association
• Washington State Bar Association; Past Member of Executive Committee, Probate and Trust Council, Real Property, Probate and Trust Section.

References:

• Dennis Gross, CPA, Larson Gross and Associates, CPA's, Bellingham (360) 734-4280
• Al Froderberg, Western Washington University Foundation (360) 650-3482

Community Service:

• Board of Directors, Whatcom Land Trust
• Rotary Club of Bellingham
• Board of Directors, Rotary Club of Bellingham Foundation
• Board of Directors, Thomas and Martina Horn Foundation
• Board of Directors, Tom and Ingeborg Nesset Foundation

Selected Publications and Presentations:

• "Recognizing and Avoiding Ethical Problems in the Estate Planning Practice", Washington State Bar Association Real Property, Probate and Trust Section Mid-Year Meeting, June, 1999; Best of CLE, 1999.