Thomas Glick Elected President of The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis

Danna McKitrick, P.C. proud of Tom Glick and his election as BAMSL’s newest president as of May 1, 2010.

Thomas G. Glick from Clayton and principal at Danna McKitrick, P.C was elected as president of The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL) for 2010-2011 at the Annual Meeting held April 13, 2010 at BAMSL headquarters.  He will formally assume the office on May 1, 2010.

Read the official release… The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis

Read “Business in Focus” on May 28, 2010… The Ladue News
Read “Were You There When…” on May 28, 2010… The Ladue News
Read “People in Business” on May 10, 2010… The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Read “Business News”… Suburban Journals
Read “Newsmakers”… Missouri Lawyers Media

Read “Message from the President”… BAMSL

Kids In the Middle Annual Bugabaloo 2010

Danna McKitrick, P.C. was pleased to join an esteemed group of sponsors for Kids In the Middle’s annual Bugabaloo on April 10, 2010.

Bugabaloo 2010 raised almost $60,000 net for group and individual counseling for kids “in the middle” of their parents’ divorce.

Kids In the Middle® (KITM) is a nonprofit organization that provides counseling, education and support for kids and families when parents decide to separate and divorce.

Danna McKitrick principal (retired), Barbara Blee Maille, is a member of the Kids In the Middle 2010 Board of Directors.

Read “Kids In the Middle Past Events”… Kids In the Middle
Read “Were You There When…” on May 13, 2010… The Ladue News

Sophya Qureshi Raza on Children in Divorce on KWMU interview with Kids in the Middle

An on-air discussion about how to help children deal with their parents’ separation or divorce.

Don Marsh talks with Sophya Qureshi, as well as Judy Berkowitz, Executive Director of Kids in the Middle, and Amanda Moeller, therapist with Kids in the Middle, on St. Louis Public Radio’s April 6, 2010 edition of “St. Louis on the Air.”

Listen to the interview… St. Louis Public Radio

Dan Tobben Quoted in The Daily Northwestern about Evanston Pension Funding

The Daily Northwestern quoted Dan Tobben in “Attorneys’ weekly blog adds voice to pension fund dispute” referring to the firm’s recently launched Protecting Public Pensions blog.

The objective of the blog is to explain the origins of the crisis and how it will eventually be solved. Attorneys Dan Tobben, who successfully represented the St. Louis firefighters in their suit for pension payment, and David Binder started posting on the issue Monday.

“What we’re trying to do is raise the issue and encourage public discussion,” said Tobben, a [principal] at Danna McKitrick in Clayton, Mo. “Evanston needs to solve their problems one way or another, and this discussion hopefully will help them see that.”

“Everything is riding on these pensions,” Tobben said. “To me, the idea that the city doesn’t honor its obligations to its police and firefighters, it’s kind of like if we as Americans don’t honor our obligations to our military.”

Read full story… The Northwestern Daily

Patrick Murphy Quoted in Missouri Lawyers Weekly on Tax Returns

Missouri Lawyers Weekly interviewed Patrick Murphy in an article entitled, “Consequences await tax scofflaws.”

When you don’t pay taxes, the Internal Revenue Service and state look at it as if you’re holding their money on loan. And they charge big-time interest and penalties.

The late-payment interest rate for the IRS is 4 percent. On top of that, there is a penalty for failure to pay -.5 percent for each month the tax is not paid in full, says Patrick Murphy, a tax attorney and CPA at Danna McKitrick in St. Louis.

“While these amounts may not sound like much, it really does add up quickly,” Murphy says. “And I have seen numerous occasions where a taxpayer actually owes as much in interest and penalties as they owe in actual taxes.”

“Another area where people get into trouble is when people don’t remit payroll taxes when they are due: They spend it,” Murphy says. “It doesn’t affect the paralegal or the receptionist, but the owners of the firm can be held personally liable.”

Read news story… Missouri Lawyers Media (Dolan Media Newswire)

Patrick Murphy Quoted in St. Louis Business Journal on Estate Tax

St. Louis Business Journal interviewed Patrick Murphy in “Uncertainty over estate taxes calls for preparation.”

…with its focus on health reform and little time left this year to debate a permanent estate tax change, Congress is more likely to find a temporary solution. Most estate planning attorneys say they expect key components now in place to remain — including exempting the first $3.5 million of estates from the tax, but levying a 45 percent tax on values over that amount.

“There’s not enough time to debate any significant change, so there will be a patch,” said Patrick Murphy, an accountant and estate attorney…

Read news story… St. Louis Business Journal

Ruth Binger Quoted in St. Louis Business Journal Discussing Midsize Law Firms

The St. Louis Business Journal interviewed Ruth Binger in an article discussing how midsized law firms are performing during the current U.S. recession.

Like any other service provider, law firms are feeling the passed-along pain of their clients during the economic downturn.  But in a strange kind of  judo, midsize firms seem to be weathering the storm better than the industry’s behemoths or its boutique firms…

“We brought on three new lawyers this year,” said Ruth Binger… “[and] are doing great vis-a-vis what’s going on in the market.”

Read news story… St. Louis Business Journal

Tom Glick featured “Clayton Attorney Volunteers to Fight for Those In Need”

Tom Glick’s efforts through Legal Services of Eastern Missouri are the subject of an article in the Suburban Journals.

“I believe we have the best justice system in the world, but it takes a lawyer to access it, which is why it’s important for the legal system to take on pro bono work,” [Glick] said….

In court, he dedicates time helping homeless and other low income residents of the area, regularly representing them in court proceedings….

Glick said the best legal fee he ever collected was a plate of cookies from a pro bono client he kept from losing a home.

Reuben Shelton, president of the board of directors of legal services, called Glick an invaluable resource, in terms of the time, talent and efforts he donates.

“He’s always been willing to give of himself, taking on a heavy commitment of time without hesitation. He’s done so much for the community, no doubt about it,” Shelton said.

Not having had the opportunity to see the article prior to publishing, Tom wished to comment that LSEM thoroughly appreciates and values all types of contributions, including monetary ones. And in his remark about budgets, he was definitely referring to another of his own responsibilities–comparing board-level budget work to legal representation, he personally finds the legal work more rewarding, but both efforts are important to the success of an organization like LSEM.

Read more… Suburban Journals

Dan Tobben Featured in “Pension Scenarios Tough to Compare”

Springfield News Leader references Dan Tobben’s representation of firefighter and police association in pension issues.

The Missouri Supreme Court, which ultimately decided the case, ruled in 2007 that the city was required to make the full payment and ordered the city to pay a total of about $210 million into the three funds to make up the difference.

Dan Tobben, one of the attorneys who represented firefighters and police in the case, has since been hired by the Springfield police and fire associations and has warned that the Queen City could face a similar lawsuit if its funding shortfall isn’t addressed.

Read more… Springfield News Leader

Brian Weinstock Quoted in St Louis Business Journal on Recent Historic Tax Credits Judgment

A St. Louis Business Journal article features Danna McKitrick attorney, Brian Weinstock, in its coverage of a dispute over state historic tax credits–the outcome of which sets precedent for the assignment of the credits.

“In Missouri, there are no cases that discuss the specific performance of assigning historic tax credits to a party,” Weinstock said. The St. Louis County judgment found that J & J Builders could pursue assignment of the tax credits through the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

Read news story… St. Louis Business Journal