“Schmaltz Pie” A delicious dinner if you are feeling adventurous! Last year, my spouse and I decided to jointly enter a pie in the neighborhood “Pi(e) Day Celebration”—which had a judging component for those who wished to compete. After debating our entry, we decided to make a “new” pie that we have never made before….
Estate Book Recommendation – The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal To my clients, friends, and trusted referral sources, I have an estate book recommendation and review for you: “The Lager Queen of Minnesota”, by Minnesota-born-and-raised author J. Ryan Stradal. I have long planned to include book reviews on this website—but not just…
Why Do Passwords Matter? If you are a past client of mine, then you have most likely heard me talk about the importance of making sure that your passwords are accessible after your death. Today, I want to talk to you about why they matter, and which passwords to focus on. Passwords matter for two…
Upcoming Events in the Neighborhood: Luminary Festival at Langford Park If you are seeking peace, restoration, and community–consider attending the St. Anthony Park Luminary Festival, which is held at Langford Park on the weekend of Valentine’s Day. The Luminary Festival is a beautiful event centered on community. Please join us as we come together to…
What are DOPAs and POAs, and Why Do They Matter? Today, I want to tell you about two important and underrated estate planning documents: Delegations of Parental Authority (DOPAs) and Powers of Attorney (POAs). Each document is used to give another person power over a key part of your life. The Delegation of Parental Authority…
Original Girl Scout Cookie ATTENTION SCOUTS! FORWARD MARCH! BAKE! SELL! This is your chance to show how much Scouting means to you. For those who would rather eat a Thin Mint or a Caramel DeLite (a.k.a. Samoa)–the cookie season will soon be upon us. In our Council area (the MN metro area), presales begin February…
Lemon Curd A wonderful way to brighten the long days of winter. Delicious on blueberry pancakes, cake filling, and on scones. Ingredients: 3 large lemons or 5 small lemons 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar 1/4 pound of high quality salted butter or unsalted butter (at room temperature) 4 eggs pinch salt Equipment: Vegetable peeler…
Historic Wills: The Great Stork Derby For our inaugural foray into interesting famous wills (celebrity or historical)*, I offer you: The Great Stork Derby of 1926 to 1936. During the Great Stork Derby, Toronto mothers competed to see who could produce the largest number of babies in a ten year period—in order to win a…
Why Do Health Care Directives Matter? When meeting with a lawyer, most clients focus primarily on their Will, Trust, or Power of Attorney documents. Without being prompted, many of my clients would never think to create or update their Health Care Directive at all, particularly when they are young or healthy. So what is a…
Employee Spotlight: Kimberly Van Hallen I’m excited to be working for Chris as her full-time paralegal! I have been working part-time for Courtney Law Office since 2023. I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue working for such a thoughtful and intelligent lawyer, and successful businesswoman. Working with Chris allows me to focus on expanding my…
Chris was profiled by Minnesota Women Lawyers (MWL) as part of their 50 Years, 50 Voices series. You can see the original post here. Christine B. Courtney, is the principal attorney at the Courtney Law Office, where she practices in estate planning, probate, and elder law. Prior to starting the Courtney Law Office, Chris practiced…