Shelly D. Merritt

Shelly D. Merritt is an AV Pre-eminent® Peer Review Rated (TM) by Martindale-Hubbell® with over twenty years of experience representing individuals, families, closely held businesses, executives and small business owners.  She is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, a past Council Member of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Colorado Bar Association and past Co-Chair of its Trusts and Estates Section Statutory Revisions Committee.  Prior to establishing her own firm, Ms. Merritt practiced at law firms in Boulder, Denver, and Texas.  She is licensed to practice law in Colorado and Texas.

Areas of Experience

• Developing and Implementing Comprehensive Individual and Multi-Generational Estate Plans
• Asset Protection and Wealth Transfer Planning
• Preparation of Wills, Trusts, Foundations and Family Limited Partnerships
• Probate, Trust and Estate Administration
• International Succession Planning
• Formation of For-Profit and Not-For Profit Entities
• Purchase and Sale of Closely Held Businesses
• Tax Planning and Advice

Professional Credentials

• J.D. University of Texas School of Law, 1991
• B.B.A., Accounting, with honors, 1987
• Certified Public Accountant
• STEP Certification in International Succession and Probate
• AV Preemminent Rated by Martindale Hubbell
• Included in The Best Lawyers in America  in the filed of Trusts and Estates* 2008-2016 editions
• Included in Super Lawyers, editions 2009-2020
• Licensed to Practice Law in Colorado

Professional Affiliations

• Fellow American College of Trust and Estate Council
• Member, Society of Trust and Estate Council (STEP)
• Past Council Member, Trusts and Estates Section of the Colorado Bar Association
• Member, Statutory Revisions Committee of the Trusts and Estate Section of the Colorado Bar Association (Co-Chair 2007-2008)
• Reporter, Miami Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, 2005
• Member, Boulder County Bar Association Estate and Probate Section (Co-chair 2001-02)
• Volunteer, Thursday Night Bar Program (now Metro Volunteer Lawyers), 1995-2003
• Volunteer, Wills on Wheels, 2000
• Planning Committee Member, Women and the Law Conference at the University of Denver, 1998
• Volunteer, Pro bono estate planning clinic, and Call a Lawyer hotline, San Antonio Young Lawyers Association, 1994

Community Activities

• Board Member, Boulder Valley Women's Health
• Board Member, Treasurer and Chair of Legal Committee The Community Foundation Serving Boulder County, 2004-2010
• Board Member, Parenting Place of Boulder County, 1996-2002
• Secretary, Parenting Place of Boulder County, 2001
• Treasurer, Parenting Place of Boulder County, 1999
• Programs Chair, Colorado Women's Bar Association, 1998

* Copyright 2007 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, S.C.