Jack Beckett Email & Phone Number

Annapolis, Maryland

I represent individuals, family businesses, institutional trustees, and non-profit entities in a wide array of estate planning, administration, and fiduciary litigation matters.I have experience preparing trusts, wills, pre-marital agreements, and other estate planning documents for a range of clients, from high net worth individuals to those with modest estates. I also assist clients with business succession planning and have experience preparing and implementing operating agreements and buy-sell agreements.I also have an active fiduciary litigation practice including will contests, constructive trust and other equity actions, declaratory judgment actions, trust modifications, guardianships, removal actions, and fee contest cases. I have extensive motions practice experience and have tried cases before the Circuit and Orphans’ courts.I received my law degree from the Washington and Lee University School of Law, cum laude, in May 2011. At Washington and Lee, I was a Burks Scholar Writing Fellow and a staff writer for the Washington and Lee Law Review. Following graduation from law school, I clerked for the Honorable Pamela J. White on the Circuit Court of Baltimore City. I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree from Wittenberg University, magna cum laude, in political science in May 2008. Before joining the Franke Beckett LLC, I was an associate at a prominent elder law and special needs planning firm in the Baltimore area. I was admitted to practice before the Maryland Court of Appeals in December 2011 and the United States District Court for the District of Maryland in 2017.

Annapolis, Md

Lutherville, Md

Practice in the areas of guardianship, asset protection, and estate planning with an emphasis on Medicaid eligibility issues; elder abuse and fiduciary litigation; and estate and trust administration. Counsel and represent clients in guardianship proceedings, fiduciary litigation, and elder abuse matters; prepare and file annual guardianship accountings.Draft and review documents such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, deeds, and promissory notes; counsel clients and fiduciaries on the use of special needs trusts to obtain and preserve public benefits eligibility; prepare and submit annual trust accountings to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH).Advise clients on a wide array of health insurance, public benefits eligibility, and tax issues; advocate client interests before health care providers, insurance companies, and relevant government agencies, including the DHMH and Office of the Comptroller; prepare and submit applications for Medicaid Long Term Care benefits; appeal unfavorable decisions.Work with state legislators, the Department of Legislative Services, lobbyists, and other advocates to draft and promote legislation affecting individuals with disabilities; prepare talking points; draft and give testimony at General Assembly committee hearings. Teach classes at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, the University of Baltimore School of Law, and Towson University.

Woodlawn, Md

Defended agency decisions challenged by disability claimants in federal court. Reviewed administrative law judge (ALJ) decisions denying disability benefits under the Social Security Act; reviewed and analyzed medical evidence and hearing transcripts; researched pertinent statutes, cases, regulations, and Social Security Rulings; consulted with supervising attorneys and formulated strategies for defense.Drafted and reviewed court documents such as motions, briefs, proposed orders, and pleadings.

Researched and drafted memoranda, opinions, and court orders. Observed hearings and trials in a variety of cases, including commercial and real estate disputes, toxic tort actions, medical malpractice and personal injury claims, and felony prosecutions. Reviewed court files and drafted advisory memoranda on a variety of evidentiary, discovery, and dispositive motions as well as district court and agency appeals.

Master Of Laws - Executive Llm, Tax Law/Taxation

J.D.

Activities and Societies: Staffwriter, Washington and Lee Law Review; Burks Scholar Writing Fellow Juris Doctor, Cum Laude, May 2011 GPA.

B.A., Political Science

Activities and Societies: Lambda Chi Alpha; Writing Adviser, Wittenberg University Writing Center Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude.