Shaina A. Case is a client-centered attorney, focusing her practice primarily in trusts and estate law. She believes that a well-prepared estate plan is a gift we bestow upon ourselves while alive and well, and one of the last gifts we can leave our loved ones.
She specializes in designing both will- and trust-centered estate plans to assist her clients in avoiding probate, to ensure their overall goals and plans for distribution to their beneficiaries are achieved, and to plan for potential incapacity by preparing financial and medical powers of attorney. She also assists with elements of complex estate planning, including avoiding federal estate and GST tax, offering asset protection trust services and other irrevocable trust planning, and special needs trust planning.
The estate administration side of Shaina’s practice is emphasized in advising personal representatives through court-supervised probates, while the trust administration side of Shaina’s practice focuses on representing trustees during both lifetime and death administration.
At its core, Shaina’s client-centered practice means she cares about those she represents and ensures her clients are informed and heard. Shaina enjoys the opportunity to provide the community no-charge educational presentations regarding probate, wills, and trusts. Should you be interested in scheduling an estate planning seminar, please contact Shaina by email or phone.
PRACTICE AREAS
- Estate and Trust Administration
- Estate Planning
- Contract Law
- Business and Corporate Law
- Real Estate Law
- Guardianship/Conservatorship
SPECIALTIES
- Designing and implementing client specific and tailored estate plans, including will-centered estate plans (including wills, durable power of attorney, advance directive, and transfer on death deeds), trust-centered estate plans (including individual and joint trust plans, pour-over wills, durable power of attorney, advance directive, and trust funding assistance and advice), as well as specialized and complex estate planning such as special needs trusts and planning for federal estate taxes
- Assisting in after death wealth transfer, including probates, summary probates, small estate affidavits, affidavits of survivorship, and trust administration (whether representing trustees or beneficiaries)
- Representation in limited family and elder law matters related to adoptions and court-ordered guardianships and conservatorships for both minors and adults
- Organizing and incorporating Wyoming entities and assisting with the purchase and sale of such entities
- Preparing premarital agreements and other contracts
- Residential and commercial real estate matters
RELATED EMPLOYMENT
- Of Counsel, Hathaway & Kunz, LLP – May 2023 to present
- Partner, Hirst Applegate, LLP – January 2021 to April 2023
- Associate, Hirst Applegate, LLP – January 2017 – December 2020
- Associate, Davis & Cannon, LLP – September 2014 – October 2016
- Law Clerk, The Honorable Kelly H. Rankin, U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge for the District of Wyoming – September 2013 – September 2014
EDUCATION
- University of Wyoming, J.D., (with honors), 2013
- University of Wyoming, B.A., (Spanish), 2010
- University of Wyoming, B.A., (Criminal Justice), 2010
PRESENTATIONS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Secure Act, LCCC (Fall 2022)
- The Probate Process from Start to Finish – Uncovering the Laws of Intestacy and How They May Apply, National Business Institute Seminar (December 2019)
- Wyoming Probate 101, Cheyenne Regional Medical Center Foundation (April 2019)
- Step-by-Step Guide to Drafting Wills and Trusts – Key Elements of Effective Wills, National Business Institute Seminar (November 2018)
- The Probate Process from Start to Finish – Law of Intestate Succession & Handling Claims Against the Estate, National Business Institute Seminar (December 2017)
- Trusts from A to Z – Generation Skipping/Dynasty Trusts & Charitable Trusts, National Business Institute Seminar (June 2017)
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Board Member, Holy Trinity Manor Board (2021 to present)
- Board Member, Friends of the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens Foundation (2020 to present)
- Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce “Emerging Leader” Finalist (2020)
- Volunteer, Equal Justice Wyoming
- Montessori School of Cheyenne Board (2023 to present)
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Cheyenne (Class of 2019-2020)
- Wealth Counsel (2017 to Present)
- Southeast Wyoming Estate Planning Council (2017 to Present)
- Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce Red Carpet Committee (2017 to 2021; serving as 2019 Vice Chair, 2020 Chair, and 2021 Past Chair)
- Business Networking International, Effective Connections Chapter (April 2019 to present)
- Wyoming State Bar Association (2013 to Present)
- United States District Court for the District of Wyoming (2014 to present)
- United States Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals (2015 to present)
- Wyoming Civil Pattern Jury Instruction Committee (2017-2019)
- Ewing T. Kerr American Inn of Court, (2013 to 2022, 2017-2019 Secretary)
LANGUAGES
- Spanish
- Reading
- Writing
- Conversational Speaking
PERSONAL
When not working with clients, Shaina enjoys long-distance running (half marathons to 50Ks), reading, cooking, playing the piano, and, most of all, spending time with her husband and two children.
Shaina grew up in Douglas and is proud to be a Wyoming native.