Shannon K. Barks

Ms. Barks regularly represents clients in the following matters:

• planning for wealth preservation and preparation of estate planning documents.
• planning for and implementation of sophisticated tax reduction strategies.
• administration of complex estates and trusts.
• charitable planning, creation and establishment of tax exempt organizations and private foundations.
• business succession planning and tax planning for owners of closely held businesses.

She has also presented at estate planning seminars and continuing legal education programs and acts as fiduciary for multimillion-dollar trusts and estates.

Court Memberships

• Kansas
• Missouri

Honors

• Selected among The Best Lawyers in America®, 2011-2012
• Martindale-Hubbell® “AV” Rating

Professional Affiliations

• Kansas Bar Association
• The Missouri Bar, Probate and Trust Committee
• Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
• Johnson County Bar Association
• Estate Planning Society of Kansas City
• Wayside Waifs, Board of Directors, 2007-present; Executive Committee, 2009-present; Secretary, 2009-2010; Chair-Elect, 2011; Board Chair, 2012-2013
• Children's Mercy Hospital Donald H. Chisholm Planned Giving Council, 2000-present Executive Committee, 2006-present; Chair, 2009-2010
• Safehome, Board of Directors, 2006-2008 
• Johnson County Arts Council Shooting Stars Scholarship Award Program, Chairperson, 2006
• Johnson County Arts Council, Board of Directors, 2005-2007

Publications

• Article, Waive Hello to New Charitable Remainder Trust Spousal Consent Rules, Children's Mercy Hospital's Estate Planning Matters, Fall 2005 Issue
• Author, Tax Advantaged Retirement Planning: Selling Life Insurance in the Roth IRA Market, Journal of the American Society of CLU & ChFC, July 1998 (Winner, Journal Author Award)
• Author of numerous articles on subjects such as estate and gift tax issues, sophisticated estate planning strategies, planning for saving for college education and retirement planning.

Presentations

• Speaker, Disclaimers, The Practical Guide to Probate and Estate Administration, February, 2012
• Speaker, Kansas Probate Administration – Decedents’ Estates, Johnson County Bar Association Law Practice Skills 101, October 27, 2011
• Speaker, Portability: The New Estate Planning Fix? Estate Planning Internship Program, October 20, 2011
• Speaker, Modification and Termination of Trusts, 26th Annual Plaza Lights Institute, Kansas Bar Association, December, 2008
• Speaker, Estate Planning Essentials, Moving Forward Together MS Conference and Expo - National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Mid America Chapter, November, 2008
• Speaker, Estate Planning for Non-Citizen Spouses, Douglas County Estate Planning Society, January 2008
• Speaker, Small Business Workshop, Johnson County Community College, October 2007
• Speaker, Finding the Best Baskets for Your Eggs, Kansas State Treasurer's Office, October 2005
• Speaker, Practical Estate Planning Solutions, Kansas City Chapter, Women's Life Underwriter's Association, October 2005
• Speaker, Missouri and Kansas Estate Tax after the Economic Growth and Tax Reconciliation Relief Act of 2001, Kansas City Chapter, Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants, September 2005
• Speaker, New Developments in Estate Planning, Johnson County Bar Association, October 2004
• Speaker, HIPAA Privacy Regulations:  How Do They Impact Estate Planning?  Douglas County Estate Planning Society, September 2004
• Speaker, New Developments in Estate Planning, Kansas City Chapter, Society of Financial Service Professionals, September 2004
• Speaker, State and Federal Legislative and Case Law Update - Estate Planning, Annual Plaza Lights Institute, Kansas Bar Association, December 2003
• Speaker, Kansas Inheritance Tax and Succession Tax, Third Annual CLE Slam Dunk, Kansas Bar Association, February 2003
• Speaker, Cutting Edge Estate Planning, Annual Estate and Trust Institute, The Missouri Bar, October 2002