The Hilltown Land Trust works to conserve ecologically important wildlands, economically and culturally important working lands, and the scenic beauty and rural culture of the hilltowns. Since its founding in 1986, the organization has acquired 27 conservation restrictions covering over 2,451 acres in seven of the 13 hilltowns and has acquired and sold to the state 468 acres protected by agricultural preservation restrictions in Worthington. The land trust also owns two properties in Willliamsburg with public hiking trails, two in Worthington with wetlands, and a 379-acre eco-forestry project located on the Huntington-Westhampton border.

At the seminar Presenter Kim Welch of AXA Advisors, LLC, Attorney Weber, and fellow guest speaker Harolyn Erickson, CPA, will explain the truth behind the financial misconceptions common to women, including:

• “A 401(k) is all the retirement planning I need to do right now.”

• “I don’t have to take care of the family finances, my spouse does.”

• “Investing is only for risk-takers.”

• “Estate strategies are only for the wealthy.”

Attendees will be asked such questions as “Do you know what the most common financial misconceptions are for women?” “Does investing in the market seem too risky and complicated?” “Do you think your savings will last through retirement?” Attorney Weber and Ms. Erickson will use their expert knowledge to answer these and other questions about financial planning, including strategies that can ruin women’s financial futures.

The event will include half an hour of networking from 6:00–6:30 p.m., the presentation from 6:30–7:30 p.m., and desserts and coffee from 7:30–8 p.m. The seminar is being presented by Kim Welch of AXA Advisors, LLC, in Litchfield, CT. Please RSVP to Ms. Welch at kim.welch@axa-advisors.com, or by calling (860) 567.2229 by November 11, 2011. Space is limited; please reserve today.

Attorney Ann (“Ami”) I. Weber concentrates her practice in the areas of estate tax planning, estate administration, probate, and elder law; and has a particular interest in creative estate planning for authors and artists, and farmers and landowners. Ami is a board member and past president of The Estate Planning Council of Hampden County, Inc., and is a former (and founding) board member and current member of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). She is a frequent author and speaker on issues regarding Estate Planning.

In choosing Super Lawyers, ballots are sent by Law & Politics to over 31,000 Massachusetts attorneys who have been in practice for five or more years. These attorneys then nominate their peers based on professional achievement and a high level of peer recognition. Independent research is then conducted on each of the nominees, followed by a blue ribbon panel review process, and the top five percent in each state are named by Super Lawyers.

The objective of the Super Lawyers selection process is to create a credible, comprehensive, and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys that can be used as a resource to assist attorneys and sophisticated consumers in the search for legal counsel. The following Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. attorneys have been named as 2011 Super Lawyers:

• Stephen A. Shatz, Stockbridge, MA – Real estate development, real estate finance, and commercial leasing
• Steven J. Schwartz, Longmeadow, MA – Family business planning, mergers and acquisitions, corporate law, and estate planning
• Gary S. Fentin, Conway, MA – Commercial and tax-exempt finance, real estate, reorganization and workout, and representation of not-for-profit organizations
• Timothy P. Mulhern, Longmeadow, MA – Taxation law, business organizations, exit planning for business owners, estate planning, and probate
• Steven Weiss, Longmeadow, MA – Business bankruptcy, workout, and reorganization
• Michele J. Feinstein, Longmeadow, MA – Estate planning and taxation, estate administration, probate, and elder law
• Carol Cioe Klyman, Westhampton, MA – Estate planning, estate settlement, elder law, guardianships, and probate litigation
• Ann I. Weber, Granville, MA – Estate planning, elder law, and probate

In 1998, Super Lawyers launched Rising Stars in Minnesota to recognize the top up-and-coming attorneys in the state — those who are 40 years old or younger, or who have been practicing for 10 years or fewer. Today, Rising Stars honors attorneys in more than thirty-five states.

Attorney Hogan, a resident of Chicopee, MA, focuses her practice on business litigation, bankruptcy, and creditor and debtor rights.

To be selected as a Rising Star, an attorney must be nominated by other lawyers who have personally observed them in action, either as opposing counsel or co-counsel, or through other firsthand courtroom observation. The nominated lawyers are ranked by points; those with the highest point totals are named to the Rising Stars list. To ensure a diverse and well-balanced list, the research staff considers factors such as firm size, practice area and geographic location. No more than 2.5 percent of lawyers in the state are named to the list.

“The entire firm is very proud of Alex and her dedication to her clients and practice,” said Gary S. Fentin, Partner. “She is an excellent example of the legacy of our firm and we congratulate her on this great honor.”

Attorney Shatz was selected for his work in the specialty areas of Banking and Finance Law and Real Estate Law, while Attorney Mulhern was selected in the specialty areas of Corporate Law and Tax Law. Attorney Weiss was selected in the category of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and Attorneys Klyman and Weber were selected for their work in Elder Law.

Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C.’s selection to Best Lawyers — which has been published annually since 1983 —is the result of confidential peer-review surveys in which their legal abilities were evaluated by other lawyers in their respective practice areas. Selection to Best Lawyers is based on a rigorous national survey involving more than 3.9 million detailed evaluations of lawyers by lawyers.

Attorney Shatz of Stockbridge, MA, concentrates his practice in the areas of real estate development, real estate finance, and commercial leasing. A shareholder since 1969, he received his J.D. from Boston College in 1967 and his B. A. from Brandeis University in 1964.

Attorney Mulhern of Longmeadow, MA, concentrates his practice in the areas of family business planning, taxation, corporate law, and estate planning. He is the Managing Partner for the firm and received his J.D. from Boston College Law School in 1979 and B.A. from the University of New Hampshire in 1975.

Attorney Weiss of Longmeadow, MA, concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial and consumer bankruptcy, reorganization and litigation. Weiss supervises the firm’s bankruptcy, reorganization and workout practice; represents creditors, debtors, and others in both commercial and consumer bankruptcy cases throughout Massachusetts; has been a member of the private panel of Chapter 7 Trustees for the District of Massachusetts since 1987; and also serves as a Chapter 11 Trustee. He received his J. D. from Boston University in 1984 and his B. A. from Michigan State University in 1980. He also attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1976 to 1977.

A resident of Granville, MA, Attorney Weber concentrates her practice in the areas of estate tax planning, estate administration, probate and elder law; and has a particular interest in creative estate planning for authors and artists, and farmers and landowners. She is an alumna of the University Of Connecticut School Of Law, J.D. with honors, 1985; Southern Connecticut State College, M.S., Library Science, 1975; holds an M. A. in American Studies, from the University of Connecticut, 1973; and has a B.A. in Music from Duke University in Durham, N.C., 1970.

Attorney Klyman of Westhampton, MA, concentrates her practice in the areas of elder law, estate planning and administration; special needs trust planning, estate settlement, guardianships, and probate litigation. Her services include drafting strategic plans for clients facing nursing home care and preparing and filing applications for MassHealth benefits. She is an alumna of Western New England College School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 1996; and University of Rhode Island, B.A., cum laude, Journalism, 1975.