Practice Areas
Estate and Gift Taxation; Taxation; Trusts and Estates; Probate; Wills; Business Law; Corporate Law; Partnership Law; Property Tax Appeals; Commercial Real Estate

Admitted: 1997, U.S. Tax Court; 1980, Kansas and U.S. District Court, District of Kansas; 1981 U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit

Law School: University of Kansas, J.D. and University of Missouri-Kansas City, LL.M., Taxation

Born: Norton, Kansas, November 22, 1955

Cases: Young v. Graves, 04-P-51 (Douglas County District Court) Royd-Sykes v. Dicken, 95,053 (KS Court of Appeals 2006).

B. J. Hickert received an undergraduate degree from Benedictine College, a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Kansas School of Law, and a LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.  Before joining the firm in 1997, B. J. litigated business disputes for fifteen years, including five years as a Senior Attorney in the FDIC Professional Liability Section.  B.J. has been elected a Fellow of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He focuses his legal practice in the areas of business and estate planning, probate, trust administration, and tax disputes.  In addition to his active legal practice, B.J. serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Washburn University School of Law, where he teaches Estate and Gift Tax, and is a frequent lecturer for professional and community organizations.

B. J. Hickert online at visit superlawyers.com

Education and Professional Designations:

• LL.M, Taxation - University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, 1995
• JD - University of Kansas School of Law, 1980
• BA, Cum Laude - Benedictine College, 1977 (Student Government President)

Experience:

• Adjunct Professor, Taxation of Gratuitous Transfers ("Estate and Gift Tax"), Washburn University School of Law, 2006-Present
• Private Practice/Government
• Associate/Partner, Newbery, Ungerer & Hickert LLP (and predecessor firms), Topeka, KS, 1997-Present
• Berger & Carmody, P.A., Lawrence, KS, 1996-1997
• Senior Attorney, FDIC Professional Liability Section, Kansas City, KS, 1990-1995
• Associate/Partner, Morrison, Hecker, Curtis, Kuder & Parrish, Wichita, KS, 1983-1989
• Associate, Gott, Young & Bogle, Wichita, KS, 1980-1983

Professional and Civic Affiliations:

• Topeka Bar Association
• Kansas Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Kansas Bar Foundation - Fellow
• American College of Trust and Estate Counsel - Fellow
• Northeast Kansas Society of Financial Service Professionals-Director, 2003-2005
• Leadership Greater Topeka-Class Member, 2004
• Douglas County Estate Planning Council
• Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce
• The Chamber Foundation-Director, 2007-2011
• The Villages, Inc.-Director, 2006-2011 and Treasurer, 2008-2011
• Topeka Knife & Fork Club-Director, 2005
• Recipient of Annual Martin Henry Award for Volunteerism, 2003
• Knights of Columbus, Lawrence, Kansas-Grand Knight, 1997-1999
• Columbus Homes Association, Inc.-Director, 1992-1997

Trust Litigation:

• Young v. Graves, No. 04-P-51 (Douglas County, Kansas), successfully defended trustee
• Royd-Sykes v. Dicken, No. 95,053, Decided September 15, 2006, successfully asserted claims against trustee in Johnson County District Court and the Kansas Court of Appeals

Publications:

•  "Health Care: A Simple Prescription," Tax Notes, February 20, 1995

Presentations:

• Top Ten Gift Ideas, Kansas Bar Association (2010)
• Water Depletion, Kansas Accountants Tax Conference (2009)
• Trust Review Checklist,  Kansas Accountants Tax Conference (2008)
• Non-Probate Transfer Issues, Kansas Accountants Tax Conference (2007)
• New Kansas Estate Tax, Kansas Accountants Tax Conference (2006)
• New Trustee Responsibilities & Risks, Kansas Bar Association (2006)
• Representing Multiple Clients for Business Transactions, Kansas Bar Association (2005)
• Kansas Estate Tax, Kansas Accountants Tax Conference (2005)
• New Kansas Trust Statutes, Washburn University School of Law (2005)
• Trustee Responsibilities and Risks, Douglas County Estate Planning Council (2005)
• Kansas Uniform Trust Code, Kansas Bankers Association (2004)
• Planning for Business, Kansas Accountants Tax Conference (2004)
• Kansas Trust Course, Professional Education Systems Institute, LLC (2003, 2004 & 2005)
• Kansas Uniform Trust Code, Kansas Accountants Tax Conference (2003)
• Choice of Entity: Coming of Age, Kansas Bar Association (2003)
• Extracting "Captured" Income from C-Corporations, Kansas Accountants Tax Conference (2002)
• Business Legal and Tax Planning, Douglas County Estate Planning Council (2002)
• Kansas Estate Planning Course, Professional Education Systems Institute, LLC (2002)
• Choice of Entity, Kansas Accountants Tax Conference (2001)
• Liability Protection Gifting Considerations, Kansas Accountants Tax Conference (2000)
• Family Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies, National Business Institute (2000)
• Basic Probate Procedures and Practice in Kansas, National Business Institute (1999 & 2000)
• Kansas Probate: Beyond the Basics, National Business Institute (1999)
• Setting Up a Small Business, National Business Institute (1999)
• Taxation of Repossessed Real Estate, Kansas Accountants Tax Conference (1998)