W. Parish Lentz focuses his practice on estate and trust planning and administration, as well as business formation and ongoing representation of corporate clients, including non-profit entities. His estate and trust planning practice includes litigating disputes in state court, including trust reformations and accountings, will contests, and guardianship proceedings. Recognizing the uncertainties and costs of court oversight, Parish makes every effort to ensure that estate plans reflect the goals of clients.
Education
- Northeastern University School of Law (J.D.)
- Kenyon College (B.A.)
Bar Admissions
- Rhode Island
- Massachusetts
- Obtained on behalf of a client an emergency admission to a hospital of the client’s adult son who had suffered a massive stroke. The father did not have a health care or financial power of attorney. The hospital agreed to admit the man as part of an agreement that included a date certain for a guardianship proceeding in Probate Court. To avoid crises and emergency situations, he regularly advises clients to create thorough estate planning documents, including powers of attorney. He also counsels families on long-term care (Medicaid) planning.
- Persuaded state court judges to allow financially struggling non-profit organizations to access principal funds of charitable trusts that were designated income only. Without this intervention, these charities may have had to close their operations.
- Regularly provides business succession planning for family businesses, including balancing the interests of second or third generation children active in the enterprise with the overall estate plan of the older generation.
- Professional Excellence in the Law in Wills, Trusts and Estates, Rhode Island Monthly (2019-2024)
- “Estate Planning Essentials During COVID-19,” by Parish Lentz (April 14, 2020)
- “Best Practices for Non-Profit Boards of Directors,” by Parish Lentz (June 21, 2016)
- “Health Focus: Lawyer says forms allow parents access to children’s medical info,” by Richard Salit, Providence Journal (April 9, 2016)
- “Avoid the uncertainties: Best practices for dealing with Health Care Powers of Attorney or proxies,” by Parish Lentz (February 1, 2015)
- “Trust & Estate Planning, Part 2,” Legal Lowdown Podcast Episode 4 (October 2, 2018)
- “Trust & Estate Planning, Part I,” Legal Lowdown Podcast Episode 3 (September 12, 2018)
- Conducts legal education seminars for attorneys, as well as for CPAs and other groups concerning various legal issues.
- Presentation at the Rhode Island School of Design class on Professional Practice for Visual Artists.
- Presented at and co-authored associated books for numerous seminars sponsored by the National Business Institute, including:
- “Tax Exempt Organizations From Start to Finish” (2014)
- “Top Elder Care Strategies” (2014)
- “Trusts 101” (2012)
- “Fundamentals of Trust Administration” (2010)
- “Key Issues in Estate Planning and Probate” (2006 and 2007)
- “How to Draft Effective Wills and Trusts for Your Clients” (2005)
- Member, Probate and Trust Committee of the Rhode Island Bar Association
- Member, Massachusetts Bar Association
- Member, Bristol County, MA Estate Planning Council
- Volunteer, Rhode Island Bar Association’s U.S. Armed Forces Legal Services Project for Veterans and their Families
- Board Member, East Bay Rowing, Inc.
- Former Board Member, The Bethany Home of Rhode Island in Providence (2004-2021)
- Former Board Member, Arts Alive! in Barrington, RI (2011-2016)
- Former Board Member, The Home for Aged People in Fall River, MA
- Former Board Member, Hope Alzheimer’s Day Care Center in Cranston, RI
- Former Board Member, Barrington Youth Soccer Association
More about
Although raised in Nashville, Parish has embraced life in New England. His southern roots run deep and he admires Johnny Cash very much. Ironically, the best concert he ever attended was when Johnny Cash played at Lupos, a block away from Parish's Providence office.
