Death and Dirt

Estate Problems After Death: Deeds, Divorce & Liquidity with Co-Host Fred Long | Season 2 Episode 8

In this episode of Death and Dirt, Jenn and Jay turn the tables on co-host Fred Long. Fred shares how he found his way into the practice of law, reflects on his career an

Estate Planning and Wealth Strategy: Why Collaboration Matters | Season 2 Episode 7

In this episode of Death and Dirt, we are joined by Kristen Del Grosso, Senior Vice President and Market Leader for Central Pennsylvania at PNC Private Bank, and Kimberly

The Fundamentals of Land Use and Zoning Law | Season 2 Episode 6

Land use and zoning issues touch far more than developers and municipal officials. They affect real estate transactions, business expansion plans, estate and succession p

What the Pennsylvania Bar Association Actually Does – and Why It Matters | Season 2 Bonus Episode 1

In a special live episode of Death and Dirt recorded at the Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Bar Association in Pittsburgh, the hosts sit down with the Executive Direct

Life of a Dirt Lawyer: Property Fights, Pitfalls & Consumer Protection | Season 2 Episode 5

What does a real estate lawyer actually do? In this episode of Death and Dirt, attorney Glenn Smith joins us for a behind-the-scenes look at a day in the life of a dirt

The Legal System Behind Homeownership—and Reforming Discriminatory Deeds | Season 2 Episode 4

In this episode of Death and Dirt, we sit down with Marshal Granor, a leading voice in community association law and one of the principal drafters of Pennsylvania’s Unifo

Act 50: New Rules for Intestate Deaths and Small Estates | Season 2 Episode 3

Pennsylvania probate law changed in a big way with Act 50 of 2025, and in this episode of Death and Dirt, the hosts talk with Bryan Tate, York County Register of Wills an

How Law Firms Are Valued — For Sellers and Buyers | Season 2 Episode 2

This episode of Death and Dirt is essential listening not only for law firm owners, but also for attorneys and professionals who are thinking about buying into a firm or

Season Two Kickoff: Important Lessons Learned and Where We Are Going | Season 2 Episode 1

Season Two of Death and Dirt opens with a conversation between the co-hosts reflecting on Season One and setting the stage for what’s ahead. We revisit some of our past

PA Inheritance Tax & the Family Business Exemption: Where Does Real Estate Land? | Season 1 Episode 17

In this episode of Death and Dirt, Philadelphia trusts and estates attorney Charles Bender joins the show to break down one of Pennsylvania’s most misunderstood inheritan

Inheritance Tax Exemptions, Tax Considerations and Lifetime Planning for the Family Farm Client | Season 1 Episode 16

In this episode, we sit down with Vicky Ann Trimmer—attorney, CPA, and Partner at Daley Zucker, LLC—to talk about how Pennsylvania tax rules affect the transfer of family

Death, Dirt, and Deeds: Exploring the Legal Backbone of Homeownership | Season 1 Episode 15

What happens after you buy a house and the deed gets “recorded”? For most of us, the Recorder of Deeds Office feels like a mysterious backroom of government paperwork — b

Prepare for Regulatory Change: FinCEN’s New Rules for Real Estate Transactions | Season 1 Episode 14

In this episode, we’re joined by Anna Marie Sossong, Esq., Underwriting Counsel at Conestoga Title Insurance Company, who brings decades of experience in real estate law,

From the Courtroom to the Classroom: Dean Jerry Dickinson’s Journey | Season 1 Episode 13

In this episode of Death and Dirt, we sit down with Dean Jerry Dickinson, the youngest active dean of any U.S. law school, to trace his remarkable journey—from Pittsburgh

One Big Beautiful Bill: What Professionals Need to Know | Season 1 Bonus Episode 1

In this Special Bonus Episode of Death and Dirt, we sit down with Christine M. (“Chrissy”) Green, a seasoned tax attorney and Member at Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, to break d

Guardianship Reform, Protection and Dignity for Older Adults: Elder Justice in Pennsylvania | Season 1 Episode 12

In this episode of Death and Dirt, we’re joined by Anne N. John, Esq., to discuss her work with the Advisory Council on Elder Justice in the Courts and Pennsylvania’s bro

Fiduciary Duties, Legal Deserts, and the Future of Mentorship | Season 1 Episode 11

In this episode of Death and Dirt, we’re joined by Alison T. Smith, a leading trusts and estates attorney and past Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Real Proper

Managing Risk: Insuring Real Estate Owned by a Trust or Estate | Season 1 Episode 10

In this episode of Death and Dirt, we take a deep dive into the increasingly complex world of real estate ownership and insurance, particularly in the context of trusts a

Engaging the Bar: Justin Brown on the RPPT Section’s Role, Reach, and Value | Season 1 Episode 9

In this episode of Death and Dirt, we sit down with Justin Brown, current Chair of the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association—a

Jean Marfizo King: Modernizing the Office of the Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans’ Court | Season 1 Episode 8

In this episode of Death and Dirt, we are joined by Jean Marfizo King, the Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans’ Court for Dauphin County, who has been serving the