We are pleased to announce that the seventh Modern Studies in the Law of Trusts, Wealth Management & Philanthropy 2027 conference will be held at Monash Malaysia on 20-21 July 2027. The event is co-organised by the Monash University Faculty of Law, the Monash Malaysia CLARS hub and Singapore Management University Yong Pung How School of Law. The convenors of the conference are Lucas Clover Alcolea (Monash), Ridoan Karim (Monash Malaysia), Tang Hang Wu (SMU), Scott Donald (UNSW) and Yip Man (SMU).

Wealth Without Borders: Trusts, Philanthropy and Responsibility in an Age of Polycrisis

As the world navigates an era of overlapping crises, whether economic, environmental, geopolitical or social, the law of trusts, wealth management and philanthropy faces mounting pressure to reconcile the free movement of wealth with growing demands for responsibility, accountability and impact.

We welcome papers dealing with a broad range of issues in these areas, from any approach, whether traditional black letter law, law and, critical, or comparative. Areas of interest include:

·       Comparative trust law

·       Changing trends in philanthropic giving especially in an age of polycrisis

·       Trust law reform

·       Evolving practice especially in Asian countries in wealth management and philanthropy

·       Doctrinal challenges posed by changing models of holding wealth

·       Changing law and practice regarding wealth management & philanthropy

To present at the conference, please submit a working title and an abstract (of no more than 300 words by 1 February 2027 to lucas.cloveralcolea@monash.edu and hwtang@smu.edu.sg). Acceptance of the papers will be on a rolling basis so early submission is encouraged. There are no speaker registration fees for those whose papers are accepted by this conference. Speakers and attendees are expected to meet their own travel costs and accommodation.

Photo of Gerry W. Beyer Gerry W. Beyer

Dr. Gerry W. Beyer joined the faculty of the Texas Tech University School of Law in June 2005 as the first holder of the Governor Preston E. Smith Regents Professorship. Previously, Prof. Beyer taught as a professor or visiting professor at several other…

Dr. Gerry W. Beyer joined the faculty of the Texas Tech University School of Law in June 2005 as the first holder of the Governor Preston E. Smith Regents Professorship. Previously, Prof. Beyer taught as a professor or visiting professor at several other law schools including Boston College, Boston University, The Ohio State University, Southern Methodist University, the University of New Mexico, Santa Clara University, St. Mary’s University, and La Trobe University in Australia.

Prof. Beyer is admitted to practice in Texas, Illinois (inactive), Ohio (inactive) and before the United States Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

Prof. Beyer is the recipient of dozens of outstanding and distinguished faculty awards from three law schools including the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award, the most prestigious university-wide teaching award at Texas Tech, the 2015 President’s Academic Achievement Award, and the Outstanding (Law) Researcher Award in 2013 and 2017.

As a state and nationally recognized expert in estate planning, Prof. Beyer is a highly sought after lecturer. He presents dozens of continuing legal education presentations each year for many national, state, and local bar associations, universities, and civic groups. In recognition of his expertise and contributions to the legal profession, the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils inducted him into the Estate Planning Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2022, Prof. Beyer was awarded the Distinguished Probate Attorney Lifetime Achievement Award by the Real Estate, Probate, and Trust Law Section of State Bar of Texas.

Prof. Beyer is the editor of the most popular estate planning blawg in the nation which after being named for five consecutive years to the ABA Journal’s Blawg 100 was awarded Hall of Fame status in 2015.

Prof. Beyer is the author of dozens of books and hundreds of articles focusing on various aspects of estate planning, including a two-volume treatise on Texas wills law, an estate planning law school casebook, and the Wills, Trusts, and Estates volume of the Examples & Explanations series. He has four times won awards from the American Bar Association’s Probate & Property magazine for his writing. He is one of the most often downloaded law authors on the Social Science Research Network with a ranking in the top .001%.  Prof. Beyer is the Editor-in-Chief of the REPTL Reporter, the official journal of the largest section of the State Bar of Texas, the Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section.

Prof. Beyer serves as a mentor to many students and various law school organizations as well participating regularly in pro bono activities. He is the advisor for the Estate Planning and Community Property Law Journal and its annual seminar, the Black Law Students Association, and the Estate and Property Law Society.

Prof. Beyer received his J.D. from the Ohio State University (summa cum laude) and his LL.M. and J.SD. degrees from the University of Illinois. He is a member of the Order of the Coif, an Academic Fellow and former Regent of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, a member of the American Law Institute, and was appointed by the Uniform Law Commission as the Reporter for the Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act and the Integration of Probate and Non-Probate Transfers Study Committee.

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