Howard H. Collens advises clients in estate planning for estates of every size. Focusing on the unique aspects of each representation, Mr. Collens tailors trusts, wills and powers of attorney to meet the present and changing needs of his clients.
Howard H. Collens, as an attorney and counselor, listens to his clients, understands their goals and offers creative, effective solutions to meet their needs.
He advises clients in estate planning for estates of every size. Focusing on the unique aspects of each representation, Mr. Collens tailors trusts, wills and powers of attorney to meet the present and changing needs of his clients.
Mr. Collens is a trusted counselor for those seeking representation for estate administration. He helps families following the death of a loved one as they navigate the complexities of the probate process or trust administration. He regularly guides his clients through the sale, distribution, of real estate holdings by probate and trust estates. With litigation experience in the probate courts throughout metropolitan Detroit, Mr. Collens is a strong advocate for those involved in contested estates, trusts or other probate cases.
With understanding and compassion, Mr. Collens assists individuals and their families in planning for their long-term care needs. He eases the process of applying for and obtaining Medicaid benefits to pay for such care. Since estate recovery is a reality for those receiving long-term care in Michigan, proper titling of real estate is even more important today than ever.
He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the State Bar’s Probate and Estate Planning Section and the Elder Law and Disability Rights Section and the Wayne County Probate Bar Association. He has obtained the Certificate of Completion from The Institute of Continuing Legal Education’s Probate and Estate Planning Program. He is currently a Council Member of the Elder Law and Disability Rights Section as well as a member of ELDRS’s Legislative Committee. He participates as a member of the Legislation Development and Drafting Committee of the Probate and Estate Planning Section of the State Bar of Michigan. He was instrumental in enacting a Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets law in Michigan. Mr. Collens has been named Leading Lawyer by dbusiness Magazine several years running, is a regular contributor as an The Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) lecturer and serves on the ICLE’s Elder Law Advisory Board. He enjoys speaking to groups on various estate planning, probate and technology topics.
Mr. Collens is active in the community where he volunteers and supports the Boys & Girls Club of Oakland and Macomb Counties and Huntington Woods Men’s Club. He is a Board Member for the Area Agency on Aging 1B. He is a Board Member and former Vice President of the Senior and Caregiver Resource Network. Mr. Collens is the 2nd Vice President of Congregation Shir Tikvah in Troy, Michigan. He is a member of the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Michigan Chapter Wraparound Collaborative. He served as President of the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors from 2012-2014. He served as the chair of the Huntington Woods Senior Advisory Committee.
12.2024 – Testified to the MI House Judiciary Committee on behalf of the ELDR Section regarding Remote Notarization and Remote Witnessing
10.2024 – SOAR Lifelong Learning Institute – Estate Planning Essentials
9.2024 – Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Probate and Estate Planning Institute, Top Ten Tips for Funeral Representative Designations
8.2024 – State Bar of Michigan Probate and Estate Planning Journal – Legislative Update
8.2024 – Selected to Super Lawyers Top 100– Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney
5.2024 – Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Probate and Estate Planning Institute, Legislative Update
5.2024 – Recognized through peer selection on Leading Lawyers
4.2024 – Brown Adult Day Program – Estate Planning for Caregivers
3.2024 – Washtenaw County Bar Association Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Section, Uniform Power of Attorney Act
2.2024 – ELDRS Spring Conference, Uniform Power of Attorney Act
1.2024 – Elected as Vice President of SACRN
8.2023 – Selected to Super Lawyers Top 100– Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney
6.2023 – Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Probate and Estate Planning Institute
Legislative Update
2.2023 – Institute of Continuing Legal Education Livestream Seminar, Drafting Estate Planning Documents
1.2023 – Brown Adult Day Program, Estate Planning for Caregivers
1.2023 – Elected as Secretary of SACRN
11.2022 – dbusiness Top Lawyers 2023 – Howard H. Collens Named Top Lawyer 2023 Trusts and Estates
11.2022 – Royal Oak Civic Foundation Trustee
9.2022 – Wayne County Probate Court Attorney Training, Digital Assets: The Wave of the Future in Estate Administration
9.2022 – Selected to Super Lawyers – Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney
8.2022 – Wayne State University Institute of Gerontology First Fridays, Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets
7.2022 – ICLE Michigan Law Basics Contributor – Required Training for All Bar Applicants
6.2022 – Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Probate and Estate Planning Institute
Legislative Update
5.2022 – Recognized through peer selection on Leading Lawyers
1.2022 – Wayne State University Institute of Gerontology First Fridays, All about Estate Planning
11.2021 – dbusiness Top Lawyers 2022 – Howard H. Collens Named Top Lawyer 2022 Trusts and Estates
10.2021 – ELDRS Fall Conference, How to Name a Professional Trustee
9.2021 – Selected to Super Lawyers – Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney
6.2021 – Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Probate and Estate Planning Institute
Legislative Update
11.2020 – dbusiness Top Lawyers 2021 – Howard H. Collens Named Top Lawyer 2021 Trusts and Estates
9.2020 – Selected to Super Lawyers – Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney
6.2020 – Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Probate and Estate Planning Institute
Legislative Update
5.2020 – Recognized through peer selection on Leading Lawyers
9.2019 – Selected to Super Lawyers – Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney
6.2019 – Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Probate and Estate Planning Institute
Legislative Update
1.2019 – Jackson Area Estate Planning Council Guest Speaker on Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act
10.2018 – Re-elected to a second term as Council Member of the Elder Law and Disability Rights Section (ELDRS) of the State Bar of Michigan
6.2018 – Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Probate and Estate Planning Institute
Legislative Update
10.2017 – Elected as Council Member of the Elder Law and Disability Rights Section (ELDRS) of the State Bar of Michigan
10.2017 – dbusiness Top Lawyers 2018 – Howard H. Collens Named Top Lawyer 2018 Trusts and Estates
10.2016 – dbusiness Top Lawyers 2017 – Howard H. Collens Named Top Lawyer 2017 Trusts and Estates
10.2015 – dbusiness Top Lawyers 2016 – Howard H. Collens Named Top Lawyer 2016 Trusts and Estates
2.26.2015 – Institute of Continuing Legal Education
Fundamentals of Estate Administration
12.4.2014 — National Business Institute
The Probate Process from Start to Finish
11.2014 — Institute of Continuing Legal Education Webcast
Digital Assets: What Now?
10.8.2014 — Lifespan Presentation
9.30.2014 — 2014 Fall Elder Law and Disability Rights Conference
Do I Have to Read the EULA?
9.6.2014 — Oakland County Private Practice
Presentation on Hoarding
6.3.2014 — National Business Institute
The Probate Process from Start to Finish
10.2013 — dbusiness Top Lawyers 2014 – Howard Collens Named Top Lawyer 2014 Trusts & Estates
10.2012 — dbusiness Top Lawyers 2013 – Howard Collens Named Top Lawyer 2013 Trust & Estates
1.20.2012 — President of Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce
Howard Collens Elected President of Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce
10.2011 — dbusiness Top Lawyers 2012 – Howard Collens Named Top Lawyer 2012 Trusts & Estates
6.7.2011 — Institute for Paralegal Education
The Probate Process From Start to Finish for Paralegals
Ethical Perils in the Probate Process
Dealing With Spouse’s Elective Shares
Understanding the Laws of Intestacy
9.2008 — Selected to Super Lawyers – Selected as One of Michigan’s Rising Stars 2008
1.2008 — Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce
Board of Directors
1.18.2007 — Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce
Presentations – put these above- DONE in actual doc
5.2023 Downsizing Seminar – Berkley Public Library/ The Better Co.
5.2023 Navigating Probate Issues for Realtors – Key Realty, ReMax Platinum,
4.2023 Elder Law Overview – Alzheimer’s Assoc.
3.2023 Estate Planning and Real Estate – KW Metro
2.2023 Drafting EP Docs Livestream – ICLE
1.2023 Estate Planning Essentials – Brown Center
9.2022 Michigan FADAA – Wayne County Probate Court