Philip Ruce
Estate Planning Director
EDUCATION
Thomas Jefferson School of Law LL.M.: International Taxation and Financial Services, 2012, summa cum laude
- Double concentrations in Wealth Management and Compliance/Risk Management.
William Mitchell College of Law Juris Doctor, 2008
- Law Review: Board Member and Editor, Volume 34; Staff Member, Volume 33.
- Honors: Trustee’s scholarship recipient, CALI award recipient.
University of Minnesota Bachelor of Arts, 1999
BAR MEMBERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Minnesota State Bar, admitted October 2008
- South Dakota State Bar, admitted October 2020
- Minnesota State Bar Association, 2013 – Present
- Hennepin County Bar Association, 2013 – Present
- Co-Chairman, Probate and Trust Section 2015 – 2016
As the estate planning director at Stone Arch Law Office, Philip J. Ruce oversees a team of talented and dedicated attorneys and staff who work hard to bring security and peace of mind to families. Philip entered private practice in February 2014 after six years as a trust and estate administrator. He grew interested in trust funds while watching his grandmother manage family trusts, and pursued this interest at the University of Minnesota (B.A.), William Mitchell College of Law (J.D.), and Thomas Jefferson School of Law with a Master’s of Law (LL.M.) in Wealth Management Law.
Philip J. Ruce, Estate Planning Director
He is a widely published academic and has been an adjunct professor of law at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, where he taught classes on wealth management and financial services to LL.M. candidates.
Philip’s team works with families and individuals concerned with making sure they and their family are well cared-for. The team puts clients’ needs first and prepares them to protect what they value most.
Philip is married with two little girls and a baby boy. Lately he seems to spend most of his free time watching Disney movies and reading about puppies and bears (and he wouldn’t have it any other way!).
Teaching
Mr. Ruce has extensive experience teaching as an adjunct professor at the following institutions:
- University of Saint Thomas School of Law
Adjunct Professor, Juris Doctor program. Wills, Estates, and Trusts. 2023 – Current - College for Financial Planning (Kaplan)
Adjunct Professor (Online), Certified Financial Planner (CFP), 2022 – Current - Thomas Jefferson School of Law
Adjunct Professor (Online) – LL.M. Program, Asset Management, 2013 – 2016
PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA
Academic and Trade Journals:
- Philip J. Ruce, The Trustee and the Spendthrift: The Argument against Small Trust Termination, 48 GONZ. L. REV. 163 (2013)
- Philip J. Ruce, The Trustee and the Prudent Investor: The Emerging Acceptance of Alternative Investments as the New Fiduciary Standard, 54 S. TEX. L. REV. 653 (2012)
- Philip J. Ruce, The Trustee and the Remainderman: The Trustee’s Duty to Inform, (ABA) 46 REAL PROP. TR. & EST. L.J. 173 (2011)
- Philip J. Ruce, The Bank Secrecy Act: Considerations for Continuing Banking Relationships After the Filing of a Suspicious Activity Report, 30 QUINNIPIAC L. REV. 43 (2011)
- Philip J. Ruce, Anti-Money Laundering: The Challenges of Know Your Customer Legislation for Private Bankers and the Hidden Benefits for Relationship Management (\”The Bright Side of Knowing Your Customer\”), 128 BANKING L. J. 548 (2011)
- Philip J. Ruce, The Bank Secrecy Act: The Not-so-Safe Harbor Provision and the Whitney Rule’s Double Standard for SAR Supporting Documentation, 3 FIN. FRAUD L. REP. 608 (2011)
- Philip J. Ruce, The Trustee and the Trust Protector: A Question of Fiduciary Power. Should a Trust Protector be Held to a Fiduciary Standard?, 59 DRAKE L. REV. 67 (2010)
Books:
- PHILIP J. RUCE, LEXISNEXIS PRACTICE GUIDE: ESTATE PLANNING IN MINNESOTA, LexisNexis (Eds. 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
- PHILIP J. RUCE, TRUSTEE UNIVERSITY: THE GUIDEBOOK TO BEST PRACTICES FOR FAMILY TRUSTEES, Archstone Publications (self-published in lieu of accepting an academic book offer, copyright retained by author) (2015)
Television and Radio:
- WCCO/CBS News, Experts Share Tips for Estate Planning, September 21, 2023
- KARE, Estate Planning 101: What You Should Know and How to Get Started, October 19, 2022
- KSTP, Minnesota Live! Managing an Estate, September 9, 2022
- KSTP, Minnesota Live! Protecting your Digital Assets, April 25, 2022
- KSTP, Minnesota Live! Getting Started with Estate Planning, March 3, 2022
- WCCO/CBS News, Digital Estate Planning, May 14, 2022
- WCCO 830 Radio, (audio) Estate Planning Concerns for Young Children, July 21, 2022
- WCCO 830 Radio, (audio) Estate Planning Concerns for Women, March 30, 2022
Other Media:
- Estate Planning 101 For Parents With Special Needs Children, MINNESOTA PARENT, 2022
- New Baby? It’s Time for Action, MINNESOTA PARENT, 2019
- What is a Revocable Trust and Do I Need One?, KIPLINGER, July 22, 2019 (Also picked up by YAHOO! FINANCE)
- How to Keep Your Heirs from Blowing Their Inheritance, KIPLINGER, June 5, 2019 (Also picked up by YAHOO! FINANCE)
- Is Your Beneficiary Ready to Receive Money?, KIPLINGER, April 1, 2019
Quoted ...
- This is What Happens to Your Debt When You Die, HUFFINGTON POST, AUG 8, 2019
- How to Get the Most Inheritance, With the Least Family Friction, HELLAWEALTH.COM, May 28, 2019
- How to Write a Will: 8 Tips Every Parent Needs to Know, FATHERLY.COM, February 6, 2019
- What to Do With Inheritance you Don’t Want, NASDAQ.COM, FEB. 27, 2019
- Advice on Wills: Should Each Child Get the Same?, INVESTOPEDIA, JUNE 25, 2019
Continuing Education, Other Teaching:
- 2023 Understanding Estate and Gift Taxation: Transfer Taxes and Income Taxes, Minn. CLE, 2023
- 2023 Probate & Trust Conference: Checklist for When Minors Become Adults, Minn. CLE, 2023
- Understanding Trusts, A Good Way to Give: Irrevocable Trusts, Minn. CLE, 2022
- October Estate Planning Webcast Series: Drafting A-Z: The Basic Will, Minn. CLE, 2022
- Course chair, Presenter, Estate Planning for the Non-Specialist, Minn. CLE, 2022
- 2022 Probate & Trust Law Conference: Current Problems and Solutions in Planning for the Small Estate, Minn. CLE, 2022
- Strategic Trust Planning and Administration: Beyond the Basics: Selecting the Right Trust for your Client, Minn. CLE, 2021
- Planning & Drafting for the Small Estate: Will Drafting: Guiding Those Who Don’t Know What They Don’t Know, Minn. CLE, 2020
- Moderator: 2020 Probate and Trust Conference: New Lawyer’s Panel: Advice, Q&A, and Resources, Minn. CLE, 2020
- Planning and Drafting for the Small Estate: Will Drafting: Guiding Those Who Don’t Know What They Don’t Know, Minn. CLE, 2019
- Moderator: 2019 Probate and Trust Conference: New Lawyer’s Panel: Advice, Q&A, and Resources, Minn. CLE, 2019
- Complete Estate Planning Lawyer: Trust Administration, Minn. CLE, 2018
- Life Insurance and Estate Planning, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, 2018
- Moderator: 2018 Probate and Trust Conference: New Lawyer’s Panel: Advice, Q&A, and Resources, Minn. CLE, 2018
- Complete Estate Planning Lawyer: Trust Administration, Minn. CLE, 2017
- Scenario Planning and Drafting for Trusts and Estates: Drafting, Planning, and Communicating Effectively with Millennials, Minn. CLE, 2016
- The Fundamentals of Starting Your Own Law Practice, Ramsey County Bar Association, 2016
- Life Insurance and Estate Planning, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, 2016
- Your Client and the Corporate Trustee: Advantages, Disadvantages, Tips, and Strategies for Working with a Corporate Trustee, Ramsey County Bar Association, 2012
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