GA Non-Member Landowners FORWARD- National Heirs' Property Boot Camp

Member Registration Information for FSC/LAF's 7th Annual Forward Boot Camp
FORWARD: National Heirs' Property Boot Camp 2025
December 4–6, 2025 | Embassy Suites by Hilton Atlanta Airport

The Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund (FSC/LAF) has spent nearly six decades assisting heirs' property owners to protect, preserve, and sustainably manage their land through outreach, education, and technical assistance. FSC/LAF's 7th Annual Heirs' Property Boot Camp: FORWARD continues this legacy as a three-day, intensive event for landowners, next-generation heirs, and practitioners to build knowledge, resources, and community.

For any questions or assistance, please reach out to [email protected].

Type of Event:

In-Person Boot Camp, Organizational / All-State/ Regional

FSC/LAF Focus Area Impacted:

Land Retention / Heirs Property

The Federation's Heirs' Property Boot Camps are the nation's largest gathering of heirs' property stakeholders. This year features two distinct learning tracks:

• Track One (Landowners & Heirs – 100 Seats): 100 landowners and 1 of their next generation (50 seats available for next gen - first-come come first-served). Provides tools and strategies to address heirs' property challenges, strengthen estate planning, and preserve family land for landowners, farmers, ranchers, and their next generation.

• Track Two (Attorneys & Practitioners – 100 Seats): 100 attorneys & practitioners, 125 seats available. Focuses on law, policy, and practical solutions. Eligible for Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.
  

The term "Heirs' Property" refers to land that is jointly owned by descendants of a deceased person who can be categorized under one of the following criteria: 1) did not have a valid Will (or other type of estate plan); 2) did not have documented legal ownership of the land; or 3) did have a valid Will (or other type of estate plan) that left, or resulted in leaving, the land to multiple family-member beneficiaries without precisely identifying how the land is to be divided and individually owned. Heirs' property is one of the most unstable forms of property ownership.

Each registered member may bring 1 next-generation heir to attend alongside them (50 seats available - first-come come first-served).

Heirs' property landowners will gain direct access to education, resources, and support. Participants will:

• Learn what heirs' property is, how shared ownership works, and what steps they can take to safeguard their family's land.
• Get plain-language explanations of wills, estate planning, and legal tools that help prevent land loss and strengthen ownership rights.
• Understand how to clear title, resolve ownership disputes, and build a secure legal foundation for your property.
• Explore practical ways to generate income, through farming, forestry, leasing, or conservation partnerships while preserving your legacy.
• Receive guidance from attorneys, practitioners, and experts. Discover available assistance programs, tax resources, and grant opportunities that support land improvement and sustainable use.

• Gain strategies for organizing family meetings, improving communication, and creating shared agreements for managing the land together.
• Meet other heirs' property owners, nonprofit partners, and professionals who are committed to keeping family land in family hands.
• Leave with an action plan, helpful resources, and the confidence to move forward in protecting your land and your legacy.

We seek heirs' property and land retention practitioners, including Attorneys, Tax Accountants, Appraisers, Educators, Foresters, and Extension Agents, to share their expertise. Attendees will:

• Deepen your understanding of partition law, quiet title actions, estate planning, and other essential legal strategies.
• Stay current on federal, state, and local laws impacting heirs' property and land retention initiatives.
• Explore best practices for ethical representation, conflict management, and collaborative dispute resolution.
• Connect with attorneys, mediators, land trust specialists, and nonprofit professionals committed to land retention.
• Learn approaches that respect the historical, social, and economic context of the families you serve.
• Improve skills for guiding families through complex ownership issues, communication challenges, and long-term planning.
• Be eligible to be listed on the Federation's Forward 2026 Referral List
• Be eligible to serve as a panel guest for a 2026 session of Federation Live!

Main Point of Contact:

Stephanie Banks

FSC/LAF Director of Land Retention and Advocacy
404-765-0991
[email protected]

FSC/LAF Land Retention Team:
FLORIDA FIELD OFFICE:
LyTanya Brown, Mediation Attorney
385-243-8179
[email protected]

TEXAS:
Jocelyn Bennett, Land Retention Specialist
713-634-7385
[email protected]
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LOUISIANA FIELD OFFICE:
Bruce Harrell, State Coordinator
318-704-2423

MISSISSIPPI STATE OFFICE
Ben Burkett, State Coordinator

ALABAMA
Darren Beachem, Alabama State Coordinator
205-652-9676
GEORGIA STATE OFFICE
Cornelius Key State Coordinator
229-432-5799
SOUTH CAROLINA
Victoria Smalls
843-321-4171

For membership inquiries, contact:

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 404-765-0991

For additional event information, please contact:

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 1-888-508-3310

We look forward to welcoming you and your family to Atlanta for this year's FORWARD Boot Camp 2025.

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Host or Publisher The Federation of Southern Cooperatives | LAF