Renowned probate lawyer John Bos died yesterday.
I knew him well.
His Door was Always Open
To my thinking, above all else, John was a teacher.
His many ICLE presentations shaped Michigan probate and elder law for a generation – or more.
And so it was at Chalgian and Tripp where he excelled at mentoring young lawyers.
Rivers of My Memories
In my first job out of law school, I was given an office next to John.
John introduced me to the then-novel concept of elder law.
I left that firm to start what would become Chalgian and Tripp. John soon followed.
We practiced together for many years.
John had as much influence on my legal career as any lawyer -or any person (save perhaps Amy Tripp).
Rest in Peace
His passing came as no surprise.
Even so, the news came heavy.
Please feel free to share your memories in the comments section below
Condolences to everyone in the C&T family. Thinking of you all, Rob
Doug, Amy and everyone at C&T,
John was a gentle giant in the emerging area of elder law. He was among the first to engage in planning for people with special needs. To say that John helped to craft the law was not an understatement. He was generous with his time, including being a regular at ICLE, both giving seminars and writing, as well as being active with the State Bar Probate and Estate Planning Council. His wise counsel will be missed.
When I left Varnum to set out on my own I lost the support of a firm but gained the much needed support of John. He was an amazing attorney and a great mentor. It was John that introduced me to Chalgian & Tripp almost 20 years ago. He will be missed !!
John was one of the earliest pioneers of what became known as Elder Law. His death is part of an end of an era when now one by one the creators and innovators of Elder Law pass on. Another pioneer Elder Law attorney who died recently was John Harrison [1953-2026] of Crystal Falls. John was one of the earliest Elder Law attorneys in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Like John Bos, John Harrison was a mentor to numerous attorneys new to the new field of Elder Law. And like John Bos, John Harrison will be missed by many.
John returned my phone call 30 years ago when we had neither a business relationship nor a case in common. I had attended many of his ICLE presentations, and when I ran into a difficult question decided to call him. He did return my call, and answered my questions fully and thoroughly. It was the first, and definitely not the last, of many such phone calls. I was grateful then, and continue to be grateful now. I still practice in the area of Elder Law. Thank you, John. You were a prince among men.
John taught me a new word, “vituperative”. That was in reference to an attorney who unceremoniously “fired” me as a client when I dared to challenge his handling of my mother’s estate. John and his assistant Kim took me under their wing, and to this day, I am grateful for the relationships that were forged. My condolences to the firm, to Kim, and to John’s family.
Thank you for the kind words Sonya. I worked for John for 30 years. He was ‘a gentleman and a scholar’, and a genuine good guy. I’ll miss him.