Emerging Issues & Professional Practice

Designed for Your Organization

Our Enterprise Solutions team works with you to build the right experience — whether that's a keynote address, a half-day workshop, a multi-session webinar series, or a fully integrated training program. Topics, format, session length, and depth of content are all customizable to align with your audience, your objectives, and your timeline.

Course Topics

AI in Estate Planning: Power, Pitfalls, and Professional Practice
Artificial intelligence is rapidly influencing how estate planning is delivered—but not without risk. This program explores appropriate and inappropriate uses of AI, why DIY approaches often fail, and the ethical and professional responsibility concerns practitioners must address. Practical guidance is provided for implementing guardrails and integrating AI responsibly into professional practice.

Who Should Enroll and Why

Trust Officers and Fiduciaries will gain insight into how emerging tools and evolving practices affect fiduciary responsibilities, risk management, and client safeguards. This course helps you understand where innovation introduces opportunity, where it creates risk, and how to apply professional standards in a changing environment.

Financial Advisors and Wealth Managers will deepen their understanding of how emerging trends influence client expectations, planning behavior, and professional liability. This knowledge supports informed conversations around technology use, collaborative planning, and the limits of automated or unsupported solutions.

Estate Planning Attorneys and Legal Professionals will benefit from focused discussion of ethical considerations, professional responsibility, and emerging practice risks. The course highlights how evolving tools and client behaviors intersect with traditional planning frameworks and legal obligations.

Aspiring Trust and Wealth Professionals will find this program valuable for developing awareness of the professional landscape they are entering. By understanding emerging risks, tools, and standards early, participants will be better prepared to build strong, responsible practices grounded in sound judgment and client‑focused service.

Course Instructors

Daniel A. Smith, CFP®, CWS®

As a dedicated professional, Daniel Smith believes that everyone deserves sound advice and exceptional service. With his extensive real-world experience, Daniel brings a spirited approach to his instruction, helping advisors put their knowledge into immediate, practical use to better serve their clients. His expertise lies in sales and relationship management skills, which he seamlessly integrates with the complexities of estate planning, estate taxation, charitable giving, and investment management. By doing so, Daniel empowers advisors to effectively guide wealthy clients and their families in achieving their goals.

Before joining Cannon, Daniel spent years as a client-facing advisor in the Wealth Management and Trust business. His 25 years of experience with Cannon have further enriched his knowledge, as he constantly interacts with top financial advisors and wealthy individuals across the globe, incorporating best practices into his teachings.

A sought-after speaker, Daniel frequently presents at financial services firms and conferences worldwide, covering topics such as sales, exceptional service, estate planning, taxation, and industry trends. His insights have been featured in numerous publications, including Trusts & Estates and Registered Rep magazines. As the leader of Cannon Trust School, the largest trust school in the country, Daniel continues to make a significant impact on the industry. His consulting work spans distance-based learning solutions, private family wealth consultation, and expert witness services.

Meagan MacBean, J.D.

Meagan MacBean is a dedicated professional who believes that exceptional service is rooted in a deep understanding of the complexities of estate and trust law. As the founder of The MacBean Law Firm, LLC, she brings extensive experience as both a practicing attorney and a former Trust Officer to her work. Meagan provides a spirited, real-world approach to her instruction, helping advisors translate technical knowledge into immediate, practical solutions for their clients. Her expertise seamlessly integrates the nuances of estate planning, asset protection, and planning for incapacity with the operational realities of trust and estate administration.

Before establishing her own firm, Meagan spent years advising high-net-worth clients on wealth transfer strategies and fiduciary responsibilities. Her professional background is further enriched by her academic contributions; she serves as a Lecturer at Mississippi State University, where she teaches Real Estate Law, International Business Law, and Entrepreneur Law. This dual perspective, balancing private practice with academic instruction, allows her to empower advisors to effectively guide wealthy families in achieving their long-term goals.

A highly credentialed expert, Meagan is an honors graduate of Cannon Financial Institute Trust School and holds a J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law. Her insights have been featured in publications such as SC Lawyer Magazine, and she is a recognized leader in the field, having been selected for the Mississippi Bar Association’s Leadership Forum and Portico Jackson Magazine’s "Portico 15". Through her work as a guest instructor and her specialized practice in fiduciary litigation and tax preparation, Meagan continues to make a significant impact on the industry.