Cottage Law Cottage Law is the practice area of Wright Penning & Beamer focused on family cottage sharing and cottage succession planning. Our Suttons Bay office in the historic Depot is known nationally as "The Home of Cottage Law."
"The Home Cottage Law" Wright Penning & Beamer acquired the general practice of the late Stuart J. Hollander, located in the historic Suttons Bay Train Depot, at the end of 2007.
A centralized office in the Grand Traverse area in Leelanau County enhances our local involvement with our family of clients in northern Michigan - from Clare clear north of the Mackinac Bridge! Living and working in this community lets us know first-hand many day-to-day issues facing their families, property, industries and businesses.
Cottage Law Practice Areas Areas of our Cottage Law Practice: Cottage Succession Planning, Estate Planning, Succession Planning, Real Estate and Property Tax Appeals and Related Matters
Cottage Law News
History of Cottage Law and The Depot, "The Home of Cottage Law"
General Law Practice of the late Stuart J. Hollander, Attorney Author of "Saving the Family Cottage, A Guide to Succession Planning for Your Cottage, Cabin, Camp or Vacation Home" acquired by Wright Penning & Beamer.
The Suttons Bay Depot, "The Home of Cottage Law", was built by the Leelanau Transit Company in 1920.
Our main entrance door is located "Track Side."
The tracks which used to run Track Side and through Suttons Bay were built by the Traverse City, Leelanau, and Manistique; a company which was formed by the Grand Rapids and Indiana to build and operate a car ferry from Northport to Manistique. The line was completed in 1903 and proved to be unsuccessful immediately. By 1908 the car ferry was gone. In 1919 the line was purchased by the Leelanau Transit Company and leased to the Manistee and Northeastern. In later years the tracks were operated by Pere Marquette, and C&O.
During the 1960s the tracks north of Suttons Bay were abandoned, and the tracks south of Suttons Bay were used by the Leelanau Scenic Railroad between 1989 and 1995. The whistle would blow and puffs of smoke would billow from the mighty engine and tourists and train buffs would flood the village of Suttons Bay for a quick stop to visit the shops and buy souvenirs until the whistle blew and the conductor yelled "All Aboard!"
In 1996 the tracks were removed and the formation of the Leelanau Trail began. Stuart J. Hollander, Attorney and author of "Saving the Family Cottage" was instrumental in the successful development of the Leelanau Trail.
The late Stuart Hollander wrote the first "attorney authored" book for the vacation home owner. Saving the Family Cottage describes the problems inherent to shared cottage ownership and the concerns of parents who wish to pass it on to their children and future generations. After a careful analysis of the pros and cons of different shared ownership arrangements, Hollander outlined his preferred method to help families preserve this valuable asset for generations to come. Using the stories from families he worked with and clear graphic illustrations for the legal concepts involved, the book is reader friendly and informative.
Although Hollander used the term "cottage," the principles of his book apply to any property that a family wants to retain, whether it is an Adirondack camp, an Upper Midwest cabin, a Western ranch, or an ocean, lake, or riverfront home. Written for the vacation home owner but with information that also will be useful to attorneys and financial planners, the book engages the reader with stories of cottage "wars" and planning gone awry. Narrative examples and easy-to-follow graphics illustrate the more technical aspects of succession planning for a vacation home. The book makes a complex problem understandable and offers methods to help keep a second home in the family for generations.
Nolo Press / Pleasant City Press, LLC - Paperback - July 2007
A protective cottage plan We help families preserve and protect their valuable family cottage asset for generations to come.
From the home of cottage law Call Dan Penning of Wright Penning & Beamer today. Begin the process of creating your cottage plan for your children and future generations. Even having a simple plan in place, which is flexible and easy to change and update at any time, is better than the consequence of not having a protective cottage succession plan for your children.
Please call us!
We welcome your phone calls and questions about how you can begin to plan for the future of your cottage, property tax "uncapping", property tax appeals and related tax matters.
Dan A. Penning
231.271.4500 Suttons Bay
248.477-6300 Farmington Hills
The information contained in this website, www.cottage-law.com is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. Laws and their application vary based upon a client's unique facts and circumstances. Wright Penning & Beamer disclaims any responsibility for action taken in reliance on this website without further consultation and analysis. For questions, please contact us at 248.477.6300, 213.271.4500 or at info (at) wrightpenning.com.
Cottage Law is the practice area of Wright Penning & Beamer focused on family cottage sharing and cottage succession planning. Our Suttons Bay office in the historic Depot is known nationally as "The 
Saving the Family Cottage