Posted in: Lawyers › SC Lawyer Editorial Board
Robert Frenz’s inspiration to write Britney’s Greatest Hit came from his passion for probate, estate planning and conservatorship law coupled with a conversation with his wife while watching television.
“I decided to write the article because my wife and I were watching the Britney Spears documentary that came out about a year ago,” said Frenz. “My wife got mad at me because every few minutes I would pause it and say, ‘that’s not how this works’.”
Frenz’s wife encouraged him to write the article not long after.
One of the most covered celebrity news stories and notable conservatorship cases involved renowned pop star Britney Spears in 2021. Frenz recently covered the case and some of the implications surrounding guardianships, conservatorship, and commitments in South Carolina in his latest article for SC Lawyer.
A graduate of the Charleston School of Law, Frenz took his knowledge of estate and probate law and offered to accept court appointments for various commitment hearings in Charleston County. Since then, Frenz has been practicing in the areas of estate planning, estate administration and mental health issues for the past eight years.
Still practicing in Charleston County but now for his own private practice, E. Robert Frenz, Attorney at Law, LLC, Frenz decided to take on the challenge of addressing the various dimensions of the best-selling pop star’s complicated issue. Frenz emphasized that there may be more than one way to help people, especially when it comes to guardianship/conservatorship and commitment proceedings in the probate court.
“There is so much as a public that we don’t know because of the nature of these proceedings,” said Frenz about Spears’ privacy. “I would hope that folks realize that part is true for our state [SC] too.”
Frenz recognizes the jurisdictional differences between South Carolina and Spears’ case state, California. However, the contrasts between the two states help readers gain a better understanding of the law.
Highlighting some of the key differences in the laws of both states is beneficial for those in need of legal assistance in the Palmetto State. While writing his article, Frenz wanted to make sure attorneys as well as those who may not have a professional legal background could understand it.
“I wanted to share something that was not common and not that well known, and I knew this would be a good platform to share with folks in our state,” said Frenz. “Both for her situation [Britney Spears], but also for how those things work in our state.”
Frenz admits he is not up to date on all of Britney Spears’ latest music hits, but he is ahead of the game when it comes to serving his clients in the lowcountry.
"As an estate planner, I've always had a desire to help families in any season of life prepare for the unexpected. Being able to serve as an attorney and guardian ad litem for individuals navigating their mental health has offered me a new perspective and opportunity to better serve people in need."