Brookfield, Wis. – After 40 years of representing the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) and 30 years representing the Ohio Funeral Directors Association, Scott Gilligan has decided to retire from the practice of law at the end of 2021. He will be closing his office as of December 31, 2021. Slightly used desks, conference tables and chairs go on sale in January, noted Gilligan.
“When you look at the men and women who have played a significant role in guiding and shaping NFDA, Scott Gilligan’s name would certainly be on that list,” said NFDA President R. Bryant Hightower Jr., CFSP. “Scott has not only played a role in significant national issues, like the promulgation of the Funeral Rule in the early-80s, but also in the lives of our members. Whether offering his expertise through our complimentary legal consultation member benefit or developing our popular downloadable legal forms, our members rely on his knowledge of our profession to protect their businesses. Scott is not just a trusted advisor to NFDA, but someone I consider a friend. I look forward to working with him during the remainder of this year and wish him a very happy – and well-deserved – retirement.”
“Working with Scott has always been a pleasure – even under challenging circumstances,” said NFDA CEO Christine Pepper, CAE. “His advice and counsel have helped the Board of Directors and me make the best possible decisions on behalf of NFDA and our members. His impact on funeral service and the association has been priceless. We value his in-depth knowledge of the funeral profession to guide our members as they serve families. I look forward to working with Scott as we transition to a new general counsel and wish him nothing but the best during retirement. I know he will very much enjoy having more time with his wife Anne and his children and grandchildren.”
What’s Next?
The NFDA Board of Directors and Pepper are committed to conducting a search for a new general counsel who will assume Gilligan’s duties when he retires at the end of 2021.
“We plan to take a step back and evaluate all of our needs so that we can find the best possible attorney to assist NFDA and its members,” said Pepper. “I am confident we will find the right person to serve us for many years to come and look forward to introducing members to our new general counsel later this year.”
NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association, serving more than 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and 49 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.nfda.org.
