Lawrence P. Katzenstein, J.D.
Thompson Coburn LLP 
St. Louis, MO
http://www.thompsoncoburn.com
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Larry Katzenstein is a partner in the St. Louis law Thompson Coburn LLP, where he has practiced since 1999.  Since his graduation in 1972 from Harvard Law School, he has spent most of his career as a tax lawyer with a special interest in the tax law of charitable giving and exempt organizations.  In that role he represents planned giving programs nationwide and speaks frequently on charitable planning and exempt organization matters.  He was fortunate that the firm he started practicing with right out of law school represented just about the only St. Louis charities—mostly universities—that even had planned giving programs back then.   He served on the inaugural board of the St. Louis Planned Giving Council with the four or five people who showed up and sat around a coffee table once in a while to discuss planned giving matters.  His own philanthropic interests center on music.  He serves as General Counsel and Executive Board Member of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and is currently the Board Chair of the St. Louis classical music radio station.  He also serves on the ACGA Board and as a member of the Rates & Regulations and Research Committees.  Larry’s wife, Cheryl, is a retired scientist and their daughter Nina is a veterinarian.  

Fun Facts About Larry

What do you like most about your job?

I was a child of the 1960s and we all wanted to save the world and take money from the rich and give to the poor. Representing philanthropists and planned giving programs is kind of a way to do those things. In addition, the tax law of planned giving and exempt organizations is richly complex and intellectually challenging. I also enjoy meeting all of the donors of the charities I work with and the many selfless folks who work in development at those charities.

When you’re not at work what are your passions?

My main interests are food, classical music, travel, and reading. My wife and I both enjoy cooking (but not in the same kitchen at the same time!) and sampling many kinds of foods, particularly ethnic. Classical music is another great passion, from chamber music, the solo piano literature, to orchestral music and opera. I enjoy playing piano but need to practice more! As for travel, my wife and I have traveled and hiked all over the world, from the Alps and Dolomites, to Patagonia, Nepal, Iceland, and Vietnam.

If you could pick someone to come back as, who would it be?

In my Walter Mitty-like fantasies I want to be someone like Daniel Harding, the British conductor. He has conducted some of the world's greatest orchestras but he also flies internationally as a pilot for Air France. I have always been fascinated with aviation.

What are a few things about yourself that might surprise people?

I once traveled for a month by myself through Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Once a year, I conduct our great St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in a concert for donors and clients. Recent performances have included the first symphonies of Sibelius and Shostakovich.

I have climbed Mt. Blanc in the French Alps, highest point in Western Europe.

I taught myself computer programming and wrote software to do actuarial calculations which I sell to lawyers, accountants and state departments of revenue all over the country. Among other things, it will calculate current and deferred charitable gift annuities.

If you could invite three people, living or dead, to come to your house for dinner, who would they be?

I would invite Julia Child, Pierre Franey, and Jacques Pepin… and I would tell them that dinner is pot luck.