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Patricia L. Pregmon, Esq.

Contact Information

Patricia L. Pregmon, Esq.
610-834-7411
Pat2

Services Provided

(retired)

Attorney

Bio

For more than a quarter century and through her retirement in 2022, Patricia L. Pregmon helped scores of clients implement their land conservation goals. Pregmon is considered one of the foremost authorities on conservation law, having written extensively on the subject. Her former firm, Pregmon Law Offices, has helped preserve thousands of acres of open space throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland, either through private donation of conservation easements of publicly funding acquisitions of open space.


Reference
Helle Henriksen
Delaware Highlands Conservancy
Reference
Andy Loza
Pennsylvania Land Trust Association
717-230-8560

Guide Listings

Conservation Easement
Pregmon offers more than 25 years experience in real estate law and has helped scores of clients find creative solutions to their conservation goals.

Reversionary Interest
Pregmon offers more than 25 years experience in real estate law and has helped scores of clients find creative solutions to their conservation goals.

Seller Take Back Financing
Pregmon offers more than 25 years experience in real estate law and has helped scores of clients find creative solutions to their conservation goals.

Installment Agreement
Pregmon offers more than 25 years experience in real estate law and has helped scores of clients find creative solutions to their conservation goals.

Right of First Offer and Right of First Refusal
Pregmon offers more than 25 years experience in real estate law and has helped scores of clients find creative solutions to their conservation goals.

Permits for Events, Hunting, Camping, and Other Uses of Conserved Land
Pregmon provided guidance and edits to the text.

Gift of a Future Interest in Real Estate
Pregmon has helped many clients structure gifts of future interests and is a coauthor of this guide.

Using the Model Conservation Easement
Pregmon authored the Model Grant of Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants with Commentary.

Adding to Land Under Conservation Easement
Guide author.

Delineating Conservation Easement Boundaries and Protection Areas
Patricia L. Pregmon offers more than 25 years experience in real estate law and has helped scores of clients find creative solutions to their land preservation goals. Pregmon is considered one of the foremost authorities on conservation law, having written extensively on the subject, and her firm, Pregmon Law, has helped preserve thousands of acres of open space throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland, either through private donation of conservation easements of publicly funding acquisitions of open space.

Pre-Existing Mortgages in Easement Transactions
Pregmon authored the Model Consent, Non-Disturbance, and Subordination Agreement with Commentary and has considerable experience in obtaining easement protections from mortgage holders on behalf of her clients.

Legal Considerations for Stewardship Funding Arrangements
Pregmon authored this guide and the Model Stewardship Funding Covenant.

Reducing Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax
Pregmon authored this guide and has helped scores of clients find creative solutions to meet their needs.

Federal Tax Deductibility of Conservation Easement Donations
Pregmon has extensive experience working with landowners and easement holders on easement projects where the owners intend to claim a tax deduction.

Funding Conservation Easement Stewardship
Author of Model Stewardship Funding Covenant

Responding to Encroachment
Patricia L. Pregmon offers more than 25 years experience in real estate law and has helped scores of clients find creative solutions to their land preservation goals.

Conservation Easements
Pregmon has provided legal assistance to both private landowners and land trusts in completing hundreds of conservation easement projects.

Donation Agreements
Pregmon authored this guide and the Model Conservation Easement Donation Agreement.

Donation by Will
Pregmon authored the guide "Donation by Will." Pregmon has helped scores of clients achieve their goals.

Reducing Federal Estate Tax
Pregmon authored the guide "Reducing Federal Estate Tax." She has helped scores of clients achieve their goals.

Reducing Liability Associated with Public Access
Pregmon authored the guide "Reducing Liability Associated with Public Access." She has helped scores of clients achieve their goals.

Trail Easements
Patricia L. Pregmon offers more than 25 years experience in real estate law and has helped scores of clients find creative solutions to their land preservation goals. Pregmon is considered one of the foremost authorities on conservation law, having written extensively on the subject, and her firm, Pregmon Law, has helped preserve thousands of acres of open space throughout Pennsylvania,

Riparian Buffer Protection Agreement
Pregmon authored the Model Riparian Buffer Protection Agreement and Commentary.

Guide to the Conservation and Preservation Easements Act
Pregmon writes and presents extensively on the use of conservation easements under Pennsylvania law.

Model Documents Overview
Pregmon authored many of PALTA's model legal documents.

Authorization of Real Estate Transactions
Pregmon authored this guide. Many have benefited from Pregmon’s seminars regarding the responsibilities of nonprofit boards and their member directors.

Management of the Document Preparation Process
Pregmon authored this guide. She has had hundreds of experiences, good and bad, with document management and control.

Closing
Pregmon authored this guide. Pregmon offers more than 25 years experience in real estate law and has helped scores of clients achieve their goals.

Stewardship Funding Arrangements
Pregmon authored the Model Stewardship Funding Covenant and Commentary as well as Legal Considerations for Stewardship Funding Arrangements.

Option to Sell (Put Option)
Pregmon authored this guide and has helped scores of clients find creative solutions to their conservation goals.

Purchase Options
Pregmon authored this guide and has helped scores of clients find creative solutions to their conservation goals.

Co-Holding Conservation Easements
Pregmon authored this guide. Pregmon offers more than 25 years experience in real estate law and has helped scores of clients achieve their goals.

Release of Liability Form
Pregmon authored this guide and has helped scores of clients achieve their goals.

Indemnity Agreements and Liability Insurance
Patricia L. Pregmon, Esq. Pregmon authored this guide and has helped scores of clients achieve their goals.

Realty Transfer Tax Exclusions for Conservation-Related Transactions in Pennsylvania
Pregmon has assisted her clients in completing hundreds of conservation-related real estate transactions.

Drafting an Amendment and Restatement of a Grant of Conservation Easement
Pregmon has assisted organizations in amending and restating numerous grants of conservation easement.

Restricted Gifts
Pregmon has helped numerous clients navigate restricted gift issues.

Library Items Authored

Stewardship Funding Arrangements: Options for Financing the Obligations of Conservation Easement Holders
A landowner may agree to one or more funding arrangements that require the landowner or successive owners of an eased property to make one or more payments to the easement holder to support steward...

Guide to the Conservation and Preservation Easements Act: Pennsylvania Act 29 of 2001
Conservation organizations can avoid many potential difficulties in conservation easement stewardship by ensuring that their conservation easement documents are drafted to conform with the Conserva...

Drafting an Amendment and Restatement of a Grant of Conservation Easement
The Model Grant of Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants may be modified to amend and restate a grant of conservation easement by following the instructions below. WeConservePA guide. ...

Right of First Offer and Right of First Refusal
A landowner may not be ready to sell their property but may be willing—if and when they are ready to sell—to provide an organization with the opportunity to purchase the property before it is sold ...

Riparian Buffer Protection Agreement
A riparian buffer protection agreement limits activities on all or a portion of a property to advance conservation purposes while keeping the property in the control of the landowner.

Guide and Model Policy for Conservation Easement Amendment
Conservation easements are intended to last—to ensure protection of important resources, no matter people’s whims—through the decades and centuries. However, the world changes and so do understandi...

Reducing Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax
In Pennsylvania, death triggers a state inheritance tax on the distribution of the deceased person’s assets (the “estate”) to the beneficiaries of the estate. Conservation restrictions in support o...

Reducing Liability Associated with Public Access
Public access to property for recreational uses – such as hiking, bird watching, fishing and hunting – raises concern about the possibility of liability on account of injury to a recreational user...

Indemnity Agreements and Liability Insurance: Protection From Claims Brought by Third Parties
An individual or organization’s risk of being held liable for personal injury or property damage may be shifted to another party who agrees to accept the risk and who holds liability insurance or s...

Model Fishing Access Agreement and Commentary
The hybrid easement document provides for both resource protection and public access for fishing. It is a tool for conservation organizations and governmental entities to build cooperative relation...

Management of the Document Preparation Process
When a real estate transaction document needs to be reviewed, edited, or approved by more than one person, good document management and control practices help prevent time-consuming missteps and co...

Model Grant of Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants for Riparian Buffer Protection
This model was crafted for the specific purpose of permanently protecting riparian buffers along waterways. The model is based on the 7th edition of the Model Grant of Conservation Easement and Dec...

Donation of Stock and Other Securities
For both donors and recipients, the donation of stock and other marketable securities can be more advantageous than a cash donation.

Amending Grants of Conservation Easement: Legal Considerations for Land Trusts
This guide informs easement holders of legal matters to consider under Pennsylvania law and the Internal Revenue Code when making decisions regarding the amendment of grants of conservation easement.

The Nature of the Conservation Easement and the Document Granting It
By statute and by common law interpretation, a conservation easement is a real estate interest and is governed by real estate law, in particular, the law of servitudes. This guide analyzes the nat...

Trail Easements
A property owner may convey to others the rights to create, maintain, and use a trail on their property without giving up ownership and enjoyment of the land through which the trail passes. WeConse...

Model Grant of Right of First Offer
The holder of a right of first offer has the opportunity to purchase land at the landowners’ asking price before other prospective purchasers have an opportunity. An alternative configuration has t...

Model Grant of Right of First Refusal
If an owner intends to accept an offer for the purchase of his or her land, the holder of a right of first refusal has the opportunity to purchase the land at the price and terms offered by the pro...

Installment Agreement
The seller of real estate may finance the buyer’s purchase of a property. An installment agreement requires the buyer to pay the seller the purchase price in installments over time. Both the buyer ...

Not a Charitable Trust: The Donated Conservation Easement in Pennsylvania
Little evidence exists to support the proposition that a donated conservation easement, in the absence of a charitable trust agreement, is a charitable trust in Pennsylvania; indeed, there is compe...

Gift of a Future Interest in Real Estate: Reserved Life Estates Keep Owners in Control During Their Lifetimes
Landowners can convey a future interest in real property to a conservation organization or government but continue to live on or otherwise enjoy using the property during their lifetimes. If the pr...

Restricted Gifts: Considerations in Accepting, Managing, and Soliciting Gifts for a Specific Purpose
Charitable organizations should be aware of the issues that come with gifts of cash, land, or other property restricted to a particular purpose rather than an organization’s general purposes. They ...

Model Trail Easement Agreement with Commentary
This widely used model is coupled with an expansive commentary that explains the reasoning behind every provision, instructs on applying the model to particular circumstances, and provides alternat...

Model Grant of Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants
The Model Grant of Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants provides users with a state-of-the-art legal document together with an expansive commentary. Built on practitioner experiences ...

Purchase and Sale Agreements for Conservation Projects: Guidance and Sample Provisions
Acquisitions of land and easements for conservation purposes can involve issues different from other real estate transactions. This guide looks at purchase and sale agreements in general and then r...

Building Strong Boards & Making Them Successful
Presentation designed for Building Strong Boards full-day seminar

Conservation Drafting & Documentation
Presentation focusing on Conservation Easement Drafting.

Adding to Land Under Conservation Easement
A landowner has land under conservation easement and is ready to conserve more of their nearby property. How best to carry this out?

Model Grant of Access Easement for Environmental Stewardship with Commentary, 2nd edition
This model legal document is used to ensure the easement holder's continued access to a property to undertake AMD remediation or other environmental restoration and stewardship projects. Be sure to...

Pre-Existing Mortgages in Easement Transactions: Using Non-Disturbance and Subordination Agreements to Prevent Extinguishment and Comply with Tax Law
When a mortgage predates an easement on a property, the easement could be extinguished in a foreclosure if the owners default on their mortgage payments. And if the easement is to be donated and th...

Model Stewardship Funding Covenant with Commentary
Used to secure payment of deferred contributions and other conservation commitments made by present landowners and to be paid by either them or future owners. The model offers ten basic ways to str...

Donation Agreements
A donation agreement may be used to ensure that a donor’s promise can be relied upon, set the expectations of both donor and donee, and prevent misunderstandings. WeConservePA guide. 7 pages.

What is a Conservation Easement?
Draft for review and comment.

Model Grant of Fishing and Boating Access Easement
Use to provide public access to or along a waterway for fishing, boating or other recreational and educational uses. This model legal instrument may be used as a stand-alone document or may be coup...

Model Consent, Non-Disturbance, and Subordination Agreement with Commentary, 2nd edition
When a mortgage precedes an easement on a property, the possibility that one day the mortgage could be foreclosed poses a threat to the continued existence of the easement unless the holder of the ...

Model Conservation Easement Donation Agreement with Commentary
The Model Conservation Easement Donation Agreement helps land trusts avoid getting stuck with unreimbursed major expenses if a would-be easement donor walks away from a project. It outlines the ste...

Legal Considerations for Stewardship Funding Arrangements: Binding Present and Future Landowners to Present Promises
A landowner may agree to one or more funding arrangements that require the landowner or successor owners of an eased property to make one or more payments to the easement holder to support stewards...

Reducing Federal Estate Tax: A Conservation Easement Benefit for Large Estates
For large estates, death triggers the possibility of federal estate tax. A conservation easement on the deceased person’s land—whether granted in life, by will, or by the person’s heirs—can reduce ...

Model Amendment of Grant of Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants
If changes to a conservation easement granting document are necessary or desirable, the easement holder must decide whether to amend and restate the document in full or to amend without restatement...

Authorization of Real Estate Transactions: Rules and Process for Nonprofits
Within the bounds of state law and private standards of practice, nonprofit organizations have considerable flexibility in establishing policies and procedures regarding the authorization of real e...

Reversionary Interest
A landowner concerned about the future use of their land can donate or sell their land on a conditional rather than absolute basis. The deed used to convey the land can include terms that will trig...

Closing: Finalizing the Real Estate Transaction
At closing, the transfer of the real estate interest, whether land or easement, is completed. This guide helps users organize and expedite the closing.

Option to Sell (Put Option)
An option to sell may be used to assure that a property acquisition can be undone if expectations are not met. WeConservePA guide. 2 pages.

Purchase Options: Gaining the Right Without the Obligation to Acquire Property Interests
A purchase option is a right to purchase or lease land or other property interests without any obligation to do so.

Model Assignment of Grant of Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants
The Model Assignment of Grant of Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants with Commentary is a tool for transferring conservation easements and associated responsibilities, as well as rel...

Model Grant of Purchase Option with Commentary
A purchase option assures the option holder of the right to purchase property at a certain price within a certain time period but without an obligation to do so. In granting an option, the landowne...

Model Release of Liability Form
The risk of being held responsible for injuries or property damage associated with organizing volunteer, educational, recreational, and other events and activities (or opening up property for the s...

Release of Liability Form: A Tool to Reduce the Risk of Claims for Personal Injury or Property Loss
A properly designed release of liability form signed by a volunteer or participant in an activity can reduce liability risks of the organizing or hosting organization. (Print version of Conservatio...

Model Grant of Conservation Easement, 6th edition (archived--not for use)
A more recent version of this model, the "Model Grant of Conservation Easement and Declaration of Covenants, 7th edition," was published in 2016. The 6th edition is archived here for historical pu...

Donation by Will: Options and Issues Regarding Gifts of Cash, Land and Other Property
Donors who want to help a worthy charity but also need to ensure that they have sufficient assests to live comfortably until life's end may choose to make some gifts via their wills. WeConservePA g...

Model Grant of Trail Easement with Commentary: A Short Form Alternative to the Model Trail Easement Agreement
The Model Grant of Trail Easement is brief--one page (exclusive of signatures)--as compared to the Model Trail Easement Agreement. The shorter document is useful where brevity is the paramount conc...

Model Declaration of Public Trust with Commentary
This set of model documents and accompanying commentary helps local governments to formally dedicate lands to public purposes and clarify what are and aren’t appropriate uses of the land. (The mate...

Delineating Conservation Easement Boundaries and Protection Areas
Properly delineating the boundaries of conservation easements and their different protection areas is crucial to easement stewardship and enforcement. Conservation restrictions are difficult, if no...

Seller Take Back Financing
When a seller wants to close a sale of real estate but the buyer is not yet in a position to fully fund the purchase, the parties can close the sale with the seller taking from the buyer a purchase...

Responding to an Encroachment: Oust or Give Permission with Conditions
What should you do if a neighboring landowner encroaches on your organization’s property (e.g., builds a shed or extends their lawn) or otherwise uses the land without permission? Sometimes immedia...

Model Trail License Agreement with Commentary
A landowner may be sympathetic to a trail organization wanting to maintain a trail running through the landowner’s property. However, the landowner may rightfully have qualms about making any long-...

Permits for Events, Hunting, Camping, and Other Uses of Conserved Land
Requiring permits for certain activities on conservation lands (such as events, hunting, and camping) helps land managers ensure that the activities do not negatively impact the land or others’ enj...

Federal Tax Deductibility of Conservation Easement Donations
Some donations of conservation easements qualify for a federal income tax deduction; others do not.

Using a Deed Restriction to Protect Land: A Path for When Neither a Land Trust Nor Government Can Help
A family or group of neighbors may want to limit future use of a property, but that desire may not be shared as a priority by conservation organizations or government. In this case, a deed restrict...

Model Permission for Encroachment
The Model Permission for Encroachment is a license agreement that allows an encroachment to continue until the owner withdraws permission. The model document also features owner protections from cl...

Separate Entity to Hold Riskier Properties
Some real property is substantially riskier than other property for an organization to hold and manage, perhaps because of environmental contamination (or suspicion of the same), perhaps because of...

Not a Public Trust: The Land Trust-Held Conservation Easement in Pennsylvania
No legal precedent exists in Pennsylvania for finding that a conservation easement acquired by a private land trust is a public trust.

Amend OR Amend and Restate: Matching Approach to Situation When Making Changes to a Conservation Easement
If changes to a conservation easement are necessary or desirable, the easement holder must decide whether to amend and restate the grant of easement in full or simply amend it. This guide assists w...

Who Has Standing? Conservation Easements in Pennsylvania Courts
Who can assert claims and be heard in Pennsylvania’s courts if a dispute heats up over the management of a conservation easement? WeConservePA guide. 6 pages.