Top best Estate Planning Lawyers in Chapel Hill | 21 available

With more than 30 years experience in private practice, Mark Costley has helped hundreds of North Carolinians with estate planning, trust and estate administration, planning for children and adults with special needs, business succession planning and business transactions, and family charitable and philanthropic counseling. Mark’s work involves elements of teaching, strategic analysis and planning, negotiation, documentation, and assisting clients in executing their plans. A Duke University Alumnus, Mark has given back to his alma mater in numerous capacities, including serving as a member of the Board of Trustees. He has devoted his considerable energies to the Servant Center, Inc., a nonprofit corporation providing health care services for veterans and the homeless. Mark frequently provides public presentations on the subjects of estate planning, financial planning, asset protection, health care planning, retirement planning, and related topics. Mark is also a certified court mediator.. Mark is an active member of a variety of associations and committees, including the North Carolina State Bar, North Carolina Bar Association, Oklahoma Bar Association, American Bar Association, 14th Judicial District Bar, North Carolina Bar Association, Estate & Trust Legislative Committee, Durham-Orange Estate Planning Council, American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.. Mark is married to Margaret Costley, and has two daughters, Eleanor born in 1995, and Audrey born in 2000. He is an active member of University Presbyterian Church, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, an avid sports fan, and enjoys reading, travel, tennis, music, politics and gardening.. PUBLICATIONS: Guiding Those Left Behind in North Carolina. The Ultimate Care Guide for North Carolina

Ms. Spong joined the Roberson Law Firm in 2016 and practices principally in the areas of estate planning, estate administration and probate, wills and trusts, elder law, and taxation. She is especially interested and well-versed in estate planning for LGBTQ families, and is a trusted, responsive, and empathetic advisor to Executors as they navigate the difficult process of estate administration after the death of a loved one.. Ms. Spong is a native North Carolinian who has called Chapel Hill home since 2008. She earned her undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, from Vanderbilt University in 2003 and graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 2011. While a law student, Ms. Spong was twice named the Pro Bono Student of the Year for leadership in community service. She was also one of only seven 2011 UNC Law graduates named to the James E. and Carolyn B. Davis Society for “academic and personal excellence and willingness to serve.”. Ms. Spong was licensed and admitted to practice law in North Carolina in 2011 and is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association and its Estate Planning Section. In her spare time, she plays the viola with the Tchiakovsky Virtuosi and enjoys long-distance running. She also speaks frequently in the community about Wills, Trusts, and financial and health care Powers of Attorney and why these documents are important for everyone to have. Please contact Ms. Spong if you, your organization, or your faith community is interested in scheduling a free presentation.

It is my goal to reduce unecessary estate-related lawsuits with proactive estate planning and thoughtful estate administration. When a dispute arises nonetheless, I offer a non-lawsuit option for its resolution through the Collaborative Law method.. I practice in "estates" law, which has 3 basic components: (1) PLANNING, i.e., writing documents (2) ADMINISTRATION, i.e., putting documents into action, and (3) DISPUTE RESOLUTION, i.e., fixing issues arising in the planning and administration phase.. The best way to head-off a dispute is with a proper estate plan that is properly administered, but sometimes the water has gone under the bridge and you find yourself in a conflict nonetheless. I conducted estate law litigation (trusts, wills, powers of attorney) for over 5 years, handling several multi-million-dollar matters. Though litigation is the best choice in some cases, I realized that in most cases litigation is not the best choice because it too often needlessly sacrifices both (1) money, and (2) family relationships. The "sacrifice" is a byproduct of the nature lawsuits. This realization led me to become trained in Collaborative Law, a promising new dispute resolution method for resolving legal disputes outside of court but still achieving a legally binding resolution you can rely on. I promise to do everything in my power to aid my clients in avoiding unnecessary litigation.. The law should be and must become more accessible to the average person. I am firmly committed to being a part of that change. I do not charge for initial 1/4 hour consultations if I am not ultimately retained. My fees are competitive, but they are also flexible given certain circumstances. I have been honored to represent some clients at reduced rates, payment plans, and contingency fees. Of course, my ability to charge less in some cases stems from charging a standard rate in most cases. I would be pleased to confidentially discuss your situation with you.

I have enjoyed the privilege of representing individuals, families, and businesses throughout North Carolina for over 20 years. I look forward to continuing to provide competent, conscientious, and ethical legal services to our firm's clients in the years ahead.. When I'm not in court or in the office, I love to hang out with my family or play bass in my bluegrass/old time string band, the Guilty Pleasures. Everyone needs balance in their lives, and playing music helps keep me sane. Most of the time, anyway.

I guide high net worth individuals and families through the complex legal and tax aspects of estate planning, probate and trust administration. After over 35 years of helping folks,  I like to say that I specialize in "peace of mind.". I grew up in Chapel Hill, NC and most of my family is in the area. I now split my time between Naples, FL and Chapel Hill, but remain a die hard Tar Heel fan! Personally, I enjoy traveling, the outdoors, reading history, and spending time with my rather large family!

Experienced Estate Planning attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.

Experienced Estate Planning attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.

Experienced Estate Planning attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.

Experienced Estate Planning attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.

Experienced Estate Planning attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.

Experienced Estate Planning attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.

Experienced Estate Planning attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.

Experienced Estate Planning attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.

Experienced Estate Planning attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.

Experienced Estate Planning attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.

Experienced Estate Planning attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.