Top Best Estate Lawyers | 18703 Available

Estate Planning:. Does the idea of preparing your will put you off?  Many people believe it is something only old rich people must do.  Don't believe it!  Estate planning is a process to get your affairs in order so you will make life easier for your surviving family members when you die.  Estate planning is something you do for your family.    An estate plan is about your family not money!  It can help maintain healthy family relationships during a tense and traumatic time.. It is never too early to plan with a simple last will and testament, advance health directives and durable power of attorney.  We hear about or maybe you know someone who suffered a fatal heart attack, stroke or was involved in a car accident.  Events like this do no leave time for you to plan for your family.  It is better to have estate planning documents in place before they are needed and before it is too late to make them.  Remember that estate planning is not just for what happens to your assets after you die.  You need protection in case you suffer incapacity or the inability to speak or act for yourself.  Having a durable power of attorney for health care and to manage your assets right away can prevent a situation that creates work and hassle for everyone during an extremely difficult and emotionally demanding time.  Estate planning covers you in your lifetime and death.. It doesn't have to be difficult, expensive or depressing.  For the vast majority of people there is no need to worry about estate taxes or fancy trusts.  It takes only a few steps:  looking at what you own, have a simple will or trust made to take care of your family and loved ones and reviewing your beneficiary designations on other accounts.. Do you already have a will and other estate planning documents?  How old are they?  What life events have occurred since they were prepared?  Have your estate planning documents reviewed after a divorce in the family, after a death, after the birth of children or grandchildren, if there is there a remarriage with a second family involved.  There are many other reasons to have your estate planning documents updated.. My goal with estate planning is to ensure that my clients set up a plan that will accomplish their goals should the unexpected happen. It is just as important that the clients understand the plan they have in place. Every family is different and so every client must be approached differently. My goal with probate is to ensure the process happens as efficiently as possible, but also to make the process as painless as it can be.. Call and make an appointment today!

I look forward to becoming your trusted advisor in Estate Planning, Estate Administration and Real Estate Matters that deserve the upmost respect and detail.

I am an experienced elder law, estate planning, special needs, and probate attorney. I have helped hundreds of families over the past nine-plus years protect assets from long-term care costs, obtain needed by disabled individuals, and transfer resources as painlessly as possible from one generation to the next. I am please to bring my services to Carlile Patchen & Murphy, and look forward to continuing to help Ohio residents protect everything they have worked so hard to earn.

“There is nothing so sinister in so arranging one’s affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible. Everybody does so, rich or poor, and all do right for nobody owes any public duty to pay more than the law demands; taxes are enforced exactions, not voluntary contributions. To demand more in the name of morals is mere cant.” Judge Learned Hand.. I had been practicing law for a number of years when I rediscovered this quote from Judge Hand. At the time, I was starting a program to obtain a Masters in Accountancy with the intention of using it to better serve my clients in estate planning and corporate transactions. Many years have passed since then but I am still struck by Judge Hand’s phrase “so arranging one’s affairs.” As both an estate planner and a corporate attorney, my primary focus is assisting my clients in so arranging their affairs to achieve their specific goals.. In estate planning, those goals often involve providing a legacy for a surviving spouse or child and making sure an appropriate person is named to serve as the guardian of a minor child. A will, durable power of attorney, and healthcare power of attorney with advanced directive are all necessary documents in an effective estate plan. Because everyone’s circumstances are different, certain estate plans can require the use of revocable or irrevocable trusts. In either case, the client is entitled to a comprehensive plan to achieve his, her or their goals. My role is to provide that plan as efficiently and effectively as possible. Doing so often involves teamwork. I’m committed to working with all my clients’ advisors to craft a plan, to arrange their affairs, to achieve that end.. Corporate transactions also require arranging one’s affairs, but instead of passing on a legacy, the business owner needs to ensure the continued operation and success of his business venture. From starting a new business to expanding an existing business to acquiring or merging a business, proper planning is imperative for continued success. I provide that planning to my clients by advising them on business structures, operating and shareholder agreements, and investigating the different options available to an expanding business. From start-up to winding-down, I help business owners with tools they need to succeed.. Judge Hand was talking specifically about taxes when he wrote the statement above, and taxes can play a key role in both estate planning and corporate transactions. My experience allows me to identify those tax implications in both estate and business planning. But whether taxes are the primary focus, or merely a secondary consideration, the purpose of good planning is the arranging of one’s affairs. I’m committed to providing my clients the highest level of service in handling their estate and corporate needs. From beginning to end, I will counsel and advise them as they plan for some of the most important decisions they will make.

Licensed as an attorney in both North and South Carolina, Elizabeth focuses her legal practice on estate planning, estate administration, and guardianships. Elizabeth developed a love for the law while growing up in her mother’s trusts and estates law firm in Jacksonville, Florida, but it was not until after she graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in music and earned a master’s degree in arts administration from Florida State University that she decided to pursue a career in law. Elizabeth graduated from the Charlotte School of Law magna cum laude, ranked third in her class. While a law student, she served as a legal intern for both the Office of Chief Counsel of the Internal Revenue Service and the Western North Carolina Low Income Taxpayer Clinic through Legal Services of Southern Piedmont.  Elizabeth also participated in the Pro Bono Wills Clinic and earned Pro Bono Leadership Awards from the North Carolina Bar Association and Charlotte School of Law for her work with Wills for Heroes and the Mecklenburg County Self-Serve Center. In addition to earning awards for the top grades in both of her legal research and writing courses as well as classes in elder law and federal income tax, Elizabeth was a research assistant for Professor Camille Davidson, a member of an award-winning Moot Court team, and Senior Editor of the Charlotte Law Review, which published her casenote, “A Post-Ahlborn Analysis of the Supreme Court of North Carolina’s Decision in Andrews v. Haygood.” The position of this casenote was adopted in 2012 by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in E.M.A. ex rel. Plyler v. Cansler. After earning her Juris Doctor degree and passing both the North and South Carolina bar examinations, Elizabeth completed her legal training by earning a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in Taxation from the prestigious graduate tax program at the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law. Even before earning a J.D. and LL.M., Elizabeth knew that her legal career would focus on trusts and estates. Growing up in her mother’s law firm, she learned first-hand how rewarding a career in estate planning and administration can be both personally and professionally. Her academic and professional experiences have only strengthened her enthusiasm for this area of the law, and she looks forward to sharing this passion with her clients.

My practice is really all about my clients.  They talk, I listen,  I ask questions, they tell me what is important to them, what they value, and what they wish to see happen in the event they become disabled or when they die.. To help break the ice with new clients, I frequently wear neckties that are a little out of the ordinary (i.e. No Boring Ties!).  As you can see from the picture in the section below.  If you look at the photo at the top of the page, you'll see that it doesn't hurt if you lose 30 pounds and get a new hair style, too.. Even though we are planning for unhappy events, we still can enjoy today, and laugh at some of my strange neckties, too.

Hi there! I'm Jordann, I'm an estate planning attorney based in Charlotte, North Carolina and the founder of Smart Law PLLC. I started my firm to make estate planning more accessible, modern, and family-focused. As a mom and small business owner, I understand how busy life can be — and how important it is to make sure your loved ones are protected, no matter what.. I work closely with families, caregivers, and busy professionals to create thoughtful, personalized estate plans that reflect their values and goals. My approach is warm, down-to-earth, and practical. I believe estate planning isn’t just about legal documents — it’s about peace of mind, legacy, and protecting what matters most.. My Practice:. At Smart Law PLLC, I help clients throughout Charlotte and across North Carolina build customized estate plans with clarity and confidence. Whether you’re a new parent, a blended family, a working professional, or a caregiver, I guide you through the process step-by-step to make planning simple and stress-free.. I offer flat-fee services and flexible meeting options, including virtual appointments, to accommodate your schedule.. My estate planning services include:. Wills and Revocable Living Trusts. Guardianship planning for minor children. Financial and Healthcare Powers of Attorney. Living Wills and Advance Directives. HIPAA Authorizations. Probate Avoidance Strategies. Trust-Based Planning for Blended Families. If you're looking for an experienced and approachable estate planning lawyer in Charlotte, I’d love to help you get started.

Mr. Blevins has over a decade of legal experience providing strategic counsel to corporations ranging from sole proprietors to Fortune 500 companies. His unique background of serving as both corporate in-house counsel for various corporations and as a private litigation counsel makes him uniquely poised to quickly and effectively solve your legal needs.

I focus on the areas of estate planning, long-term trust design & implementation, asset protection – both domestic and international – and strategic international tax planning, and I have an extensive clientele of . individuals, professional athletes, and other individuals and families with extensive international interests. I am a frequent author and national speaker, past Adjunct Faculty at the Chapman University Fowler School of Law, and Past Chair of STEP-Orange County.. He is a member of the California Bar Association, the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners, WealthCounsel, and ElderCounsel.. When I'm not assisting clients and colleagues, I enjoy spending time with my wife and two daughters, and I am an avid cyclist (I've ridden the infamous Tour de France mountains of Alpe d'Huez, Mt. Ventoux, the Col du Galibier, and the Col du Tourmalet, among others).

Thank you for visiting my profile and I look forward to meeting you. In case you are wondering about the “R” it actually stands for “Romelia,” which was my grandmother’s name. While some find it hard to believe, I am actually Cuban/American. My dad immigrated from Cuba, and my mom is from the mid west and a bit of German/Irish. So, DeDe, which most people know me by is actually my nickname! So now a bit about my background. I established the Soto Law Group so I could dedicate myself to the needs of families and business owners, either through the Estate Planning process by protecting families or via Probate, Special Needs Trust, Conservatorships and even Trust Disputes.  I have a broad background of legal experience, from early on where I started practicing in family law and business litigation, and later when I developed an extensive real estate expertise. Here at the Soto Law Group, we serve the entire community of Estate Planning. From establishing a Trust, Will, Power of Attorney for families and to those families that find themselves in Probate, when a love one has passed.  We also guide family members that find themselves in a dispute over a Trust as a Trustee or beneficary. Incorporating my business knowledge and real estate expertise with my passion for coaching and teaching I wanted to make a difference in the lives I touched, and bring invaluable services to my clients. I had always believed that traditional estate planning, which implies, and often focuses only on, financial wealth and taxation was too limited and short-sighted. I believe it’s not only about passing on financial wealth, but also intellectual, spiritual and human wealth. With the establishment of my own firm, I can provide a framework for a more holistic approach to family wealth planning. “We can actually pass on the clients’ stories, insights and wisdom to their children, grandchildren and other loved ones so that they don’t get lost when the clients pass away.” Through the Child Protection Plan, clients can rest assure, knowing that if something unexpected or unthinkable happens to mom and dad, the kids won’t have to spend time in Child Protective Services/foster care until their permanent guardians can arrive on the scene. Additionally, I can protect the children’s inheritance from later creditors and predators. On a personal note, I have a Chihuahua, named “Noodle” and I am  dedicated to assisting and protecting families and enjoy volunteering at the church I attend in Irvine. I have an undergraduate degree from California State University, Fullerton, with a major in Psychology and my Juris Doctor from Western State University School of Law. I have done continuing education at Chapman Law School and U.C. Irvine.

With over 10 years of experience and results for clients in areas including estate planning, business, contracts, litigation, consumer rights, debt collection defense work, and real estate.

After attending law school at Oklahoma City University School of Law, Nicolas worked for Abowitz, Timberlake & Dahnke, P.C., a highly-respected firm in central Oklahoma. While there, he gained considerable experience in the areas of insurance defense, commercial litigation, intellectual property rights, contract interpretation and enforcement and general tort liability.. Nicolas was also afforded the opportunity to serve as staff counsel for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company before deciding to move back to Branson with his wife, Lindsay. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, golfing, running and hiking southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas.

Hello, my name is Joe Piatchek.  I was born and raised in Springfield, MO, and I am the managing attorney at The Piatchek Law Firm, LLC.  Experience, knowledge, skill, and value are important qualities to look for when you need a lawyer. Choosing someone you can talk honestly and openly with about deeply personal issues, and knowing that person will listen and understand, is perhaps just as important. At The Piatchek Law Firm, LLC, we are proud to offer a wide range of attentive and effective legal services in the Springfield area, as well as throughout the entire state of Missouri. We are just as proud to have earned the trust of our clients and we look forward to having the opportunity to earn yours as well. That trust starts with an accessible, understanding attorney — we currently have four attorneys available at our firm, who are all long time residents of Missouri who understand the special concerns of families and businesses located in the Ozarks.

Born and raised in the Ozarks and a native of Springfield, Missouri, Randy Smith graduated from Kickapoo High School, then went on to earn a degree from the University of Missouri. Following his undergraduate education, Smith attended the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law.   Mr. Smith and his team live, work, and raise their families in the Ozarks and are active within the community.. He was licensed by the Missouri Bar Association and admitted to practice in the Federal United States District Court Western District of Missouri.. Mr. Smith focuses on the professional and personal legal needs of small business owners; his broad client list includes entrepreneurs, local banks, software companies, physicians, contractors, real estate developers and hotel and restaurant owners.  Estate Planning is a primary component of Mr. Smith’s practice.  Business owners and individuals have entrusted Mr. Smith for over fifteen years to handle their affairs and help them accomplish their specific goals to protect themselves and their families.  Prior to the practice of law Mr. Smith had 8 years of complex commercial transaction and real estate experience outside of the legal profession.  This experience formed his unique perspective on the practice of law which gave him a fundamental understanding of the client experience when dealing with law firms and lawyers.

I am a Springfield native. Bachelor and Master's degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Studied in Italy, Greece, and Germany.. Law degree from the University of Florida, where I graduated Order of the Coif, a distinction reserved for the top 5% of the past five years of law graduates. During law school I published three legal articles and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Florida Law Review.. After law school, I clerked for the Hon. Thomas Gibbs Gee on the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in Houston, TX, before returning to Florida to practice with Foley & Lardner.. Founded Aton Law Firm, LLC in Springfield in 1990. Practice areas include corporate law, estate planning and real estate. Licensed in Missouri, Florida and Arkansas.