John F. Murrah

Mr. Murrah's practice is concentrated primarily in estate planning, probate, federal transfer taxation, estate and trust administration, and federal income taxation.  He advises clients on all elements of wealth transmittal and preservation, including preparation of wills and trusts, closely held business succession issues, asset protection strategies, and techniques for the minimization of transfer taxes.  His experience also includes representation of trustees and trust beneficiaries.

Mr. Murrah advises clients on various actions including but not limited to those involving:

• Preparation of wills, revocable trusts, irrevocable trusts and grantor trusts
• Estate, gift and income tax planning
• Personal residence trusts
• Tennessee community property trusts
• Tennessee tenants by the entirety trusts
• Grantor retained annuity trusts ("GRATs")
• Family partnerships and limited liability companies
• Tax-exempt organizations and private foundations
• Asset protection including Tennessee asset protection trusts
• Closely held family businesses
• Multi-generational trusts

Mr. Murrah is certified as an Estate Planning Law Specialist by the Estate Law Specialist Board, Inc., an organization accredited by the American Bar Association. He is also an adjunct law professor at the University of  Memphis School of Law, having taught the course in estate and gift taxation from 2000 through 2015. Prior to practicing law, Mr. Murrah obtained his license as a certified public accountant while working in the tax division of a national accounting firm (CPA license is now retained on inactive status). He is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

Mr. Murrah was recently selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2019 in the fields of Closely Held Companies/Family Businesses Law as well as Trusts and Estates for the thirteenth year. He was also named the Best Lawyers 2016 Closely Held Companies/Family Businesses Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Memphis and the Best Lawyers 2016 Trusts and Estates Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Memphis. He was selected to the 2018 Mid-South Super Lawyers list in the field of Estate Planning & Probate, and has been included each year since 2006. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, the Estate Planning Council of Memphis, and the Tennessee and Memphis Bar Associations.