Best Lawyers in America for Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Select a location from the list below to find the best legal talent for your needs.
State
Linda N. Engleby, a partner with Donnelly Kelly Blackwell & Galligan, LLC, is an Estate Planning and Trust and Estate Administration attorney skilled in designing sophisticated tax-sensitive documents that address the important role family and business relationships play in the lives of her clients. Ms. Engleby tailors each estate plan individually, accounting for the complex tax issues and intrafamily matters that can arise when transferring assets from one generation to the next. She co...
Aaron Kaplan is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Nonprofit / Charities Law and Trusts and Estates. Aaron practices law in Cincinnati, Ohio Best Lawyers has recognized Aaron Kaplan since 2025. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Aaron Kaplan is held by other lawyers.
Jeremy is a partner in the trust and estate litigation team at Withers Bergman LLP and is the Office Managing Director of the San Diego office. He focuses on trust, estate, conservatorship and fiduciary related litigation. He represents clients in litigation and administration matters, including trust administrations, probate administrations, wills and trust contests, accountings, fiduciary representation, creditor’s claims proceedings, conservatorships, and elder abuse matters. Jeremy ...
Daniel is a Partner in the firm’s Trust and Estate Litigation department. He has represented numerous fiduciaries—including trustees, personal representatives, and receivers—in a variety of complex litigations. Daniel also routinely represents beneficiaries and creditors in estate and trust matters, including will and trust contests. Additionally, Daniel regularly assists clients with real estate related litigations involving quiet title, slander of title, partition, and cha...
Ashton Bizzarri is a Partner in the Firm’s Trusts & Estates Practice Group. She focuses her practice in the areas of estate planning and trust and estate administration, while also representing clients in trust and estate litigation. Prior to joining the Firm, Ashton was an Associate Attorney at two Akron law firms, focusing exclusively on estate planning and trust and estate administration. She was also a Trust Officer at Key Private Bank, where she handled trust administrations, w...
Joseph W. "Jay" Fleece, III, is a native Floridian having been born and raised in St. Petersburg. Mr. Fleece started practicing law in 1980 with the firm of Belcher & Fleece, P.A., and subsequently joined Holland & Knight, where he was a partner heading up the litigation department of the St. Petersburg office. In 2004, Mr. Fleece joined with Hamden H. Baskin, III, and founded the law firm of BaskinFleece, located in Clearwater, Florida. In 2017 Mr. Fleece moved his practice back to S...
Amy J. Sine is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Nonprofit / Charities Law and Trusts and Estates. Amy J. practices law in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Best Lawyers has recognized Amy J. Sine since 2003. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Amy J. Sine is held by other lawyers.
W. Verne McGough, Jr. is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Litigation and Controversy - Tax, Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. W. Verne practices law in Cayce, South Carolina Best Lawyers has recognized W. Verne McGough, Jr. since 2021. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the...
Scott Sherman practices in the areas of estate planning, probate and trust law. EDUCATION B.A., Dartmouth College, 1973 J.D., Southern Methodist University, 1977 — Member, Phi Delta Phi Board Certified, Estate Planning and Probate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, since 1983 PROFESSIONAL AV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell Listed in The Best Lawyers in America®for Litigation Trusts & Estates and Trusts & Estates Admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Texas, the Un...
Trevor A. Brown represents clients in both litigation and transactions. His real estate experience ranges from resort acquisition and development to acting as trial counsel to establish beach access rights based on Kingdom of Hawaii land use. Mr. Brown's corporate experience ranges from negotiating corporate restructurings to acting as trial counsel to force the break-up of related land development corporations. Mr. Brown counsels trustees and beneficiaries in trust matters and also represent...
Frank N. Ikard, Jr. is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. Frank N. practices law in Austin, Texas Best Lawyers has recognized Frank N. Ikard, Jr. since 1983. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Frank N. Ikard, Jr. is held by other lawyers.
Diana S.C. Zeydel focuses her practice on estate, trust and tax planning for high net worth individuals and families. Her practice includes planning for U.S. and non-U.S. citizens and residents. She specializes in sophisticated intra-generational wealth transfer strategies and business succession planning. She assists clients in litigated probate, trust and guardianship matters, and represents clients before the Internal Revenue Service in matters involving complex fiduciary income tax and es...
Mark Murakami practices in the firm's Dispute Resolution, Real Estate, Construction, and Business & Commercial Law practice groups. His focus is on complex commercial disputes, land use negotiation and litigation, environmental, and general civil litigation. He has appeared in all federal and states courts in Hawaii, most of the administration boards and commissions, and is licensed in the U.S. Supreme Court, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and Court of Federal Claims. He is rated by Marti...
Patrick C. Wooten is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Environmental and Litigation - Trusts and Estates. Patrick C. practices law in Charleston, South Carolina Best Lawyers has recognized Patrick C. Wooten since 2022. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Patrick C. Wooten is held by ...
As a member of Butler Snow’s commercial litigation group, Robert focuses his practice on complex civil litigation for a range of business clients including large corporations, small businesses, manufacturers, real estate owners and developers and trustees. He handles jury and non-jury cases throughout the country and has appeared before the North Carolina and South Carolina Courts of Appeals and Supreme Courts, as well as the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.
