Best Lawyers in America for Litigation - Trusts and Estates
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Jeffrey A. Baskies is a graduate of Trinity College (B.A., with highest honors, 1988) and Harvard Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1991). He is admitted to practice in Florida and Massachusetts. A seasoned trusts and estates lawyer, Jeff routinely advises wealthy families, entrepreneurs, athletes, celebrities and other clients regarding wealth transfer planning and asset protection planning. As part of his diverse practice, Jeff counsels clients on charitable planning (including the creation of p...
Stacie Polashuk Nelson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Trusts and Estates. Stacie Polashuk, who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stacie Polashuk is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Pierce Atwood Trusts and Estates partner Deborah DiNardo advises individuals and multiple generations of families on preserving and protecting their assets. Deborah's work includes reducing transfer taxes, both during lifetime and after death, with sophisticated planning techniques such as lifetime gifts to grantor trusts and using charitable trusts and private foundations. She advises clients regarding planning opportunities to protect significant retirement accounts from the creditors of de...
Robert has been affiliated with Pray Walker since 1992 and has focused on trials of civil disputes. Robert’s practice began with the defense of personal injury and product liability lawsuits, but has grown to include handling cases involving business fraud and interference, breaches of corporate duties, and problems arising from business agreements. The contractual disputes range from commercial warranty claims to construction problems to oil and gas accounting issues and surface damage...
Long motivated by a desire to see justice served through proper application of the law, Daniel F. “Frank” Blanchard, III is actively involved in civil trial work with emphasis in employment, civil rights, personal injury, consumer law, business litigation, and probate, estate, and trust cases. Frank attended Greenville’s Furman University, where he was inducted into the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and received the Furman Scholar and Kennedy Foundation Scholarships. During hi...
Lenore Brakefield is a partner at Woodward, Pires & Lombardo, P.A., where she focuses her practice on civil and commercial litigation, including construction litigation matters. She also represents clients in local government law, code enforcement proceedings, community association law, real estate matters, and contract and transactional work, providing practical and results-oriented legal guidance across a broad range of issues. A Naples native, Lenore earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude ...
Charles (Chuck) Rubin is Florida Bar Board Certified Tax Attorney and managing partner of Gutter Chaves Josepher Rubin Forman Fleisher Miller P.A., a boutique law firm located in Boca Raton which practices principally in the areas of tax, estate planning, trusts and estates, and trust and estate litigation. He has authored numerous publications, including BNA Tax Portolios, books, and articles published in national publications such as the Journal of Taxation and Estate Planning. Since 2005 h...
Kevin M. Murphy is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. Kevin M., who practices law in Washington, District of Columbia, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kevin M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Bart spent the first part of his career as an insurance advisor and securities analyst. He later became a lawyer and developed his skills as a litigator and trust attorney. This wide range of experience enables him to give his clients a comprehensive view of financial planning not often found in estate planning attorneys. Bart Leonardi is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the Ohio State Bar Association. His practice is concentrated in the areas of estate plan...
Randy Howry is a partner at Howry, Breen & Herman LLP, and is board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law. He has 25 years of experience representing individuals and businesses as a litigator, and has established a solid reputation as one of the top trial attorneys in the state. He has been recognized by his peers as a Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly Magazine each year since 2004, and he was selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (copyright by Woodward/Wh...
Pam helps individuals, families, and business owners preserve their legacy through proper estate planning and by working with them to resolve family strife during times of disability or death. This includes listening and understanding the client’s concerns so that she can recommend and prepare proper estate plans, establishing guardianships and conservatorships where appropriate, working through various potential tax issues, attending hearings and other matters at the probate court when...
For more than 40 years, Harlan Dodson has been helping people and businesses solve problems and plan for the future. Clients seeking general business advice, estate planning services, or problem solving and advice generally count on his vast experience and track record of getting the job done. Dodson provides hands-on guidance for his clients, whether working with them to launch a business, structure a complex real estate deal, or draft a will. He learned this dedication from his attorney fat...
Jim Brun focuses his practice on estate planning as well as probate and trust administration. Prior to joining Keating Muething & Klekamp, he was a partner with a large Cincinnati law firm where he practiced for more than 21 years, concentrating his practice in the estate planning and personal tax areas. Jim served as a law clerk to the Honorable George H. Palmer, Judge of the Court of Appeals for the First Appellate District of Ohio from 1976-1978.
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.