Best Lawyers Near You in Highland Township, Michigan for Trusts and Estates
Tom has over 30 years of experience in helping clients efficiently and effectively define their estate planning goals and to arrange their affairs accordingly. His expertise includes facilitating the direction of a client-centered and directed strategy and then drafting clear and understandable legal documents to implement it, thereby protecting client wealth, closely-held businesses, and families from taxes, post-mortem chaos and expense, and unnecessary complexity. He has expertise and expe...
Kara Ferrara is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Kara, who practices law in Troy, Michigan, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kara is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Alan May is a shareholder who is sought after for his experience in guardianships and conservatorships. He has written and lectured extensively and has taught classes at Wayne State University and Oakland University on these topics. He was selected for inclusion in the 2007-2019 issues of Michigan Super Lawyers magazine featuring the top 5% of attorneys in Michigan and has been called by courts as an expert witness on issues of fees and by both plaintiffs and defendants as an expert witness i...
J. Thomas MacFarlane works extensively with individuals on estate planning, tax planning and probate matters and with businesses on succession planning and corporate restructuring. Thomas counsels clients on the various wealth preservation strategies which are available to high net worth individuals. He is also frequently asked to represent beneficiaries or fiduciaries in complex estate contests and trust disputes. Tom has represented clients in all aspects of corporate law and has counseled ...
Robert Labe ’s trusts and estates and business law practice is among the most highly regarded in the state. He possesses extensive experience in estate planning, estate and trust administration, contested estate and trust matters, business law, business succession planning and tax planning. Robert is a frequent lecturer and prolific author. He speaks at seminars before legal and professional groups, including as a lecturer at the Institute of Continuing Legal Education at the University...
Cynthia Umphrey helps families and business owners make significant personal and professional life decisions. Ms. Umphrey calls upon over 20 years of experience in estate planning, post-death administration, business structuring and business exit planning to guide you through life’s most important choices. Estate Planning & Post-Death Administration: Ms. Umphrey walks her clients through the entire estate planning process with care. Some concerns she will help you resolve include: h...
Julius H. Giarmarco, J.D., LL.M., is chair of the firm's Trusts and Estates Practice Group. Julius received his law degree from Wayne State University, and his master of laws from New York University. He is licensed to practice law in both Michigan and New York. Julius' primary practice areas include estate planning, business succession planning, wealth transfer planning, and life insurance applications. He is a former instructor in both the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Certified Fina...
Aaron H. Sherbin is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Trusts and Estates. Aaron H., who practices law in Southfield, Michigan, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Aaron H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Joan Skrzyniarz, a member in Dickinson Wright’s Nashville and Troy offices, focuses her practice on Trusts, estate planning, and probate law. She has served as counsel to personal representatives, trustees, and beneficiaries in probate, trust administration, and litigation and has advised individuals and families about guardianship and conservatorship matters.
Susan M. Sutton is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Susan M., who practices law in Southfield, Michigan, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Susan M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Andrea DeFrain has moved to of-counsel status after practicing since 1981 and as a member of the Bodman High Net Worth Practice Group since 2005. Ms. DeFrain concentrated her practice in the areas of estate planning, estate and gift taxation, and probate administration. During her career, she was an adviser to individuals and families on a variety of personal and related tax matters. She continues to participate in the firm’s representation of certain clients. In addition, Ms. DeFrain h...
Brian Jenney helps families and individuals with elder law and special needs issues as well as estate planning and administration. For those planning ahead, Mr. Jenney prepares wills, trusts and powers of attorney to ensure proper future handling of medical decisions, finances and the distribution of assets. For family members with more immediate elder care issues, Mr. Jenney can assist with guardianships and conservatorships of ailing family members. In addition, Mr. Jenney helps families wo...
Mr. Cracchiolo is an adviser to high net worth individuals and families on a variety of personal, business and tax matters, including estate planning, estate, gift and generation-skipping tax issues, closely-held business transactions and succession, family office formation and operation, private trust companies, real estate transactions and philanthropic strategies. He also represents professional and individual trustees on trust and estate administration matters and works closely with famil...
Bob concentrates on estate planning, tax counseling, wealth preservation, and planned giving. He is thorough and analytical, while giving great personal attention to his clients. His practice includes estate planning, wealth preservation, and planned giving, for estates of all sizes. In addition to the traditional drafting of wills and trusts, he and his group specialize in sophisticated wealth preservation techniques, succession planning, probate and trust administration, post-mortem plannin...
William C. Lentine is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. William C., who practices law in Southfield, Michigan, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which William C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Joel S. Golden is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Joel S., who practices law in Southfield, Michigan, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joel S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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.