Best Lawyers in Ohio, United States for Trusts and Estates
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Service to clients and to his life-long community are Mr. Jacobs' focus and passion. Frank D. Jacobs concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning, general tax planning, charitable planned giving, business structuring, business succession planning and planning for qualified retirement plan beneficiary designation payouts. Mr. Jacobs is admitted to the bar of Ohio and to practice in the federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court. Additionally, he holds a Certified Pu...
Frank C. Krasovec, Jr. has a practice focused on estate planning, estate administration and taxation. Frank is well-versed in the intricacies and specific benefits of the various methods of estate planning, including revocable living trusts, wills, lifetime gifting, joint ownership, beneficiary designations and life estates.
Douglas C. Carlson has extensive experience in corporate, partnership, individual and estate tax matters. The primary emphasis of his practice is on transactional planning, including acquisitions and dispositions, reorganizations and limited partnership syndications, liquidations and executive compensation, including stock options and deferred compensation. He has substantial experience in compliance activities, controversy matters, and state and local tax matters. As a business law attorney,...
Rick is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law and a Certified Elder Law Attorney. For both 2009 and 2010, Rick has been included in the “Top 100 Lawyers” for the state of Ohio by “Ohio Super Lawyers” and (a joint publication of Law & Politics, Cincinnati Magazine, and NorthernOhioLive. ) Rick is a member of the Estate Planning, Probate, and Trust Law Council of the Ohio State Bar Association and...
For more than 30 years, Jen Eschedor has counseled individuals and families on a broad range of estate planning and transfer tax matters and assisted and advised trust and estate beneficiaries and fiduciaries in all aspects of trust and estate administration. Known for her practical approach and clarity, Jen helps clients navigate complex estate, trust and tax issues with confidence. Her deep knowledge of the generation-skipping transfer tax and experience working directly with the IRS have m...
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...
Woods King III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law and Trusts and Estates. Woods, who practices law in Cleveland, Ohio, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Woods is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Erica K. Williams brings more than 25 years of comprehensive and sophisticated estate planning services to high net-worth individuals and families. She earned the designation as an Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP®) by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils, awarded to estate planning professionals who meet stringent requirements of experience, knowledge, education professional reputation, and character. Erica is experienced in all aspects of tax planning, including...
As Chair of Hahn Loeser’s Cleveland Trusts and Estates Practice Group, Dana Marie DeCapite dedicates her practice to serving as a trusted legal advisor for high-net worth families through estate planning, estate/trust administration, business succession planning, asset protection planning and prenuptial/postnuptial planning. Dana represents local, national, and internationally based individuals, families, and businesses to recommend and draft custom-tailored solutions. Dana also counsel...
Jim Bright has been practicing law since 1976. He applies his considerable expertise to advising individuals and families on estate planning, tax planning (including income and estate, gift, and generation-skipping taxes), and charitable gift planning. He also provides counsel to trustees of private foundations on administration, initial formation, and tax qualification. Prior to the formation of SSSB, he served as President of Spieth, Bell, McCurdy & Newell Co., L.P.A. Jim is a Fellow of...
Kyle Dodderer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law, Litigation - Real Estate, Real Estate Law and Trusts and Estates. Kyle, who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kyle is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Madison Chapanar Robinson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Madison Chapanar, who practices law in Canton, Ohio, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Madison Chapanar is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Taylor L. Hanenkrath is part of our Estate Planning, Trusts and Probate Practice Group. She has experience with a wide variety of matters, including drafting legal documents to establish or amend a client’s estate plan, as well as addressing tax issues associated with planning strategies. She has assisted with many client matters involving a wide range of issues; from those with high net worth, where planning can achieve wealth preservation, to young families, where planning can ensure ...
Drew A. Pinta represents business entities in planning, transactions, acquisitions, and business services. He also works closely with individuals and business owners, handling complex estate, tax, and business succession planning matters. Drew helps new and prospective business owners in the crucial first steps of starting a business. He also assists clients with commercial real estate matters, providing guidance and advocacy for businesses throughout the process of buying, selling, leasing, ...
Dan Baron is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Elder Law, Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. Dan, who practices law in Independence, Ohio, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Dan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Taylor Carlucci (née Smoske) is an associate in Hahn Loeser’s Trusts and Estates Practice Area, where she focuses her practice on probate and fiduciary litigation, estate and trust administration, and estate planning. Taylor is licensed in both Ohio and New York. Probate and Fiduciary Litigation Taylor specializes in handling adversarial probate matters, including contested trust and estate administrations, will and trust contests based on claims undue influence, lack of capacity...
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.