Best Lawyers Near You in Westlake, Ohio for Trusts and Estates
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...
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...
Mr. McGuire brings a wealth of experience to his role as a trusts and estates attorney, where he specializes in crafting tailored solutions for clients based on their individual needs, concerns, and goals. Dan has represented clients across the entire wealth spectrum and is adept at advising clients in addressing changing circumstances that require planning for the future. Dan holds licenses to practice law in Ohio and Florida. Prior to joining Mansour Gavin, he played a crucial role in the a...
Justin L. Stark is Chair of the Trusts & Estates Practice Group at Schneider Bell. Justin provides estate planning solutions to high-net-worth individuals and families. This includes preparing full estate plans, from Wills to Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts, as well as handling probate and tax matters. Prior to joining the Firm, he worked at one of America’s largest financial institutions, where he spearheaded a team of experts in investment management, financial and estate plannin...
Michael Quinlan is an experienced trial and litigation attorney with a background in criminal prosecution and civil litigation . His practice areas encompass insurance defense , products liability, probate litigation, criminal defense, toxic tort, state and federal civil litigation, and estate planning . He holds the position of co-chair of the estate planning and probate group. Mr. Quinlan is licensed in the State of Ohio and is admitted to the U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Dist...
Mr. Boyko is an experienced attorney who practices in the areas of business and real estate law as well as probate and estate planning . He previously served as managing partner of the law firm of Boyko, Dobeck & Weaver before joining Mansour Gavin in late 2016. He is currently admitted to practice law in both the State of Ohio and the State of Florida, as well as the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio. Tim represents individuals, companies, and non-profit organizatio...
Kevin R. Keogh is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law and Trusts and Estates. Kevin R., who practices law in Cleveland, Ohio, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kevin R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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,...
Tal Young has practiced trust and estate law for more than 45 years. He had been a Director and Shareholder of Spieth, Bell, McCurdy & Newell for a decade when it combined with Schneider, Smeltz, Ranney & Lafond in 2016 to form SSSB. Prior to that, he had been a Founding Partner of Young and Dietsch for 11 years, which followed 19 years as an Associate and Partner with Squire Sanders & Dempsey. He applies his years of expertise to handling a wide range of probate, trust, and estat...
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...
Lisa Monihan is a Partner in the Trusts & Estates Practice Group, and she also serves as a practice group co- coordinator. Her practice is focused on wealth transfer planning for individuals and fiduciaries, including income, gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning; trust and estate administration; multi-generational family issues; retirement planning; succession planning for closely-held businesses; and charitable planning. A client once told Lisa that the decision to...
Stephen H. Gariepy is a partner and National Co-Chair of Hahn Loeser’s Estate Planning, Wealth Transfer & Preservation Section. Steve focuses his practice on leading-edge estate planning techniques. His ability to design creative and comprehensive plans – and make them practical and understandable – has attracted clients nationwide from the ranks of Forbes 400, business owners, families and nonprofit organizations. Steve regularly counsels owners of privately held compan...
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.
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...
Charles Brown is an accomplished estate planning and probate attorney with more than 26 years of experience in probate litigation. He has previously served as Magistrate since 1988, and Chief Magistrate and Probate Court Mediator since 2009 for Cuyahoga County , the largest and most prominent probate court in the state of Ohio. Mr. Brown has handled thousands of cases involving all aspects of probate litigation, including wealth management and estate planning. He is a lecturer and continuing ...
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.