Best Lawyers in America for Trusts and Estates

Wesley E. Wright is a native Houstonian, and has been practicing law in the Houston area since 1982. He is a graduate of the University of Houston and South Texas College of Law. Mr. Wright is a Board Certified attorney in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and is a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation. His legal practice focuses exclusively in the areas of elder law, Medicaid planning, estate planning with an emphas...

Thomas D. Peebles, Jr is a shareholder and member of the Estate Planning Practice Group of Carnahan Evans PC in Springfield, Mo. Mr. Peebles has over 40 years of private practice experience in the preparation of basic and sophisticated estate planning documents, and in wealth transfer planning for high net worth clients, closely held business owners and their families. In 2004, Mr Peebles was elected a Fellow of The American College of Trust & Estate Counsel (ACTEC) in recognition of dist...

Linda Deitch's practice focuses on estate and tax planning for individual clients, the representation of fiduciaries, and the administration of estates and trusts. Her experience includes various aspects pertaining to such clients, including drafting revocable and irrevocable trusts, estate administration and probate proceedings, and diverse transfer tax techniques. Ms. Deitch also has experience in the area of charitable gift planning and exempt organizations.

W. Verne McGough, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) 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, who practices law in Cayce, South Carolina, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in wh...

Lauren Garner is an experienced litigator and mediator whose practice emphasizes probate, trusts and guardian/conservatorships. Lauren’s clients rely on that experience and her sensitivity in matters that touch families, trusts, and estates. Dedication and personal involvement are a critical part of Lauren’s practice. She feels a deep sense of accomplishment in her 1998 move to Phoenix, after nearly a lifetime of business and personal contacts in Miami, Florida. Here, she has deve...

Stephen L. Anderson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Real Estate Law and Trusts and Estates. Stephen L., who practices law in Memphis, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephen L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Stanley Neeleman practices law in the areas of federal taxation, estate planning and business planning. Mr. Neeleman received the Federal Bar Association award for significant contributions to the development and practice of federal law and was selected by the Utah State Bar Tax Section as Tax Practitioner of the Year. He has served as Professor-in-Residence and Acting Assistant to the Commissioner at the National Office of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). He has authored books and article...

Caroline Demirs Calio is a Principal in Cummings & Lockwood's Private Clients Group and is based in the West Hartford office. She practices in the areas of estate and gift tax planning, asset protection, estate settlement and trust administration. In addition, Caroline advises closely-held business owners on succession planning issues and various general corporate matters. She also has experience serving as an Executor and Trustee. Prior to joining Cummings & Lockwood, Caroline worked...

Jeffrey Luszeck is a partner at the firm, where he focuses his practice on trust and estate litigation, business and commercial litigation, power of attorney litigation, fiduciary litigation, estate and trust administration, and guardianship matters. Jeff has represented a broad spectrum of clients—including agents, beneficiaries, creditors, executors, fiduciaries, heirs, principals, trustees —in complex disputes involving breach of fiduciary duty, breach of trust, decanting, undu...

Lindsay M. Cummings 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. Lindsay M., who practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Lindsay M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

David M. Halpen is Principal-in-Charge of the Palm Beach office of Cummings & Lockwood. David has over twenty years of broad-based legal experience in trusts and estates planning, estate settlement, trust administration, business succession planning, and U.S. and international tax planning for a variety of high net worth clients. Prior to joining Cummings & Lockwood, he was a shareholder with Dunwody, White & Landon in their Naples and Palm Beach offices.

David W. Carter is an experienced estate planning attorney who advises individuals, families, and business owners on comprehensive wealth and legacy planning strategies. He focuses on creating customized estate plans that align with each client’s financial goals, family dynamics, and long-term objectives, while ensuring they clearly understand every step of the process and feel confident in their decisions. Estate planning and wealth transfer strategies Probate and trust administration ...

Lawrence Cohen is a partner in Nixon Peabody LLP’s Private Clients practice group. He provides wealth management and trustee services and estate planning and administration services to high-net-worth individuals, private foundations and organizations. What do you focus on? I focus my practice on wealth management and trust administration, estate planning and estate administration, charitable planning and business succession planning. My clients are high-net-worth individuals seeking a b...

Charles Harris helps high-net-worth individuals and owners of closely held businesses on matters related to tax and estate planning. Charles is recognized as a leading lawyer on tax and estate planning by the Chambers High Net Worth guide, which cited his "expertise in handling planning for US citizens with foreign interests, including US citizens who live elsewhere, or who are marrying a non-US citizen. As a certified public accountant as well as a private practicing attorney, Charles helps ...

Elizabeth Luckenbach is a member in the firm’s Troy office, where she specializes in probate and fiduciary litigation, trust and estate administration, estate planning, and special needs planning. With more than 20 years of experience representing fiduciaries and individuals in all aspects of litigation, administration, and planning, Liz works tirelessly to advocate for her clients, treating each of them with the individual attention they deserve. Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® as an ...

Kimberly Rothman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Kimberly, who practices law in Ithaca, New York, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kimberly is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.