Best Lawyers in America for Trusts and Estates
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Joseph G. Socha is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Joseph G., who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joseph G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Oliver F. Ames, Jr. is a partner whose practice is concentrated in the areas of trusts & estates and exempt organizations. Olly's practice focuses on estate planning, estate and trust administration, charitable giving and private foundation matters. In addition to having extensive experience with probate law and gift and estate tax issues, Olly frequently handles real estate and corporate matters as they relate to clients' estate planning needs. Prior to joining Casner & Edwards, LLP,...
Paul J. Abraham is the founder and CEO of PJI Law. After growing up in Northern Virginia, Mr. Abraham earned two academic majors at Cornell University and came back to Northern Virginia to obtain a Juris Doctor degree at the George Mason University School of Law. Mr. Abraham has represented clients in trusts & estates, litigation, and business law for over 15 years. Additionally, Mr. Abraham has been an active participant in several legal pro bono programs, including the Family Legal Assi...
Andrew provides sophisticated estate, gift, generation skipping, and other tax-optimized wealth transfer strategies, business succession planning, trust administration, as well as customized “family office” solutions to high-net worth individuals, families, and private businesses across the Pacific Northwest. He serves as outside general counsel to many private businesses, guiding legal strategy for significant and complex matters associated with the business and legal affairs of ...
Timothy J. Ritchey is a partner at Peck Ritchey, LLC who concentrates his practice in estate and trust litigation , elder law , and guardianship . Tim has been appointed Special Assistant Attorney General in numerous matters to represent the State’s interests in actions relating to Illinois healthcare and disability law. In 2014, Tim wrote legislation and testified as an expert before the Illinois Senate on an amendment to the Illinois Probate Act regarding elder abuse and financial exp...
Susan P. Witkin is the founding member of The Law Offices of Susan P. Witkin PLLC in New York, New York. Her practice focuses on Trusts and Estates, including estate and tax planning, probate matters, trust and estate administration, and related litigation. Ms. Witkin advises individuals and families on estate planning strategies designed to address income, estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax considerations while reflecting each client’s personal priorities and long-term ...
Darryl Cluster is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Nonprofit / Charities Law and Trusts and Estates. Darryl, who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Darryl is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Nancy Ball practices in the areas of trusts and estates, including estate planning and estate administration, taxation, real estate and corporate law. Nancy is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Birmingham, Inc. and the Alabama Planned Giving Council, and serves as the secretary of the Probate Section of the Birmingham Bar Association. She is also a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). Nancy is the author of Navigating Estate Planning Before, During and ...
Kevin B. Rack is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. Kevin B., who practices law in Virginia Beach, Virginia, has been recognized since 2009. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kevin B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jeffrey A. Zaluda is a partner at Horwood Marcus & Berk and chairs the Trusts and Estates Group. He advises individuals, families, fiduciaries, closely held businesses and business owners with respect to estate planning, business planning, asset protection and preservation, estate and trust administration, tax planning, and estate and trust litigation. Jeff is a technically adept estate planner, comfortable with both the straightforward and the sophisticated. His clients value his ability...
Kimberly Civins has worked with wealthy individuals, families, executors and trustees for over 20 years and utilizes that expertise to assist clients with accomplishing their goals for wealth structuring and transfers. Kim concentrates her practice in: Estate planning Estate administration Trusts Tax exempt entities (including public charities and private foundations) Transfer tax (estate, gift and generation skipping transfer taxes and IRS audits) Business succession planning Federal and sta...
Curtis Elliott has practiced tax law for more than 25 years. He helps entrepreneurs and family business owners address their tax, estate planning, trusts and estates and business succession planning goals. Mr. Elliott has deep experience helping business owners develop estate planning structures for their family businesses. His clients range from closely held companies to large industrial enterprises owned and actively managed by multiple family generations. His work involves the use of share...
Gregg C. Goodwin is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. Gregg C., who practices law in Wichita, Kansas, has been recognized since 2017. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Gregg C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Gene M. Carlino is a Partner with Pannone Devereaux & O’Gara LLC. He is a highly respected attorney with more than 25 years of experience in all areas of estate and tax planning and administration, Medicaid planning, probate administration and trust litigation. His practice includes advising and advocating for clients in all matters involving federal and state taxation, including representing individuals before the Internal Revenue Service in contested assessments during the examina...
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.