Best Lawyers in America for Trusts and Estates
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An attorney with Jones Walker for more than 40 years, David Edwards is a partner in the Tax Practice Group who focuses on estate planning and administration. David advises individual clients on wealth transfer at minimum tax cost, in addition to providing traditional estate planning counsel in areas of wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. He also advises clients on marriage contracts and other aspects of property obligations stemming from marriage. David’s practice includes the admini...
Meredeth A. Beers is a partner in the Private Wealth Services Section. Ms. Beers concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning and administration, trust and foundation administration, and taxation. Ms. Beers is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education programs in the greater Boston area. She contributed to the 1996 Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education publication, A Practical Guide to Estate Planning in Massachusetts and to the updated publication in 2000. The material...
Luke T. Tashjian is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law, Litigation and Controversy - Tax, Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. Luke Tashjian is an estate planning , tax , and corporate attorney. He advises his clients on estate planning, tax structuring, and transactional matters. He also represents individuals and businesses ranging from local brick and mortar businesses to multinational corporations in tax controversy matters at the state and feder...
Nick Taylor was raised on an Iowa century farm and is licensed to practice in both Nebraska and Iowa. He is married with three adult children and one grandson. His entire career since law school has been with the Fitzgerald, Schorr law firm with a practice solely devoted to estate planning and estate administration. Estate planning includes an emphasis on charitable planning and on succession planning for family businesses and other closely-held businesses. Nick received a Bachelor of Science...
John M. Carnahan III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. John M., who practices law in Springfield, Missouri, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
John M. Huff is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. John M., who practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Norman J. Benford counsels high-net-worth individuals and families in connection with estate planning and other complex tax issues, as well as business succession and other non-tax family matters. Norm also counsels individuals and institutions serving as fiduciaries of estates, trusts and guardianships in connection with administrative matters and disputes with the Internal Revenue Service.
G. Christopher Wright is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. G. Christopher, who practices law in Alexandria, Virginia, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which G. Christopher is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Aen Walker Webster dedicates her practice to estate planning and administration. She counsels clients on estate planning matters including charitable planning and business succession planning and advises fiduciaries on the administration of estates and trusts. Aen works frequently with individuals and families to maintain family assets and family harmony across generations. Aen draws on a multi-disciplinary background and her years of counseling clients to identify and bring solutions for com...
David A. Handler is a partner in the Trusts and Estates Practice Group of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He concentrates his practice on trust and estate planning and administration, representing owners of closely-held businesses, family offices, principals of private equity and venture capital funds, individuals and families of significant wealth, and establishing and administering private foundations and other charitable organizations. David is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estat...
RONALD B. NOREN is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm’s Trusts & Estates Group. Ron practices in the area of trusts and estates, including estate planning, transmission of wealth, estate settlement, and trust administration. He represents individual clients and family groups, often on a multi-generational basis, to preserve and transmit earned and inherited wealth, incorporating personal and family goals with efficient tax planning. Ron often works with clients ...
Herbert E. Tucker, IV, was born in Lake Forest, Illinois. He graduated from the University of Colorado (B.S. 1979) and Mississippi College (J.D. 1985). He is admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. District Court, District of Colorado; U.S. Court of Appeals,Tenth Circuit; and Colorado State Courts. Mr. Tucker served as a Law Clerk to Judge Field C. Benton, Denver Probate Court (1985-1986). Mr. Tucker is a Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). He is a member of t...
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.