Best Lawyers in America for Trusts and Estates
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Frank Cureton is a certified specialist in Taxation Law, as well as a shareholder in Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd's Columbia office. He represents taxable entities and tax-exempt organizations in planning acquisitions, financing structures, mergers, spin-offs and dispositions. Frank works closely with Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd's Public Finance team. His practice also includes estate planning and individual tax planning, particularly for owners of family businesses and professional practices as they ...
Meredith K. Sugar is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Trusts and Estates. Meredith K., who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Meredith K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Alban "Alby" Salaman is a partner in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C. office. He is chair of the firm's Mid-Atlantic Region Private Wealth Services group and practices in the areas of estate planning, estate administration and employee benefits. He concentrates on designing sophisticated estate plans and saving taxes for wealthy families in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area and for professional athletes nationwide, including NBA and NFL players. The group Mr. Salaman heads has be...
Kim T. Schoknecht is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Kim T., who practices law in Palo Alto, California, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kim T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
C. Richard “Rich” Mancini is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediator who focuses his practice on trust and estate litigation, contested guardianships, business disputes, banking and financial matters and mediation and arbitration. He represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in complex trust and estate disputes, breach of fiduciary duty claims and contested probate proceedings and also handles contract and real property litigation. Rich is frequently appointed by c...
Richard C. Milstein concentrates his practice on complex, not so complex, and high conflict trust, probate, estate, and guardianship litigation and administration, and family law matters. With Richard’s over four decades of experience in these areas, he ably assists clients and members of families, whether related or not, with resolution of their issues in a caring and sensitive manner. In addition to litigation and administration services, Richard provides life and estate planning advi...
Doug’s practice emphasizes taxation, estate planning and business planning. He assists individuals, families and businesses with their legal needs. Doug once again was selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2025 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for his work in Corporate Law, Litigation-Trusts & Estates, Tax Law, and Trusts & Estates. He was also named the Best Lawyers® 2024 Litigation-Trusts & Estates “Lawyer of the Year” in Honolulu. A designa...
Attorney Katherine Liebner focuses her legal practice in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, and labor and employment law. She also handles appellate matters across a wide spectrum of practices. Estate Planning Kathy works closely with her clients to navigate the many nuances of proper estate planning. She has extensive experience working with clients on all levels of estate planning, including: Preparing Wills Drafting Powers of Attorney Drafting Healthcare Proxies...
Matt Kain is a trusted advisor to families seeking advice on complex estate planning, trust and estate administration, and charitable planning matters. Matt also leads the firm’s efforts representing nonprofit organizations with respect to formation, tax compliance, and governance. As a North Carolina Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law, Matt has substantial experience helping high-net-worth families and closely-held business owners achieve their estate, tax, b...
Heidi I. Hansen is a member with the firm’s Trusts & Estates and Tax Groups whose practice focuses on complex estate planning, gift tax planning and estate administration matters. She assists individuals, businesses and estates with tax audits and in the United States Tax Court; collaborates frequently with white collar defense attorneys in defending criminal tax matters; and helps form, and advises, nonprofit organizations. Heidi began her legal career in private practice before jo...
John Barnosky is a trusts and estates lawyer advising families, individuals, banks, foundations, and other institutions. Jack handles the full range of estate planning, probate and administration, as well as taxation matters. John also represents clients in litigated trusts and estates matters, including will contests, disputes over the validity of trusts, contested accounting proceedings, and tax disputes before the Surrogate’s Courts and other courts throughout New York. A longtime le...
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.