Best Lawyers in America for Trusts and Estates
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Ken Coe strives to take a sophisticated yet practical approach to the practice of law and the counsel and advice given to clients and their families. Ken advises business clients who represent a broad spectrum of industries and a wide range of business functions. Ken’s clients benefit from his ongoing working familiarity with various income, gift and estate tax matters, contracts of all kinds, shareholder, partnership agreements, limited liability company arrangements, real estate activ...
Kenneth D. Meskin has more than 40 years of experience in sophisticated trust and estate planning, the administration of trusts and estates, probate litigation, and closely-held business planning. Ken is adept at using sophisticated and creative tax and estate planning techniques to ensure that assets pass to the intended beneficiaries at as little cost as possible to the client. To minimize state and federal tax burdens and transfer wealth, Ken has structured gift-giving programs, insurance ...
Matt is partner concentrating his practice in the area of elder law, estate administration, and Medicaid planning. In his Medicaid planning practice, Matt works with families to preserve their assets, while obtaining access to necessary long term care services. Matt has been a Legal Services Provider for the Saratoga County Office for the Aging for over a decade and previously served as the Saratoga County Examiner of Guardianship Accounts. Matt is a frequent lecturer on elder law issues for ...
Kevin M. Meuse is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Kevin M., who practices law in Boston, Massachusetts, has been recognized since 2015. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kevin M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
A Director in Houston Harbaugh's Estates and Trusts Group , Heidi Rai Stewart assists individuals in the creation of estate plans, probate, and estate and trust administration. Her work in these areas extends to Special Needs planning and Long Term Care planning, including Elder Law . As a natural outcome of her practice, she has gained significant experience in Orphans’ Court matters such as Will contests, guardianships, and actions relating to undue influence, and breaches of fiduciar...
Brad Van Hoy brings more than 20 years of experience in advising high-net worth individuals, closely-held business owners, executives, and family offices with their estate, tax, business, and philanthropic planning needs. Brad builds long-term relationships with his clients, guiding them through their unique opportunities and challenges, and helping them to realize, protect, and leave a legacy with what they have worked so hard to build. Whether crafting an estate or tax plan, advising on est...
Paul is of counsel in the private client and tax team at Withers Bergman LLP. He has over 35 years’ experience focused on global planning matters. Paul is widely recognized for his practice in cross-border and entertainment tax planning. His clients have ranged broadly from high-net-worth individuals; foreign investors in U.S. real estate and other U.S.-situated assets; Americans with offshore investments, acquisitions and business activities; and actors, musicians, writers, producers, ...
Karen Martino Valle is Of Counsel to our firm and focuses her practice on the organization and operation of business and not-for-profit corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies, as well as estate planning and administration, contested estate and trust matters and business succession planning. She advises clients on a wide range of business matters, including transactional matters, mergers and acquisitions, tax planning and commercial leasing and financing, with a specific fo...
Loraine DiSalvo has been practicing law in Georgia since 1997. Loraine joined MendenFreiman, LLP in July 2026 after spending 21 years as a partner with Morgan & DiSalvo, P.C. Loraine has spent her entire legal career helping individuals and families plan and prepare for the many changes that life brings. Loraine’s areas of concentration include Estate Planning , Probate, Estate Administration, Trust Administration, Tax Planning , Business Succession Planning , Estate and Trust Dispu...
John J. Grundhauser is a shareholder of Dunwody White & Landon, P.A. Mr. Grundhauser graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law where he was a member of the Order of the Coif, and also served on the University of Miami Law Review as an Associate Editor for two years. John received his undergraduate degree from Lindenwood University with a double major in mathematics and communication arts. John is a member of the American Bar Association: Real Property, Probate and Tru...
Deborah L. Hildebran-Bachofen has been practicing with Manning Fulton since 1988. Debbie has a broad range of experience with closely-held corporations, including corporate mergers, acquisition and structuring issues, planning and tax accounting issues, private debt placement, and tax planning. Debbie becomes an important part of the company’s outside management team, advising business owners on day-to-day operations, drafting and negotiating contracts, and advising on financial matters...
Mr. O ‘Neal is a shareholder in the firm. Mr. O’Neal has been with the firm since 2008. He is a certified specialist in the fields of both Taxation Law, and Estate Planning and Probate by The Supreme Court of South Carolina. He is listed in the book The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law and Trusts and Estates Law. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the Furman University, his Juris Doctor Degree from the University o...
Curtis J. Bankers is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. Curtis J., who practices law in Denver, Colorado, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Curtis J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Steven A. Loeb is a member with the firm’s Corporate & Securities, Tax, and Trusts & Estates Groups. Bringing more than 15 years of experience and a keen understanding of the ever-evolving tax environment, he is a seasoned advisor in the areas of estate planning, estate administration, estate litigation, charitable planning, marital planning, and nonprofit formation and counseling. In addition, Steven is adept at addressing the needs of his individual and corporate clients on ma...
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.