Best Lawyers in America for Trusts and Estates
State
Brandon Borgmann joined Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP in September of 2008 and practices in the areas of estate planning, business succession planning, probate, special needs law and tax. Brandon represents individuals, business owners and families concerning estate planning, tax planning and business succession planning. He also represents executors and trustees with respect to administration of estates and trusts, probate litigation and taxation.
Tiffany McKenzie is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Trusts and Estates. Tiffany practices law in Atlanta, Georgia Best Lawyers has recognized Tiffany McKenzie since 2026. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Tiffany McKenzie is held by other lawyers.
Margaret A. Deluca is a Principal in Cummings & Lockwood's Private Clients Group and is based in the Stamford office. She joined the Firm in 1996 and concentrates in the areas of estate planning, business succession planning, estate and trust administration and probate litigation. She is on the Firm's Board of Directors and is the Administrative Co-Chair of the Stamford Private Clients Group.
Carol Vaughn is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Elder Law, Family Law, Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. Carol practices law in Seattle, Washington Best Lawyers has recognized Carol Vaughn since 2018. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Carol Vaughn is held by other lawyers.
Katie Duffy's practice is focused on estate planning, trust and estate administration, charitable planning, tax planning for high net-worth individuals, business succession, and transactional and business matters that arise in connection with the acquisition, ownership, and operation of closely held businesses. As a member of the North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia bars, Katie advises clients in all three states with respect to their personal, financial, tax, business and estate plann...
Tom has over 30 years of experience in helping clients efficiently and effectively define their estate planning goals and to arrange their affairs accordingly. His expertise includes facilitating the direction of a client-centered and directed strategy and then drafting clear and understandable legal documents to implement it, thereby protecting client wealth, closely-held businesses, and families from taxes, post-mortem chaos and expense, and unnecessary complexity. He has expertise and expe...
Bryan K. Hogue is the Managing Partner of Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP. He has been a lawyer for 35 years and concentrates his practice in the representation of business owners and closely held businesses concerning their general business matters, estate, tax and business succession planning. He currently co-chairs the Business Department at CPM, which provides a wide range of services for corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships and other business organizations. He previou...
William (Bill) J. Butler focuses his practice on estate planning and probate administration matters. Bill counsels family groups and individuals on all aspects of wealth transfer planning, with an emphasis on formulating estate plans that maximize and protect wealth while minimizing transfer taxes. Bill is the global head of McDermott’s Private Client Group and is a member of the Firm’s Management Committee. Bill represents many large, multigenerational family groups, and also adv...
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...
John F. Leone has practiced almost 30 years in the areas of wills, estate planning, estate and trust administration, qualified retirement plans and residential and commercial real estate. He received both his J.D. and B.S. degrees from the State University of New York at Buffalo.In connection with his wills and estates practice, John has successfully defended proponents of wills subject to will contests, contested wills on behalf of beneficiaries, and has filed claims relating to breaches of ...
Jennifer Williams Davis is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. Jennifer Williams practices law in Charleston, South Carolina Best Lawyers has recognized Jennifer Williams Davis since 2012. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Jennifer Williams Davis is held by other lawyers.
Keith A. Herman is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law and Trusts and Estates. Keith A. practices law in St. Louis, Missouri Best Lawyers has recognized Keith A. Herman since 2018. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Keith A. Herman is held by other lawyers.
Lori Ashmore Peters is Managing Attorney and Head of Estate Planning and Probate at The Ashmore Law Firm, P.C. in Dallas, Texas. She is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for Trusts and Estates for three consecutive years, 2025 through 2027, a distinction based on an exhaustive peer-review survey reflecting the esteem in which she is held by other leading lawyers in her practice area and region. Licensed to practice in Texas since 1996, Lori assists individuals, fiduciaries, families, ...
Mr. Osborne is the managing partner of Osborne, Helman, Scott, Knisely & Stanton, LLP. Mr. Osborne practices primarily in the area of trust and estate planning, with an emphasis on taxation, asset protection, and international transactions. Mr. Osborne is an author and frequent lecturer on numerous wealth transfer topics. He has made presentations and published articles nationally and internationally on the subjects of asset protection, foreign tax compliance, international inheritance ri...
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.
