Best Lawyers in Virginia, United States for Trusts and Estates
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Deborah D. Cochran has over 34 years of experience assisting individuals, families and business owners with all of their estate planning needs. Her practice includes designing custom estate plans for each client, as well as tax planning and trust and estate administration. Debby’s personable approach quickly puts her clients at ease and comfortable to discuss their family situation, helping them focus on what is most important to them. Debby then works with her clients to design the app...
Alex Heidt is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Alex, who practices law in Fairfax, Virginia, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alex is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Matt Yanovitch's practice focuses on trust and estate disputes and litigation. His practice includes representation of executors, administrators, trustees, heirs, and creditors in disputes involving wills, trusts, and inherited property. He is experienced in probate matters, guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, elective share and augmented estate proceedings, constructive trust cases, petitions for aid and direction of the court, and matters involving powers of attorney. He has testi...
Steven A. Sigsbury specializes in tax and estate planning, estate and trust administration, fiduciary responsibility, and business and real estate planning. Steven’s laid-back personality allows him to relate to clients and instill a sense of trustworthiness at the outset of any engagement. Steven analyzes and simplifies complex problems and offers clients individualized solutions. As a tax and estate planner, Steven works with clients to develop tax-efficient estate plans that accompli...
Stephanie C. Smith is a Shareholder in the law firm of Midgett Preti Olansen. Her practice areas include estate planning, estate and trust administration, and business matters. Additionally, Ms. Smith serves as a Commissioner of Accounts for Virginia Beach Circuit Court. In her role as Commissioner of Accounts, Ms. Smith supervises fiduciaries and audits accountings and other filings by administrators and executors of estates, trustees of trusts, guardians and conservators for minor children ...
Virginia C. Haizlip is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Collaborative Law: Family Law, Elder Law, Family Law, Family Law Mediation, Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. Virginia C., who practices law in Fairfax, Virginia, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Virginia C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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...
Sarah C. Aviles is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Elder Law, Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. Sarah C., who practices law in Fairfax, Virginia, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Sarah C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Theresa D. Small practices trust and estate litigation, estate planning, guardianships and conservatorships, fiduciary representations, and trust and estate administration. Theresa represents clients throughout Northern Virginia. Prior to practicing at McCandlish Lillard, Theresa spent two years clerking at the Fairfax County Circuit Court for the Honorable Stephen C. Shannon and the Honorable David Bernhard. During her clerkship experience, she not only focused on the intricacies of Virginia...
Elizabeth Gray has practiced law in Virginia since 1996, with a focus on estate planning, elder law, special needs planning, guardianships, and estate administration. A graduate of Virginia’s unique Law Reader Program—an apprenticeship alternative to traditional law school—she brings a practical, approachable perspective to her work and tailors every plan to her clients’ individual needs. A Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) through the National Elder Law Foundation, ...
Ashley E. Nimitz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Ashley E., who practices law in Virginia Beach, Virginia, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ashley E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Catherine F. Schott Murray is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Elder Law and Trusts and Estates. Catherine F., who practices law in Reston, Virginia, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Catherine F. 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...
Kimberly Skiba-Rokosky is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Trusts and Estates. Kimberly, who practices law in McLean, Virginia, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kimberly is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
John P. Dedon is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. John P., who practices law in Fairfax, Virginia, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Melinda focuses on providing holistic multi-generational income and wealth transfer tax planning advice and estate and trust services to high net worth individuals, families, and business owners. She brings a unique and diverse perspective from her work in private law practice, Big Four accounting firms, and private banking/trust services. Melinda has over thirty years of experience advising clients with regard to domestic and foreign trusts, family limited partnerships and LLCs, grantor reta...
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.