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Best US Estate Planning Attorneys

Estate planning lawyers now work under a permanent $15 million federal exemption per person. Almost no family owes that tax anymore. The real cost is probate, and those rules vary by state. Ask the firms below how probate works where you live.

We research each listing using public records, verified reviews, and direct evaluation. Our rankings reflect reputation, reliability, and results.

  • Bar standing and public disciplinary history review
  • Documented case results and courtroom trial experience
  • Peer recognition within the legal community
  • Client reviews, communication, and responsiveness
  • Overall online reputation and verified user feedback

Rankings are determined independently based on public information and editorial research.

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    Leading Estate Planning Law Firms for Wills, Trusts & Probate

    Screenshot of the Mishiyeva Law PLLC Website
    85 Broad St 18th floor, New York, NY 10004, USA

    Kamilla Mishiyeva founded Mishiyeva Law to focus on probate, estate administration, and Surrogate's Court disputes across New York City. She represents beneficiaries, executors, administrators, and trustees.

    Will contests are a core part of the caseload. The firm builds challenges around improper execution, lack of capacity, undue influence, and fraud, and also handles breach of fiduciary duty claims, contested accountings, and turnover proceedings.

    An unusual strength is international estate work. Foreign decedents with New York assets face extra hurdles, since Surrogate's Court generally requires an administrator to be a US citizen or permanent resident. The office prepares federal, state, and capital gains returns for both domestic and foreign estates.

    Coverage spans Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, plus Nassau and Suffolk. If you need an estate planning attorney in NYC, the firm also drafts wills, trusts, and Medicaid plans.

    Screenshot of the Your Legacy Legal Care - Houston Estate Planning Attorneys Website

    Your Legacy Legal Care is an estate planning law firm in Houston, TX, working only in estate planning and closely related matters. Attorneys Kim Hegwood, Kim Creel, Kristen Blair, and Karina Ochoa handle wills, trusts, probate, and guardianship.

    The practice puts real weight on elder law. Medicaid planning, long-term care planning, and special needs trusts sit alongside asset protection and business succession work. The team has also published three books on Alzheimer's, dementia, and caregiving, offered free to families.

    Most matters are billed on a flat-fee basis, so clients know the cost upfront. The firm reviews existing documents on a regular schedule to keep them current.

    Offices in Clear Lake, the Galleria, Katy, and Bay City serve Sugar Land, Pearland, and The Woodlands.

    Screenshot of the The Singh Law Firm Website
    43480 Mission Blvd #270, Fremont, CA 94539, USA

    Since opening, The Singh Law Firm has saved clients more than $3 billion in estate taxes, which is what sets it apart among California estate planning lawyers. The team brings 38 years of combined experience and does not take on litigation work.

    Founded by Kern and Sharmila Singh, the practice covers both ends of the spectrum. Simple revocable living trusts and wills sit alongside dynasty trusts, GRATs, QPRTs, ILITs, generation-skipping trusts, and QSBS tax planning.

    Two branded packages, the Alpha Legacy Plan and the College Pack Plan, address specific family situations. The firm also handles trust administration and probate.

    Six offices reach most of the state: Fremont, Folsom, Beverly Hills, Oxnard, Newport Beach, and La Jolla. Consultations are free for most services, though not for federal estate tax matters. MetLife and other legal insurance plans are accepted.

    Screenshot of the Atlas Law, PLC Website
    598 N Mill St, Plymouth, MI 48170, USA

    Working from a single Plymouth office, Atlas Law covers Southeastern Michigan, including Northville, Novi, Canton, Farmington, Livonia, and Westland. Wills, revocable trusts, probate, and Lady Bird deeds make up the bulk of the work.

    Elder law rounds out the practice, with Medicare and Medicaid planning plus Veterans Aid and Attendance benefits. Will and trust contests are handled as well.

    The office publishes free downloads, including an estate planning guide and a plan-update checklist. Consultations cost nothing, and after-hours or home visits can be arranged.

    Screenshot of the Paton Law Firm LLC Website
    33-11 Broadway Suite 2, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410, USA

    Kimberly A. Paton has practiced law for 40 years and has run her Fair Lawn firm since 1987. She works with Bergen County and Passaic County clients on wills, trusts, and asset preservation.

    Beyond estate work, the office handles business law, commercial transactions, and residential and commercial real estate closings. Elder law services include Medicaid planning, spousal lifetime asset trusts, and guardianships.

    Paton hosts a podcast on estate planning fundamentals. The initial consultation is free, and she will travel to your home or office if getting to Fair Lawn is difficult.

    Screenshot of the Law Office of Gregory T Pearce Website
    2067 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140, USA

    Gregory T. Pearce has spent nearly two decades helping Massachusetts individuals and families with estate plans and probate administration. He runs a solo practice on Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge.

    Three areas make up the work: estate planning, elder law with Medicaid planning, and probate and trust administration. He also assists with will execution.

    The office was named a Best of Cambridge honoree in 2026. Consultations are free and can be booked online.

    Screenshot of the Shutt Law Firm PLLC Website
    522 Bishop Ave, Richardson, TX 75081, USA

    Thousands of Texans have had wills drafted by Shutt Law Firm, which operates from Richardson with more than 25 years of combined experience. Attorneys Isaac Shutt, Catherine Hensley, and Audra Apke lead the practice.

    The Wills PLUS Planning Package bundles a will with medical and durable powers of attorney, a living will, and a HIPAA release at a flat rate. Living trusts, testamentary trusts, and asset protection through LLCs and irrevocable trusts are also available.

    Probate is a second focus, covering Dallas, Collin, Tarrant, Rockwall, Denton, Grayson, and Ellis counties. Will contests and estate mediation are taken on an hourly or contingency basis. Real estate closings and business formations round things out.

    Screenshot of the Regina Kiperman, Esq., RK Law PC Website
    40 Wall St Suite 2508, New York, NY 10005, USA

    Regina Kiperman runs a boutique trusts, estates, and elder law practice from 40 Wall Street. She appears regularly before the NYC Surrogate's Court and the Supreme Court.

    Contested matters are her strength: will contests, discovery and turnover proceedings, fiduciary removal, contested accountings, and Article 81 guardianship hearings. She also handles uncontested probate, estate administration, and special needs planning.

    Coverage extends across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, and out to Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester.

    Screenshot of the Berk Law Group, PC Website
    14220 N Northsight Blvd #135, Scottsdale, AZ 85260, USA

    Berk Law Group takes only probate, trust, estate, inheritance, and fiduciary litigation. No estate drafting, no side practices. The Scottsdale firm has operated since 1996 and holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

    Kent Berk leads a small team that represents both sides of a dispute. Beneficiaries pursuing a trustee and fiduciaries defending their conduct both get the same attention.

    Financial exploitation of vulnerable adults is a notable focus. Arizona law allows treble damages and attorney fees in those cases. The firm also handles contested and uncontested guardianships and conservatorships.

    Free online tools include an Arizona intestacy calculator and a probate assessment. Consultations run $500. The team serves Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Tucson, Flagstaff, and Prescott.

    Screenshot of the Pederson Law Offices Website
    920 Hampshire Rd a1, Westlake Village, CA 91361, USA

    More than four decades of Conejo Valley practice stand behind Pederson Law Offices. The Westlake Village team serves Thousand Oaks, Oak Park, Agoura Hills, Simi Valley, and nearby communities.

    Revocable living trusts, wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and irrevocable trusts form the core. Trust administration and probate administration are handled too, with the firm managing court filings and beneficiary notices for trustees.

    Attorneys hold State Bar of California certification and Accredited Estate Planner credentials, and the firm belongs to WealthCounsel. Pricing is quoted upfront. Free webinars and a blog cover topics like A/B trusts and California small estate affidavits.

    Screenshot of the Ross Law Firm Ltd. Website
    1622 W Colonial Pkwy #201, Inverness, IL 60067, USA

    Three Ross family attorneys, Robert, Patrick, and Daniel, practice together with 70 years of combined Illinois experience. The office sits in Inverness, northwest of Chicago.

    Work centers on wills, trusts, and estate administration, with documents drafted to head off future family conflict and keep long-term costs down. The firm represents trustees and executors and aims to limit Probate Court involvement. Premarital agreements are also handled.

    Initial conferences carry no obligation. Downloadable memos and an estate planning questionnaire are available online.

    Screenshot of the Daniel T. Fleischer - Plantation, Boca Raton and Aventura Estate Planning and Probate Lawyer Website

    Daniel T. Fleischer is both a Florida attorney and a Certified Financial Planner, so he can coordinate directly with your financial advisor. He has practiced estate and probate law since 2001.

    His background includes work as an Estate Tax Officer, Probate Administrator, and Trust and Fiduciary Specialist for corporate fiduciaries. He is licensed in Florida and Illinois and holds an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

    Services cover wills, trusts, lady bird deeds, and probate for personal representatives, beneficiaries, and creditors, plus probate litigation and ancillary administration for out-of-state families with Florida property. Offices in Plantation, Boca Raton, and Aventura serve Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade.

    Screenshot of the Kitroser Lewis and Mighdoll Website
    631 U.S. Hwy 1 Ste 406, North Palm Beach, FL 33408, USA

    Six attorneys at Kitroser Lewis and Mighdoll bring over 100 years of combined experience to Palm Beach County families. The North Palm Beach office sits in the Atrium Building on US Highway 1.

    Estate and probate litigation drives much of the practice, including will contests, trust disputes, undue influence claims, and guardian removal actions. Elder financial exploitation cases get fast treatment, with litigation used to recover assets taken from seniors.

    Planning work covers wills, trusts, domicile planning, and business succession, with dedicated services for LGBT clients and unmarried couples. The firm also handles Medicaid planning, guardian advocacy, real estate, and wrongful death claims tied to estates. Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, and Jensen Beach are served as well.

    Screenshot of the Dana Law Group Website
    7254 E Southern Ave #121, Mesa, AZ 85209, USA

    Estate planning is all Dana Law Group does, backed by roughly a century of combined attorney experience. Zach Dana is a sixth-generation Arizonan and second-generation estate planning attorney.

    Client net worths range from $200,000 to over $50 million. Wills, living trusts, durable powers of attorney, health care planning, probate, and trust administration make up the service list.

    Offices in Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Goodyear, Payson, Sun City, and Prescott cover the state. Initial consultations are free, and virtual meetings with remote notary service are available.

    Screenshot of the Fisher and Wilsey, P.A. Website
    1000 16th Street North, St. Petersburg, FL, USA

    Fisher and Wilsey has served St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay area since 1962, across multiple generations of attorneys in the same family.

    The practice spans estate planning, probate administration, real estate law, and business law, and also handles civil litigation. Elder clients get help with questions around aging, assets, and independence.

    Consultations can be scheduled directly through the firm's site.

    Screenshot of the Valero Law Website
    6100 Griffin Rd, Suite 337, Davie, FL 33314, USA

    Call Valero Law and you reach attorney David Valero directly, not a switchboard. The Davie practice concentrates on probate, estate, real estate, and business litigation.

    Cases include will contests, lost or conflicting wills, improper execution claims, beneficiary disputes, trustee mismanagement, and power of attorney disputes. Valero also handles civil appeals, including matters before Florida's Third District Court of Appeal.

    Clients come from Broward and Miami-Dade, including Weston, Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, Coral Gables, and Aventura. Consultations are free.

    Screenshot of the Moses Estate Planning, PLLC Website
    401 Wilshire Blvd 12th Fl, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA

    Travor Moses earned his Master of Laws from the University of Miami School of Law with an emphasis in estate planning, then opened his own practice.

    He drafts wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, financial and healthcare powers of attorney, and advance directives. Asset protection planning and business entity formation are also offered, aimed at clients with higher liability exposure.

    Moses won the Avvo Clients' Choice Award in 2018 and 2019. He practices from Santa Monica and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and consultations are free.

    Screenshot of the Miaoulis Law - Palm Harbor Estate Planning and Probate Lawyers Website

    Maria Miaoulis prosecuted elder abuse cases for five and a half years at the Pinellas County State Attorney's Office before entering private practice. That background shapes her elder law work today.

    She has served the Pinellas region for over 30 years, leading Miaoulis Law and its predecessor, Bilirakis Law Group. The family-run firm handles wills, trusts, lady bird deeds, probate, Medicaid planning, real estate, and business matters across North Pinellas and Pasco counties.

    Screenshot of the Barr &amp; Douds Attorneys Website
    318 Diablo Rd Ste C, Danville, CA 94526

    Since 2007, Barr and Douds has completed over 400 estate plans, 200 trust administrations, and 400 litigation matters from its Danville office.

    Loren Barr has been a State Bar of California certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law since 2004 and a Northern California Super Lawyer since 2008. Graham Douds has been a Rising Star since 2017.

    The eight-attorney team litigates will contests, trust disputes, breach of fiduciary duty, contested conservatorships, and elder abuse restraining orders throughout Contra Costa County and the East Bay. Consultations are free.

    Screenshot of the Drude Tomori Law, PA Website
    2051 1st Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33713, USA

    Rachel Drude-Tomori was among the first attorneys in St. Petersburg to build trust protectors into estate plans, adding flexibility as tax laws and families change. She has practiced for over 15 years.

    She serves as trustee for Deferred Sales Trusts, an alternative to a 1031 Exchange for owners of highly appreciated property. Her firm also handles dynasty trusts, supplemental needs trusts, charitable remainder trusts, probate, and elder law.

    Super Lawyers has recognized her among the top 5% of Florida estate planning attorneys. A second office serves Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How much does an estate plan cost?

    Usually a flat fee. Most firms quote one price for a package of documents. A simple will with powers of attorney costs far less than a funded living trust. Ask what the fee covers and whether future updates are billed separately.

    Do I need a trust, or is a will enough?

    It depends on probate. A will still goes through probate court. A funded revocable living trust generally does not, which saves time and keeps the estate private. States differ sharply in how slow and costly probate is, so the answer is local.

    Will my family owe federal estate tax?

    Almost certainly not. The federal exemption is $15 million per person and $30 million per married couple. Anything above that is taxed at 40%. Some states charge their own estate or inheritance tax at much lower thresholds.

    How long does probate take?

    Months, not weeks. A straightforward estate often closes in six to twelve months. Disputes, creditor claims, or property in a second state stretch that out. Several states offer a simplified process for small estates.

    What happens if I die without a will?

    State law decides. Intestacy statutes hand your assets to a fixed list of relatives in a fixed order. The court also picks who administers the estate and who raises minor children. Your actual wishes carry no weight.

    How often should I update my plan?

    Every three to five years. Update sooner after a marriage, divorce, birth, death, or a large change in assets. Moving to a new state matters too, since execution rules and tax exposure both change. Beneficiary designations override your will, so check those separately.

    Can I use an online will service instead?

    For simple situations, sometimes. Online forms handle a modest estate with an obvious heir. They struggle with blended families, business interests, disabled beneficiaries, and property in multiple states. A rejected or ambiguous document costs your family more than the plan would have.

    Types of Estate Planning Services

    Wills. A last will directs who inherits and names a guardian for minor children. It takes effect only at death and passes through probate court. Every plan starts here.

    Revocable Living Trusts. A revocable trust holds assets during your lifetime and passes them without probate. You keep full control and can change it anytime. It only works if you actually retitle assets into it.

    Irrevocable Trusts. These move assets out of your taxable estate permanently. Firms use them for creditor protection, life insurance, and Medicaid eligibility. Common versions include ILITs, SLATs, and dynasty trusts.

    Powers of Attorney and Advance Directives. A durable power of attorney lets someone manage your finances if you cannot. A healthcare directive and surrogate designation cover medical decisions. Without them, your family may need a court guardianship.

    Probate and Estate Administration. Attorneys guide executors through inventory, creditor notice, tax filings, and distribution. Many states require a personal representative to be represented by counsel. This is the largest share of many firms' caseloads.

    Estate and Trust Litigation. Will contests, trust disputes, and breach of fiduciary duty claims land here. Grounds include undue influence, lack of capacity, and improper execution. Litigation firms often take no drafting work at all.

    Elder Law and Medicaid Planning. Long-term care can drain a lifetime of savings. Elder law attorneys structure assets to preserve eligibility for benefits. They also handle guardianship and financial exploitation cases.

    Special Needs Planning. A supplemental needs trust supports a disabled beneficiary without ending SSI or Medicaid eligibility. Timing and drafting language both matter. Get it wrong and benefits stop.

    How to Choose an Estate Planning Attorney

    Check whether they draft, litigate, or both. Some firms only write plans. Others only fight over them. A litigator brings hard-won insight into how plans fail, but a drafting practice may quote a better price.

    Ask about state certification. A handful of states certify specialists in estate planning, trust, and probate law. An LL.M. in taxation or estate planning is another real credential. Both are checkable in minutes.

    Confirm they handle your state. Execution rules, homestead protections, and probate procedure are state law. If you own property in two states, ask about ancillary administration before you hire.

    Get the fee structure in writing. Flat fees are standard for planning work. Probate and litigation usually run hourly. Find out who pays court costs and filing fees.

    Ask who does the work. In small firms the named attorney handles your file directly. In larger ones an associate may. Neither is wrong, but you should know before signing.

    Find out about ongoing review. Tax law and family circumstances both shift. Some firms review documents on a schedule at no extra charge. Others bill each amendment separately.