Growing up with divorced working-class parents who were often struggling to make ends meet, I learned to value a solid plan for the future and the ability to solve problems as they arose.
As I was faced with the dilemma of paying for college and professional education on my own, I learned the intricacies of budgeting and debt management. During law school, I discovered an intersection of my interests in planning and problem solving with budgeting and financial issues. Estate planning, business planning and financial management seemed like a natural fit for my interests and aptitudes.
To see a more detailed list of my skills and experience, click on the link below:
The traditional practice of law often devalues some of the very traits I hold dearest. While many lawyers and law firms are driven by the billable hour, I choose to focus on providing value to my clients rather than selling the commodity of my time.
This shifted focus has allowed me to serve my clients by addressing the anxiety associated with a lack of proper planning while also allowing me the time and freedom to be present with my family.
Much of the first decade of my practice involved litigation. This litigation, whether it was the family members of a recently deceased person fighting over an improperly drafted plan or a business arrangement between two otherwise friendly parties gone bad, has informed the way I plan for my clients.
Having personally witnessed the pitfalls of a failure to plan or poor planning, my focus now is to address the possible contingencies that can, and often will, arise in both personal and business matters.
I spent several years as an assistant professor at the university level and have been teaching other professionals the technicalities of estate and business planning for over a decade.
I truly enjoy teaching. I have also learned that I can’t fully teach someone until I understand their motivations. I continue to experience that joy of teaching by educating my clients beyond merely delivering my services. I strive to understand my clients’ goals and needs, and then meet them while explaining why the solutions I propose are the solutions they need to meet their goals.
I am never truly satisfied with planning for my clients until they understand both what we have done for them and why we have done it.
My path to business and estate planning began before I ever finished law school.
My commitment to understanding my clients’ needs and educating them on the possible solutions has resulted in being awarded both an AV Peer Review Rating* and the Client Distinction Award from Martindale-Hubbell.
I continue to strive toward complete satisfaction for my clients as I remove the stress of uncertainty from their business and personal financial matters.
I help individuals and businesses handle a wide range of tax and estate planning matters, from the simple to the complex.
To schedule an initial consultation, call my office at 850-696-1196 or contact me online. From my office in Pensacola, I serve clients throughout Florida.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
