Top 10 Estate Planning Lawyers in Jacksonville, NC

Finding the right estate planning lawyer can be difficult, especially when you are unsure who to trust or which attorney handles your specific needs.

To make your search easier, we have compiled a complete list of 10 estate planning lawyers in Jacksonville, NC, along with their law firms and key services.

Whether you need help with wills, trusts, probate, estate administration, or guardianship, this guide gives you a simple way to compare your options.

How We Selected These Estate Planning Lawyers

We used publicly available information to identify attorneys with experience in estate planning and related legal areas. We also considered their connection to Jacksonville and the surrounding Eastern North Carolina area.

Our selection focused on several practical factors:

• Estate planning experience: Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and related planning.
• Related legal services: Probate, estate administration, guardianship, taxation, and real estate.
• Local connection: Attorneys who practice in Jacksonville or serve clients in the surrounding area.
• Relevant background: Professional experience and publicly listed practice areas.

This is not a paid ranking or an official rating of these lawyers. Your best choice will depend on your estate, family circumstances, legal needs, and the type of guidance you require.

List of 10 Best Estate Planning Attorneys in Jacksonville, NC

Here is a quick list of 10 estate planning attorneys and their law firms, based on publicly available information.

1. C.W. Lachey — C.W. Lachey Law
2. Kevin McConnell — Tisdale, McConnell & Bardill, LLP
3. George Collins — Collins Law Office
4. John Simpson — Simpson Law Office
5. Jessica L. Tarsi — Lanier, Fountain, Ceruzzi & Sabbah
6. Robert McConnell — Tisdale, McConnell & Bardill, LLP
7. Raymond Dunn Jr. — Dunn Pittman Attorneys at Law
8. Brian Gatchel — White & Allen
9. Katherine A. Forrest — Forrest Family Law
10. Scott Hart — Sumrell Sugg, P.A.

Details about each attorney and their key estate planning services are explained in the sections below.

1. C.W. Lachey — C.W. Lachey Law

C.W. Lachey is one of the leading estate planning attorneys in Jacksonville, NC, providing legal guidance for individuals and families dealing with estate planning and related matters.

His practice covers important areas such as wills, trusts, probate, guardianship, and estate administration.

His experience allows clients to address different parts of their estate plan with focused legal support, including:

• Estate and trust drafting
• Probate administration
• Trust administration
• Adult guardianship
• Powers of attorney
• Wills and estate documents

For clients looking for an attorney who can assist with both planning and related estate matters, C.W. Lachey offers experience across several areas of estate law.

He is also recognized as one of the well-known estate planning lawyers in North Carolina.

2. Kevin McConnell — Tisdale, McConnell & Bardill, LLP

Kevin McConnell is a Jacksonville attorney with a broad legal background covering estate planning, probate, trusts, wills, taxation, elder law, real estate, and business law.

His advanced education includes an LL.M. in Taxation, with a focus on estate and business planning, giving him a strong foundation for handling estate matters that involve tax and financial considerations.

Key Areas of Experience

Clients can consider Kevin McConnell for:

• Estate planning and probate
• Wills and trusts
• Estate and business planning
• Tax-related estate matters
• Real estate and business interests

His combination of estate planning and taxation experience can be especially valuable when an estate includes real estate, business assets, trusts, or other more complex financial interests.

His broad practice also allows estate planning decisions to be considered alongside related legal and financial matters.

3. George Collins — Collins Law Office

George Collins is a Jacksonville attorney whose legal background includes estate planning, wills, and related personal legal matters.

His local practice makes him a relevant option for individuals and families looking to organize their affairs and prepare important estate documents.

His Estate Planning Services

His work may include several areas that are important to a complete estate plan:

• Estate planning services
• Wills and estate documents
• Trust planning
• Powers of attorney
• Probate and estate administration

For anyone considering Collins Law Office, understanding the attorney’s current estate planning services and experience with your specific circumstances is an important step.

A consultation can help clarify which documents and legal strategies may be appropriate for your estate.

4. John Simpson — Simpson Law Office

John Simpson has a Jacksonville-area legal practice that may be relevant to individuals seeking assistance with estate planning, wills, trusts, and related personal or business legal matters.

His broad legal background can be useful when estate planning overlaps with other areas of a client’s legal affairs.

His Areas of Practice

His services may include:

• Estate planning
• Wills and trusts
• Personal legal matters
• Business-related legal matters
• Estate documents and planning

When considering Simpson Law Office, it is helpful to understand whether your needs require a single estate document or a complete estate plan.

A comprehensive plan may bring several documents together to address your assets, financial decisions, and wishes for the future.

5. Jessica L. Tarsi — Lanier, Fountain, Ceruzzi & Sabbah

Jessica L. Tarsi is associated with Lanier, Fountain, Ceruzzi & Sabbah in Jacksonville and brings a legal background relevant to estate-related matters.

The firm emphasizes personalized legal guidance and serves individuals and families throughout the Jacksonville area.

Her Areas of Legal Service

Her work can be relevant to several areas connected with estate planning and family asset matters:

• Estate planning
• Guardianship
• Real estate law
• Probate-related matters
• Personal and family legal needs

Her combination of estate-related, guardianship, and real estate experience can be useful when several legal issues overlap.

Before hiring an attorney, confirm her current practice areas and discuss the specific planning or estate matter you need handled.

6. Robert McConnell — Tisdale, McConnell & Bardill, LLP

Robert McConnell is associated with Tisdale, McConnell & Bardill, LLP in Jacksonville, a firm serving clients throughout Eastern North Carolina.

The firm’s practice includes estate planning, probate, real estate, and business law, giving clients access to legal support across several areas that can affect an estate.

His Estate Planning Services

The firm assists clients with essential estate documents and the legal steps involved in settling an estate:

• Wills and trusts
• Powers of attorney
• Living wills
• Estate administration
• Probate matters

This broad range of services can be particularly useful when estate planning involves property, business interests, or later probate and administration.

Clients can discuss their goals with the firm to determine which documents and services are appropriate for their circumstances.

7. Raymond Dunn Jr. — Dunn Pittman Attorneys at Law

Raymond Dunn Jr. is associated with Dunn Pittman Attorneys at Law, which provides estate planning and probate services for individuals and families.

The firm’s approach looks beyond basic asset distribution and considers factors such as taxes, retirement assets, disability, financial goals, and family circumstances.

His Estate Planning Approach

The firm’s estate planning work can address several important aspects of long-term planning:

• Estate planning
• Wills and probate
• Elder law
• Estate administration
• Tax and financial considerations

This broader approach can help families build an estate plan around their assets, financial objectives, and future needs, rather than focusing only on what happens to property after death.

8. Brian Gatchel — White & Allen

Brian J. Gatchel has a legal practice that includes estate planning and administration, real estate, corporate law, and business matters.

His work with wills and estate planning can be particularly relevant when an estate also includes property, commercial interests, or business ownership.

His Areas of Expertise

His professional background covers several areas that can intersect with estate planning:

• Estate planning
• Wills and estate administration
• Real estate law
• Corporate and business law
• Commercial and residential property matters

This combination can be useful for estate plans involving real estate or business assets, where different areas of law may need to be considered together.

Location note: White & Allen lists Gatchel’s offices in New Bern, Greenville, Kinston, and Snow Hill rather than Jacksonville. Jacksonville residents should confirm current availability and service arrangements before scheduling a consultation.

9. Katherine A. Forrest — Forrest Family Law

Katherine A. Forrest provides wills and estate services through Forrest Family Law. The firm’s estate planning services focus on helping individuals establish essential legal documents and make clear arrangements for their families and assets.

Her Estate Planning Services

The firm’s planning services include important documents such as:

• Wills
• Durable powers of attorney
• Health care powers of attorney
• Estate planning
• Probate-related matters

This family-focused approach can be helpful for people who want their estate documents to reflect their family circumstances and long-term wishes.

Location note: Forrest Family Law lists offices in Greenville and New Bern rather than Jacksonville. Jacksonville residents should verify whether consultations or representation are currently available for their location.

10. Scott Hart — Sumrell Sugg, P.A.

Scott C. Hart is the managing partner of Sumrell Sugg, P.A. and has extensive legal experience serving clients in Eastern North Carolina.

His firm’s practice includes estate and trust matters, making him relevant to individuals dealing with both estate planning and estate-related legal disputes.

His Estate and Trust Experience

Sumrell Sugg’s estate-related services cover areas such as:

• Estate planning
• Trusts and wills
• Probate administration
• Inheritance and tax matters
• Estate and trust disputes

The firm’s broader experience can be valuable when estate planning involves trusts, inheritance issues, taxation, or probate administration.

Since the firm is based in New Bern, Jacksonville residents should confirm current service availability and whether the firm’s attorneys handle their specific estate planning needs.

Comparison of These Estate Planning Lawyers

Each attorney brings a different combination of estate planning and related legal experience. The table below provides a quick comparison of their firms and primary areas of service.

Estate Planning Services in Jacksonville, NC

Estate planning can involve several documents and legal decisions. Depending on your circumstances, an attorney may help with:

• Wills: State how your assets should be distributed and may name guardians for minor children.
• Trusts: Can provide greater control over how and when certain assets are managed or distributed.
• Power of attorney: Allows another person to handle financial or legal matters if you cannot do so.
• Health care planning: Helps establish who can make medical decisions when you are unable to do so.
• Probate: Provides legal assistance with settling an estate after someone dies.
• Estate administration: Includes handling assets, debts, taxes, and distributions to beneficiaries.

A good estate plan should reflect your family situation, assets, business interests, and long-term goals rather than simply using a standard set of documents.

How to Choose the Right Estate Planning Attorney in Jacksonville

Start by deciding what type of estate planning help you need. This may include a will, trust, power of attorney, probate, or more complex tax and business planning.

When comparing attorneys, look at these simple factors:

• Experience: Do they handle cases like yours?
• Services: Do they offer the planning services you need?
• Fees: Are the costs clear upfront?
• Communication: Do they explain things in simple terms?
• Location: Can they conveniently serve you in Jacksonville?

Choose an attorney who understands your goals, answers your questions clearly, and makes the estate planning process easy to understand.

Cost of Hiring an Estate Planning Attorney in Jacksonville

The cost of hiring an estate planning attorney in Jacksonville varies based on the complexity of your estate and the services you need. Basic estate planning commonly ranges from about $500 to $5000, while more complex plans involving trusts, business assets, or tax planning can cost more.

Attorneys may charge a flat fee or hourly rate. Probate and estate administration are usually priced separately from preparing an initial estate plan.

Before hiring an attorney, ask for a clear fee estimate and confirm what is included, such as document preparation, revisions, consultations, and future updates.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right estate planning lawyer in Jacksonville, NC, starts with understanding your legal and family needs. 

Whether you need a will, trust, power of attorney, or probate help, the right attorney can guide you through the process.

The lawyers on this list have different areas of experience, so compare their services and background before making a decision.

Also, confirm their current location, availability, fees, and practice areas. Speaking with a few attorneys can help you choose the right fit.