Trusts, Estates & Family Law
The attorneys of Stites & Harbison’s Trusts & Estate Planning Group routinely serve clients in a range of matters that include:
- Wills
- Living trusts
- Irrevocable trust agreements
- Marital deduction trusts
- Generation-skipping trusts
- Qualified personal residence trusts
- GRATs and GRUTs
- Trusts for minors
- Powers of attorney
- Advance medical directives
- Tax counsel for minimizing current income taxes, future inheritance and estate taxes, and taxes on retirement
- Handling of income tax matters at death
- Planning to avoid the generation-skipping tax
- Exercising powers of appointment
- Beneficiary and distribution decisions under qualified retirement plans and IRAs
Family Law
The Nashville, Tennessee-based Family Law practice of Stites & Harbison focuses almost exclusively on divorce, child custody, support, and family issues. Representing clients with marital estates ranging from a few hundred thousand dollars to more than a hundred million dollars, the group handles a wide variety of issues that arise before, during, and after marriages and other family relationships. The "before" includes the negotiation and drafting of prenuptial agreements. The "during" includes issues related to separation, divorce and custody. The "after" includes post-divorce disputes, appeals and other challenges to divorce or custody decrees.
Members of our group have a combined 90-plus years of family law experience. This experience includes the valuation and division of substantial business interests and intellectual properties, as well as structuring workable parenting plans in difficult situations.
Our experience has taught us that there is no such thing as a "cookie cutter" family lawsuit. Our attorneys have represented clients in divorces that cross state and national boundaries, and which involve international custody disputes and difficult jurisdictional issues. We commit to every client the same level of care, attention to detail, accessibility and sensitivity to privacy. We bring to bear in each case the resources necessary to properly resolve that case, including obtaining expert assistance for the appraisal of property and finding psychological and counseling professionals when needed.
One of the things that makes Stites & Harbison’s family law practice unique is our ability to draw upon the knowledge of other attorneys in the firm for assistance with issues involving real property, taxes, retirement plans, business disputes, immigration, and a host of other difficult questions.
Kentucky Super Lawyers Honors 37 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2022
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2022 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored 37 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 29 attorneys to the Super Lawyers list and eight attorneys to the Rising Stars list.
Stites & Harbison Promotes Five Attorneys to Member
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC announced today that five attorneys have been promoted to Members (Partners) within the law firm effective January 2022. The new Members (Partners) include:
Katherine Moore Donnelly Elected to the Lexington Art League Board
FRANKFORT, Ky.—The Lexington Art League has elected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Katherine Moore Donnelly to its Board of Directors. She will serve a three-year term.
Mid-South Super Lawyers®, Rising Stars 2021
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The 2021 edition of Mid-South Super Lawyers recently honored eight Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys. Five attorneys were named to the Super Lawyers list and three were named to the Rising Stars list.
Stites & Harbison Earns 82 Rankings in 2022 “Best Law Firms” List
U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® have released their 2022 “Best Law Firms” rankings. Stites & Harbison, PLLC’s three National Tier 1 rankings include: Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Real Estate, and Trademark Law. The firm’s overall results include 82 metropolitan rankings in six regions.
16th Annual Virtual Family Law Conference for Tennessee Practitioners
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Webinar
Nashville attorneys Brenton Lankford and Greg Smith will be speakers at this Family Law Conference for Tennessee Practitioners being held December 2-3, 2021.
Family Law Institute
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Webinar and in person at Nashville Bar Association, 150 4th Avenue N, Suite 1350, Nashville, TN 37219
Family Law attorneys Greg Smith and Brent Lankford (Nashville office) will speak at this Nashville Bar Association seminar on October 18, 2021.
Biden Announces Plans to Mandate Vaccination for All Federal Workers and Contractors, Private Employers with 100+ Employees, and Health Care Workers at Medicare/Medicaid Facilities
President Biden has announced plans to reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans by using regulatory and other powers to increase the number of Americans covered by vaccination requirements as COVID-19 cases continue to climb.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lawyers Named to 2022 Best Lawyers® Publications
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 93 lawyers are included in the 2022 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Additionally, 11 attorneys are named as “Lawyer of the Year” and 14 attorneys are recognized in “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch,” which recognizes attorneys early in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.
Chambers USA High Net Worth Honors Gregory D. Smith for 2021
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Chambers USA High Net Worth selected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Gregory D. Smith for inclusion in its 2021 guide in the category of Family/Matrimonial for USA: Tennessee. Chambers High Net Worth ranks top lawyers and law firms in the international private wealth market.
Stites & Harbison Ranks 3rd on 2021 “Best Places to Work in Kentucky” List
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC is ranked 3rd in “Best Places to Work in Kentucky” for 2021 in the medium company category. The firm has made the list 15 times.
“No Company is Safe” — White House Urges Private Sector to Act Now in Hardening Defenses Against Growing Ransomware Threats
Following the most recent slew of high-profile ransomware attacks, the White House deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, Anne Neuberger, issued an open letter to the private sector urging action to increase cyber defenses to match the nation’s increasing ransomware threat.
Chambers USA Honors 22 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2021
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Chambers USA selected 22 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in Kentucky and Tennessee for inclusion in their 2021 guide.
Stites & Harbison Opens First Ohio Office In Cincinnati Area
Kentucky-based Stites & Harbison PLLC has expanded its operations to Ohio for the first time in nearly 200 years with a new office in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, the firm announced Friday. Led by member Robin D. Miller, the Cincinnati-area office is currently operating with the help of attorneys from the nearby town of Covington, Kentucky, but the firm said it hopes to hire more Cincinnati full-timers by the end of 2021.
Stites & Harbison Expands Footprint, Opens First Ohio Office
CINCINNATI—Stites & Harbison, PLLC announced today it has opened a Cincinnati, Ohio office to better meet the increased needs of its clients in the region. The office will be led by Member (Partner), Robin D. Miller.
Gregory D. Smith Inducted as Fellow of American College of Trial Lawyers
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Gregory D. Smith was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) on March 5, 2021, at an online ceremony during the Spring Meeting of the College. Only 1% of the Total Lawyer Population in the U.S. and Canada
Are Fellows
Top Women in Business Spotlight: Marjorie Farris
The Lane Report takes a closer look at the women who are making a difference in Kentucky. Stites Chair and Louisville attorney Marjorie Farris is featured today.