Altoona Estate Planning Lawyers

Attorney Melora G. Vandersluis has been a resident of Central Florida since 2012. She graduated cum laude from Barry University School of Law where she earned the distinction of “Outstanding Senior Editor” on Law Review and competed nationally while on the Moot Court Honors Board. She was awarded the highest grade in Torts I, Torts II, and Mediation. She completed an externship in federal court with The Honorable John Antoon II. She is a Florida Supreme Court certified county mediator. Prior to attending law school, she served in Higher Education for 15 years as an English professor, department chair, and associate...

I have been a practicing attorney for more than 20 years. I started my own law firm in 2012. My practice areas include real estate, estate planning (wills & trusts, durable power of attorney, designation of heath care surrogate and living will), probate, business law, corporate and LLC formations and elder law – Medicaid planning. Prior to starting my own practice, I gained valuable knowledge working as associate general counsel for a prominent commercial real estate developer. Throughout my career I have been involved in hundreds of commercial and residential property closings. I also gained significant experience...

Stephanie Vollrath attended Barry University School of Law, graduating as valedictorian, acting as senior editor of Barry Law Review, and booking seven classes. After graduating, Stephanie had the honor of being hired as a judicial clerk for the Fifth District Court of Appeal in Daytona Beach, Florida. While there, she researched and drafted legal memoranda on many areas of Florida Law. Stephanie was also an adjunct professor at Barry University School of Law. Following her time at the Fifth District Court of Appeal, she opened Vollrath Law, PA in 2013, where she focuses her practice on Estate Planning...

Trusted business and tax advisor to entrepreneurs, closely held family businesses, and startups. Florida Bar Board Certified Tax Attorney serving clients across various industries including finance, hospitality, technology, real estate, healthcare, manufacturing, and entertainment. As both a business-tax attorney and CPA, many clients hone this as the best of both worlds. Having over a decade of experience representing taxpayers against the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, the Internal Revenue Service, and state and local taxing authorities, I devote a a significant part of my practice to helping taxpayers both domestically and internationally navigate all aspects of federal and...

Vanette Augustin is a savvy Bilingual (Haitian Creole) attorney who has been successfully practicing since 2009 in the areas of Family Law, Immigration Law, and Estate Planning. Over the last 15 years, she has handled hundreds of cases and have assisted countless families navigate the legal system. She is a mother of two daughters who are the joys of her life. She lives by the belief that every day is a new opportunity to refine her skills. There is never a moment when you get to the point of saying I have arrived because as soon as...

Robin Petersen is the Founder and Managing Partner of the Estate Planning & Elder Law Center of Brevard, which has been serving Brevard County since 1991. The practice focuses exclusively in the areas of Estate Planning and Elder Law, Wills and Trusts, Probate and Trust Administration (representing the executor or trustee, as well as serving as the executor or trustee of the estate), Guardianship, planning for long term care costs through asset protection, the use of VA Aid & Attendance, and Medicaid benefit options. Because he has dedicated over 25 years of practice to these types of law, Robin understands...

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to the idea of creating lasting legacies. There’s something profoundly meaningful in knowing that what you’ve built—your business, your portfolio, your family’s security—can endure and flourish for generations to come. Growing up, I saw firsthand the anxiety and uncertainty that can accompany the transfer of wealth. My family faced difficult decisions when it came to ensuring that what they’d worked so hard to achieve would be protected, preserved, and passed on to those they loved most. Through those experiences, I realized that skilled guidance, delivered with genuine care, makes all...

Cassidy V. Petersen initially joined the firm in 2011 and has held various positions over the years – beginning as a receptionist, next as an estate planning paralegal, then as our firm administrator, and now as an attorney. Ms. Petersen focuses her practice in estate planning, business succession planning, probate, trust administration, Medicaid planning, VA planning, guardianship, and special needs planning.

Ms. Petersen, a Melbourne native, graduated from Melbourne High School in 2011. She earned her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Business Management, graduating cum laude, from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2014. Ms. Petersen received her Juris Doctor (J.D.), cum...

Jason E. Havens is a Partner at Holland & Knight LLP, practicing in its Jacksonville (also serving Ponte Vedra Beach) and Tallahassee (also serving Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, and Rosemary Beach) locations. He specializes in complex estate and charitable gift planning (domestic and international), probate/trust administration, and probate/trust litigation for affluent individuals and families and on behalf of charitable organizations. He is admitted to practice law in Florida and Tennessee. Mr. Havens received his LL.M. in International Taxation from Regent University, his LL.M. in Estate Planning from the University of Miami, his J.D. from the University of...