Staley Estate Planning Lawyers

Bucknell University (1999); Case Western Reserve University School of Law (2002) AV Peer Review Rating (Martindale-Hubbell)

Managing Partner and the founder of The Law Group, Melissa Gott is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Campbell University School of Law. Melissa is a licensed North Carolina attorney, D.R.C. Certified Mediator, Financial (family law) Mediator, and Collaborative Attorney with Coastal Collaborative Colleagues. At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Melissa graduated with distinction with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration concentrating in finance and the legal environment of business. Melissa then matriculated to Campbell University’s School of Law. While in law school, Melissa was an editor...

Letha Sgritta McDowell is a highly accomplished attorney and shareholder at McDowell Law Group, specializing in various areas of elder law, including estate planning, special needs planning, estate and trust administration, asset protection planning, long-term care planning, personal injury settlement consulting, guardianships & conservatorships, and tax law. Her expertise ranges from assisting clients with complex estate planning for high-net-worth individuals with assets over $75 million to developing simple plans for families with limited assets. Ms. McDowell has a distinguished professional background. She served as the President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a notable position within the field....

Gilbert Carey is an attorney and certified public accountant with the McDowell Law Group. He practices in the areas of Taxation, Tax Resolution and Controversy and Estate Planning, solving tax, business, and legal challenges for individuals, privately held businesses and their owners. He has an Avvo rating of 10 (Superb) and has been recognized as a Top Lawyer of Coastal Virginia by Coastal Virginia Magazine. Mr. Carey regularly advises clients on tax matters and represents clients in tax disputes with the IRS, state tax agencies and in U.S. Tax Court. He provides income tax planning and compliance advice to individuals, trusts,...

Growing up on a small farm in Central Iowa, I learned the importance of hard work, respecting my elders, and contributing locally. I graduated from Iowa State University, and eventually attended law school at the University of Wyoming. I have practiced law for several decades, focusing in recent years on estate planning, and I enjoy it. When my grandfather passed away without a will when I was a young man, my family was devastated, as the government took 70% of his estate. That lasting impression drove me to begin helping people avoid such difficult ends, and instead provide a soft...

I'm an attorney practicing in Western North Carolina and licensed to practice in North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, and Arkansas. I primarily focus on transactional law and estate planning. I'm originally from Georgia, but went to Wake Forest for Law School. While at Wake Forest, I was involved in the Moot Court, Public Interest Law Organization, Phi Alpha Delta, and the Federalist Society. My main practice areas are estate planning, business law, trademarks, and family law. I am a guardian ad litem in several of the counties here in Western North Carolina.

Andy Strauss is a Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning & Probate Law. His North Carolina practice includes the full spectrum of complex estate planning, estate tax planning, and asset protection planning. He is a 1978 graduate of Georgetown University School of Law and a member of the North Carolina, Florida, and Pennsylvania State Bars. Andrew is married to Holly and has two daughters: Spencer and Courtney.

The son of a government official, Andy grew up in various parts of the country, including Ohio, Colorado, and Texas. He attended the College of William and Mary and graduated in 1988 with a B.A. with honors in Government. Andy then went to the University of Richmond Law School, obtaining his J.D. in 1991. While in law school, he won the moot court competition, the trial competition (twice), and the writing competition. After passing the Virginia bar exam in 1991, Andy worked in one of the largest law firms in the country in its Norfolk office, primarily defending large...

Since 1987, attorney Christina Rivenbark has been building a reputation for passion, skill and integrity in areas of the law that matter to everyday, hardworking individuals and families. Under her leadership, our dedicated legal team handles criminal defense and personal injury cases in Wilmington and the surrounding areas. Most importantly, every client and every case truly matters to us. We demonstrate this by consistently delivering personal attention and hard work to achieve our clients’ goals. When you choose Christina Rivenbark & Associates for your criminal law or personal injury matter, we will greet you warmly and treat you with respect and...

Stephanie Kimbro, Esq., MA, JD, has operated a Web-based virtual law office in North Carolina since 2006 and delivers estate planning and small-business law to clients online. She is the recipient of the 2009 ABA Keane Award for Excellence in eLawyering and has won the Wilmington Parent Magazine Family Favorite Attorney Award four years in a row for her virtual law office. She is also the co-founder of Virtual Law Office Technology, LLC (VLOTech), which was acquired by Total Attorneys in the fall of 2009. In addition to her virtual law practice, Kimbro is a consultant and technology evangelist providing assistance...

Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning & Probate Law

Whitney Young is a North Carolina native, having lived in nearly all of its major cities including Raleigh, Charlotte, and Asheville. She first moved to Elizabeth City in 2009 to begin her teaching career at River Road Middle School, shortly after graduating from Appalachian State University as a NC Teaching Fellow and Honors Student Teacher. She was passionate about working with at-risk children, which is what drew her to the Albemarle area.

After several years of teaching, Whitney met her husband, Steven Young, a native of Elizabeth City, who was active duty US Army. During their first year of...

The Adaramola Firm is a progressive law firm that provides a positive alternative to traditional, expensive, and highly adversarial law firms. We are a transactional and litigation firm offering services in the following practice areas: estates and trusts, business law, real estate law, intellectual property, and estate administration. Ile Adaramola is a friendly, down-to-earth, competent attorney dedicated to using innovative legal concepts to resolving legal issues.

Ile (E-lay) earned a Bachelors of Arts in Criminal Justice and Philosophy with high honors, from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.After receiving her degree, she worked as a real estate paralegal for Shapiro...

After relocating from NY to NC, I discovered that newcomers in my community required help with estate planning and administration. Consequently, I have broadened my practice to include Brunswick and New Hanover Counties, as there are many newcomers to the area.

David E. Anderson, PLLC is a client-focused legal practice providing legal services in the areas of Estate Planning and Estate Administration.

Andrew D. Atherton practices Elder and Special Needs Law with McGuire, Wood & Bissette, P.A., where his practice focuses on developing and implementing comprehensive personal estate plans, assisting clients in navigating the estate administration and probate process, advising clients on how to deal with the costs of long-term care, Veterans Administration Benefits, Medicare, Medicaid, guardianship and Special Needs Trusts. Mr. Atherton completed a clerkship with the Kentucky Supreme Court. He earned his undergraduate degree in Business Economics from Western Kentucky University and law degree from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University. He...

Family and relationships are so important to me and I know they are for you as well. It’s one of the reasons that, after practicing many types of law, I’ve settled into the areas of law that we all will eventually face: including end-of-life planning and estate administration. I know these are often difficult topics with challenging decisions for individuals and families, especially for adult children of elderly parents, the terminally ill or those who are in domestic partnerships not legally recognized as marriage under North Carolina law. My job is to provide you with clarity on the law and...

Agatha “Aggie” Guy is a native of Haywood County, North Carolina. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she graduated with a degree in Journalism. Aggie later earned a juris doctorate from Florida Coastal School of Law and an LL.M in Tax with a concentration in Estate Planning from the University of Alabama. Aggie has extensive experience in estate planning and estate administration. She has worked with the Jackson County Area Agency on Aging for the past four years, helping area seniors with their estate plans and currently serves as the Public Administrator of Jackson County....

Harvell and Collins, PA is a highly rated and strategic combination of lawyers committed to providing comprehensive legal advice and personalized service in Morehead City, Beaufort, New Bern and Jacksonville, North Carolina. Partner, Cecil S. Harvell is AV Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated in Estates and Trusts, General Practice, and Aged and Aging. Partner, Wesley A. Collins, is also AV Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated. The law firm is committed to excellence in the practice of law while maintaining the highest ethical standards, diversity and individuality in its lawyers.

A native of Lancaster, Ohio, Amanda graduated in 2008, Magna Cum Laude, from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She graduated from the University of Toledo College of Law in 2011. While in Law School, Amanda interned with the Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals. With a concentration on Elder and Special Needs Law, Amanda began practicing with White & Allen, PA in 2017. She is a zealous advocate for the elderly and disabled rights' for public benefit, including navigating the laws governing Special Assistance Medicare, and Medicaid. Her practice area also includes Incompetency and...

I am a US Marine Core veteran committed to protecting your interests and providing excellent service.

Ashley is passionate about working with clients in construction, insurance coverage, and professional liability matters. Over the years, Ashley has cultivated a reputation of being known for her hands-on approach to her work with her clients. From working with North Carolina farmers at a pro bono office in Durham at the start of her career to crawling through a crawl space to understand a key issue in a construction case, or defending a salvage claim on a high-dollar vessel, Ashley’s priorities have always been to best serve those she represents in communities throughout the state. Complementing her hands-on approach, Ashley...

My goal is to provide the best possible service to my clients. My practices include family law and civil litigation. Please do not hesitate to call to schedule a consultation.

Attorney Brandon Jaynes is the managing partner and owner of Archonix Law, primarily working in the areas of estate planning (wills, trusts, probate, etc.) and business law . Brandon received a Bachelors of Computer Science and a Bachelors of Mathematics from Gardner-Webb University in 2003 where he graduated magna cum laude. While at Gardner-Webb, Brandon was President of both the SIGMA Math Association and the Association for Computing Machinery, Gardner-Webb chapters. In 2006, he was awarded a full scholarship to attend Campbell University’s Norman A. Wiggins School of Law, graduating cum laude with his Juris Doctor degree in 2009. While in...