Memphis estate planning: get it on paper before you need it.
Tennessee abolished its inheritance tax in 2016 and has no state estate tax, so the only estate-tax exposure most Memphis families face is the federal exemption ($13.99M per person in 2026). Probate runs through the Shelby County Probate Court, and most simple estates close in 6–9 months. A signed will, durable power of attorney, and healthcare advance directive cover what 90% of Memphis adults actually need. A revocable living trust matters if you own real estate outside Tennessee, run a family business, or want privacy from the public probate file.
These 10 Memphis firms cover estate planning for everyday clients, professionals, and businesses across the Tennessee bench. Every firm on the list was cross-referenced against Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers®, Avvo, Justia, and Maryland or Tennessee bar resources before being included.
How we picked these 10: We reviewed published verdicts and settlements, peer rankings (Best Lawyers®, Super Lawyers, Avvo), client review patterns, and bar-association recognition. Firms that appeared consistently across independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
Practice focus: Estate planning, trusts, probate, tax
Long-standing Memphis firm with a deep estates-and-trusts bench (Tricia M.Y. Tweel and colleagues), routinely featured in Super Lawyers Mid-South for estate planning and probate.
Practice focus: Estate planning, trusts, probate, fiduciary litigation
Beth Weems Bradley named Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year" for Trusts and Estates in Memphis (2023, 2026) and listed in Best Lawyers® for Trusts and Estates 2016–2026; Mid-South Super Lawyers Estate Planning & Probate 2014–2025.
Practice focus: High-net-worth estate planning, business succession, dynasty trusts
After absorbing Williams McDaniel, Wyatt fields one of the largest estate-planning groups among regional firms; A. Stephen McDaniel is a certified estate planning specialist and a past president of the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils.
Practice focus: Estate planning, probate, fiduciary services
Memphis institution since 1918; estate-planning attorneys consistently listed in Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers® for trusts and estates work.
Practice focus: Estate planning, probate, tax, business succession
Multi-generational Memphis firm; estate group handles closely-held business owners, professional families, and multi-state estates.
Practice focus: High-net-worth estate planning, dynasty trusts, tax
AmLaw 200 firm headquartered in Memphis; the estate group serves high-net-worth families with multi-state, business-owner, and charitable-planning needs.
Practice focus: Estate planning, trust administration, probate
One of the oldest continuously operating Memphis firms; estates practice covers planning, administration, and contested-trust litigation.
Practice focus: Estate planning, probate, special needs planning
East Memphis boutique that mixes estate work with tax and special-needs planning; attorneys appear in Mid-South Super Lawyers Estate Planning & Probate listings.
Practice focus: Wills, trusts, probate, estate tax
Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel; LL.M. in estate planning; Tennessee certified estate planning specialist with three decades of Memphis-focused practice.
Practice focus: Wills, trusts, probate, business succession
Long-running Memphis boutique focused on estate planning and probate; well known for flat-fee packages for first-time planners.
One short form. Free initial call with a vetted Memphis firm. No obligation, and we never sell your information.
First call: 30–45 minutes covering family, assets, and goals (often free). Drafting: 2–4 weeks. Signing meeting with witnesses and notary: about an hour. If you have minor children, the firm will also walk you through guardian designations. Probate (if needed later) typically takes 6–9 months for a non-contested Shelby County estate; longer if a will is contested or real estate has to be sold.
Simple will package (will, POA, advance directive): $400–$1,200 flat. Revocable living trust package with funding instructions: $2,000–$5,000 flat. Complex estate work — irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, GST planning, business-succession buy-sells: $5,000–$15,000+, sometimes hourly. Shelby County probate filing fees run roughly $250–$425; full probate administration legal fees typically land between $2,500 and $8,000 for an uncomplicated estate.
The legal directories you find on Google list thousands of Memphis firms. Most are competent. A few are problematic. The patterns to walk away from:
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can guarantee a result. If a firm promises a specific recovery, a dismissal, a specific custody schedule, or a specific tax outcome, walk away.
The disappearing partner. You meet a senior partner at intake and then never speak to them again. Your case is handled by an unsupervised junior or a paralegal. Ask in writing who will be your day-to-day attorney.
Pressure to sign immediately. Reputable Memphis firms give you the retainer in writing, time to read it, and the option to take it home. High-pressure intake is almost always a sign of a volume mill, not a craftsperson's practice.
No verifiable track record. The firm should be able to point to verdicts, settlements, peer rankings, or bar-association recognition. "We've helped thousands of clients" is marketing copy. Specific numbers, named cases, and third-party rankings are evidence.
Vague fee terms. "Don't worry about cost" is a red flag. Every legitimate Memphis lawyer will give you a written engagement letter with the fee structure, what's covered, what triggers extra charges, and what happens if you fire them.
Most Memphis estate planning firms on this list offer a free initial consultation. Use it. Bring a list of questions and write down the answers. Compare across at least two firms before you sign.
Memphis is its own market. The procedure, the courts, and the strategy are city- and state-specific in ways that matter to your outcome.
Local courthouses matter. The Shelby County Probate Court and Shelby County Circuit Court are the day-to-day venues for most estate planning work; the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee handles federal-question cases. Each has its own judges, calendars, and procedures that shape how matters move.
Filing deadlines are strict. Notice windows, statutes of limitations, and pre-suit certifications vary by case type and are unforgiving. A missed deadline often means a lost case — full stop.
Local procedure rules matter. Each court has its own forms, motion practice, and judge preferences. The right Memphis firm will know not just the law but the unwritten rules of the courthouse you'll be in.
Local juries vary. Verdict patterns vary by venue, and a trial-capable firm uses venue strategically when it can.
If you own a home, have minor children, want specific bequests, or want to avoid intestate distribution, yes. Without a will, Tennessee's intestate statute decides who inherits — and it rarely matches what most people would actually choose.
No. Tennessee repealed its inheritance tax effective January 1, 2016 and has no separate state estate tax. The federal estate tax only applies above $13.99M per person in 2026.
A will is enough for most Memphis families. A revocable living trust makes sense if you own out-of-state property, want to keep your estate off the public probate docket, or are planning around incapacity. Trusts add cost up front in exchange for less paperwork at death.
Most uncontested estates close in 6 to 9 months. Larger estates, estates that include real estate sales, or estates with contested claims can run 12–18 months or longer.
Every 3–5 years, or sooner after a marriage, divorce, birth, death, major asset purchase, or move out of Tennessee. Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance should be checked at every update.
Tennessee allows a simplified probate process for estates worth $50,000 or less (excluding real estate). It cuts cost and time dramatically, and most of the firms below will tell you in your first call whether you qualify.
Pick someone organized, trustworthy, and willing to do the work. Many Memphis families name a spouse or adult child first, with a corporate trustee or attorney as the back-up if no family member is a fit.
Tennessee wills require two witnesses. A "self-proving" will adds a notarized affidavit so witnesses don't have to be tracked down during probate. Every firm below will draft your will as self-proving by default.
Tell us about your situation and we'll match you with vetted estate planning attorneys in Memphis. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Request Free Consultation →One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many cases like mine have you taken to verdict or final order in the last three years? The answer tells you most of what you need to know. — The LawFirmSquare team