Legal technology is best when partnered with the right attorneys

Jeffrey Gaffney is a 20 year attorney and retired Navy Captain. Originally from New York, he moved to San Diego in 1985 and has remained here since, military duties permitting.

An attorney since 1993, Jeff is a graduate of the University of San Diego School of Law. He began as a law clerk in 1991, helping aggrieved investors recover from unscrupulous stockbrokers. A former registered representative (“used stock salesman”) and principal (licensed manager of registered representatives), he began his own law firm in the midst of a scandal involving Prudential Securities’ sales of limited partnerships. Since then, he has handled over 300 cases against brokerage houses. He is an arbitrator for the New York Stock Exchange, the Pacific Stock Exchange and FINRA. He is well educated in all aspects of elder law, personal finance, wills, trusts, estates and planning.

Jeff finished 30 years of active and reserve duty in March 2015. He enjoyed a successful career with eight years of active time, and 22 years of vigorous participation in the reserve. He led two major international exercises, served in the Middle East on several occasions, and had three command tours. His favorite job was a 2.5 year recall to active duty to run the Navy’s history programs and museums; sadly this included being on the Navy Yard for the 2013 shooting.

An environmentalist, the Gaffney family has its own nonprofit organization to support sea turtle conservation, of which Jeff is the Treasurer. He is also active with San Diego Coastkeeper. He enjoys summers in Central America working to preserve marine life.

A 1983 graduate of the State University of New York at Oswego, Jeff was named the outstanding graduate in his major. He graduated USD Law School in 1993. He later received a Masters in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College in 2004. Jeff is also a graduate of the non-resident (non-degree) programs of the Naval War College, Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School, the Air War College, and the Joint Staff War College.

Jeff is a member of the Elder Counsel, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the National Care Planning Council.

Jeffrey Gaffney
jeffgaffney@earthlink.net
1902 Wright Place, Suite 200
Carlsbad, CA 92008
(760) 809-9401

Rick is an attorney based in Maryland and Washington D.C. and licensed in both jurisdictions, with convenient office locations in Columbia, Maryland, and Chevy Chase, Maryland. His practice focuses primarily on estate planning, including the drafting of trusts, wills, and supporting documents such as Power of Attorneys and Living Wills. Rick also assists clients navigating the probate and estate administration process throughout Virginia, Maryland and D.C. His publications include The Financial Guide to Retiring Abroad, The Financial Guide to Working Overseas, and How to Live Well on Social Security.

Rick Todd
rick@columbiaestateplanning.com
7230 Lee Deforest Drive, Suite 103
Columbia, MD 21046
(443) 720-7500

I have dedicated my career to advocating for and protecting children and families. As a former Felony Deputy District Attorney, I saw first-hand the challenges families face in the legal system. By empowering my clients with a better approach, I am helping families and business owners protect their future and loved ones.

Leveraging my years as a project engineer advising government and private-sector clients, I developed a unique and individualized process for estate planning. Creating a customized plan, at a flat fee, I have eliminated the traditional form documentation. I invest time in understanding my clients’ history, goals, and values. It is this approach that clearly uncovers the path toward creating a comprehensive plan that fully protects their family and business, in case of emergency, and for the rest of their lives.

Pamela Maass
pam@lifelegacyfirm.com
26 W Dry Creek Circle, Suite 600
Littleton, CO 80120
(720) 899-3541

Tony is an estate planning attorney in private practice in the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Tony firmly supports the mission of FreeWill but understands that there are family situations and dynamics that may require a personal, value-driven, and comprehensive approach to developing an estate plan. Whether it be a Living Trust, Legacy Planning, or even dealing with messy or complicated estate issues, Tony’s 30 years of experience in estate planning will help develop a plan to meet your needs. Planning for the future can seem daunting, but once started the benefits of a well-drafted plan are clear.

Besides being a husband and father, his most important roles in life, he has been involved with many charitable organizations he values greatly, including the United Way, the American Cancer Society, and the local College of Lake County, IL.

Tony Moree
moreelawoffice@gmail.com
26919 N. Longmeadow Circle
Mundelein, Illinois 60060
(847) 996-0496

Geoffrey Kunkler joined Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP in 2014 and has been a Partner since 2018. He focuses primarily on the areas of estate planning, estate administration, charitable and philanthropic planning and special needs planning.

Geoff received his B.A. and M.A. from Case Western Reserve University and his J.D. from The Ohio State University. He earned his Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy™ designation from The American College.

Geoff was named a “Top Lawyer” by Columbus CEO magazine in 2016, 2018-Present. He was named Top Attorneys Rising Stars for 2020 and 2021 by Columbus Monthly. Geoff has been rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell® since 2017. He has also been listed as one of Ohio Super Lawyers magazine’s “Rising Stars” since 2018, and was listed in Columbus Business First magazine’s Class of 2020 ‘Forty Under 40.’

Geoffrey Kunkler
gkunkler@cpmlaw.com
950 Goodale Blvd., #200
Columbus, Ohio 43212
(614) 628-0806

I am passionate about estate planning and pets! My law firm holds the distinction of being the only Florida firm with two attorneys who are dual board certified by the Florida Bar in both Wills, Trusts, and Estates and in Elder Law. We work with people who love their families, including their pets. Free time is spent leading Animal Care Trust USA, Inc., a national nonprofit. We are dedicated to keeping loved pets in loving homes by educating pet parents about the importance of creating an estate plan that includes their pets. Our goal is to wipe out the 500,000 loved pets that are euthanized annually because their pet parent didn’t have a plan. I also host a weekly Pawcast – All My Children Wear Fur Coats where I interview leaders in the pet industry including rescue organizations, innovators, and pet health and wellness experts.

Peggy Hoyt, J.D., M.B.A., B.C.S.
Peggy@HoytBryan.com
254 Plaza Drive
Oviedo, Florida 32765
(407) 977-8080

Harry S. Margolis has been representing seniors, individuals with special needs, and their families at Margolis & Bloom for more than 30 years and has been recognized as a fellow of both the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, as well as one of the top “SuperLawyers” in Massachusetts. Harry is the author of Get Your Ducks in a Row: The Baby Boomers Guide to Estate Planning, and answers consumer questions about estate planning (free of charge) at www.AskHarry.info.

Harry S. Margolis
hsm@margolisbloom.com
100 William Street, Suite 220
Wellesley, MA 02481
(617) 294-5951

My law career spans four decades representing ordinary people in Michigan, then New York and Connecticut, and now, in California. In Michigan and on the East Coast, I worked in small firms and on my own, mostly in real estate transactions. Here, in California, I practice on the planning side of estates and trusts. My mission is to spread the word that resources such as FreeWill can bring a special kind of peace of mind, especially in this time of Covid.

Our local Faith Coalition deserves my continued support. But these days, the causes I support are political. I am proud to be a foot soldier for MoveOn and Moms Demand Action. On a recent family vacation, we found time to write postcards to voters interested in the Child Tax Credit.

I love playing duplicate bridge, online, of course, during Covid.

Martha J. Keller
marthakeller@marthakeller.com
5400 Fulton Street, #204
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 902-8130

I am an attorney at Smith-Wright Law in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and truly love being a part of such a hard-working, close-knit firm. My practice is primarily focused on Estate Planning and Probate, including Wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. I am a member of the Tennessee Bar Association and the Inter-Agency Adoption Coalition, and am on the Board of the Nashville chapter of the Arthritis Foundation. My favorite things include my family, traveling, and renovating our home.

Kristen Harvey
kristen@smithwrightlaw.com
122 North Church St.
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
(615) 800-4747

My practice focuses on real estate, wills and estates, and elder law including durable powers of attorney and medical directives. I deal especially with “cross-border” issues, that is families with assets both in the US and Israel. I graduated from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Law School. I am active in the Bar Association and served for over 20 years as a Judge on the Disciplinary Tribunal.

Working with forensic genealogists, I have developed an expertise in locating forgotten property purchased during the time of the British Mandate and unbeknownst to the legal heirs today. I have been involved with ALYN Hospital, Pediatric Rehabilitation Center, one of the world’s finest and served on the Board for more than a decade and currently as Chairman of the Friends of Alyn Association.

I love to hike and am a diver at the new Jerusalem Aquarium. Originally from Baltimore, I am married and the proud father of 4 children and 7 grandchildren (so far)!

Mark Sherman
msherman@israel-legal.com
13 Ben Hillel Street
Jerusalem, Israel
+972-2-624-3838

Claire is an estate planning attorney and founding partner of Old Colony Law. Through her firm and along with her husband and law partner, Ben Palkowski, Claire provides clients with foundational estate planning throughout Western Massachusetts – from the Quabbin to the Berkshires. Claire is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire School of Law and is passionate about helping clients protect and preserve their assets and build lasting legacies.

245 Russell St., Unit 14
Hadley, MA 01035

(413) 387-0080

claire@oldcolonylaw.com