Practice Areas

Martin Heller Potempa & Sheppard, PLLC offers a wide range of legal services for those living in Nashville, Springfield, or anywhere in Tennessee. Whether you are getting a will, handling your estate plans, or are getting a divorce, our team of experienced attorneys is ready to put the full scope of our experience and resources to work on your behalf.

Estate Planning in Springfield

Estate planning requires careful consideration and detailed analysis regarding an individual’s goals. Depending on these goals, a variety of instruments may be implemented to ensure that your wishes are carried out. Our firm assists clients in drafting and executing revocable or irrevocable trusts, as well as powers of attorney and living wills. A trust is formed in order to hold and manage assets as the grantor sees fit. In establishing a revocable trust, a grantor remains in control of any changes to the trust, while a trustee is charged with overseeing the trust’s operations. In contrast, once an irrevocable trust is formed, ownership is transferred permanently, and a grantor relinquishes any power to change its terms. Trusts, which often then serve as a grantor’s testamentary instrument, must be in writing, describe the property to be transferred, and name any beneficiaries that will inherit the assets therein.

Probate Administration and Litigation in Nashville

If a beneficiary believes that a trust or will was executed by an individual who lacked testamentary capacity or was the victim of undue influence, the beneficiary may bring a will or trust contest action to remove a trustee or representative or to void the instrument altogether. However, certain factors should be contemplated when considering whether to contest a trust or will. Many of these instruments contain a forfeiture clause, which precludes an individual from receiving any inheritance if they decide to challenge the instrument’s terms. Our firm represents clients in these contest actions as well as in other estate litigation matters, including will contests, trust administration and litigation, breach of fiduciary duty, creating a petition of recouping assets, and claims against an estate.

Family Lawyers in Nashville for Legal Services

Legal issues dealing with family matters may be especially sensitive. In Tennessee, spouses who are going through divorce proceedings must engage in mediation before courts will get involved. Mediation proceedings are private settings in which the parties are free to discuss issues such as child custody and visitation arrangements, spousal and child support, and the division of property. Obtaining legal representation for mediation, as well as any further legal action, may be vital in reaching a resolution that meets your needs.

Our Nashville divorce lawyers assist clients in family legal services like all aspects of divorce, from the initial filing process to proceedings related to modifying a final judgment. We are familiar with matters related to property division, child custody and visitation, spousal support, business valuation, and child relocation. We understand the nuances of high-asset divorce as well as late-life divorce considerations. Our firm also represents clients in the execution of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, grandparents’ rights issues, and stepparent adoptions.

Your Tennessee Conservatorship Lawyers

If you have a loved one who is suffering from a disability, you may need legal authority to manage their affairs. If there isn’t a Power of Attorney or another document that nominates a fiduciary to help, a conservatorship may be necessary. A conservatorship involves a legal proceeding where the court will appoint an individual or entity who will be responsible for making decisions that are in the best interest of the person with a disability. A conservatorship can include medical/personal decisions, financial decisions, or both.

Our conservatorship lawyers have assisted hundreds of clients throughout Tennessee with the process of seeking guardianship or conservatorship for a loved one. Our experienced family and estate attorneys will present you with the available legal options and guide you through the difficult decisions that need to be made.

Contact our Nashville Attorneys Today if  You Need Legal Services

If you need legal services and an attorney in Nashville, Springfield, or anywhere in Tennessee, your contact should be to Martin Heller Potempa & Sheppard, PLLC. Our firm consists of not only experienced Nashville family law attorneys but also estate planning and probate litigation attorneys who can explore the details of your situation and advocate for your rights.

Don’t delay another second. Contact us at MHPS Law now for more information.