Ohio Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning

Core Estate Planning Documents

• Last will and testament — directs who inherits your property and names a guardian for minor children.
• Financial power of attorney — lets a trusted person manage finances if you cannot.
• Health care power of attorney — names someone to make medical decisions for you.
• Living will — states your wishes for end-of-life care.

Trusts and Avoiding Probate

A revocable living trust can let your estate pass to your beneficiaries without the cost and delay of probate, keep your affairs private, and provide for management if you become incapacitated. We help you decide whether a will-based or trust-based plan fits your family and assets.

Protection for Same-Sex Couples and Blended Families

Clear documents are especially important for same-sex couples and blended families to ensure partners and chosen heirs are protected, second-parent relationships are recognized, and your wishes — not Ohio's default intestacy rules — control who inherits and who makes decisions.

Living Wills and Advance Directives in Ohio

An Ohio living will is a written advance directive that states your wishes for end-of-life care if you are permanently unconscious or terminally ill and cannot speak for yourself. It works alongside a health care power of attorney, which names the person who makes your other medical decisions. Putting both documents in place spares your family from guessing — and from court — during a crisis. We prepare living wills, health care and financial powers of attorney, and HIPAA releases as part of every estate plan.

Estate Planning for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio Families

Gavvl Law serves clients statewide, including Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. If you are searching for Cleveland Ohio estate planning lawyers, we offer the same flat-fee wills, trusts, and advance directives to Northeast Ohio families, with remote signing and document delivery so you can complete your plan without a courthouse trip.

How Gavvl Law Helps

We offer tiered estate planning packages — from simple wills to comprehensive trust-based plans — with transparent flat-fee pricing and specialized protection packages for same-sex couples and families.

Real people — with direct lines

• Stephanie Green — Managing Partner
• Elizabeth Warren — Managing Partner
• Niva Elgin — Director of Attorney Relations · Licensed New Mexico Attorney
• Richard Furnish — Of Counsel Attorney

Your consultation

Stephanie Green or Elizabeth Warren, our managing partners — Niva Elgin, our Director of Attorney Relations and a licensed New Mexico attorney — or Richard Furnish, an Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorney. They've heard hundreds of situations like yours and will tell you plainly what you need, and what you don't. Meet the firm.

Your attorney

One of our Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorneys is your attorney for the case — from the first strategy call to the final order in Ohio. You have their name and a direct line the day your file opens. Our attorneys.

Your case team

Niva Elgin keeps your case moving as Director of Attorney Relations. Madeline Wampler, Certified Paralegal, handles documents and scheduling. Erin Schultz, Finance Manager, handles billing and payment plans. Real people who answer when you call.

• 95+ five-star Google reviews
• 60+ years of combined Ohio family-law experience
• Super Lawyers Rising Stars honorees on the team: Elizabeth Warren (2021–2023) and Samantha Berkhofer (2019–2021)
• Every flat fee published before you call

From first call to retained — and every step after

1. Consultation — A 30-minute phone call, $25. You talk with Stephanie Green, Elizabeth Warren, Niva Elgin, or Richard Furnish about what's happening and what Ohio law actually does with it. Before you hang up you'll know whether you need a lawyer at all — and if you do, you leave with a written quote: the service we recommend, the price, your financing options, and your next steps.
2. Choose — Pick the level of help. Pay, or set up financing. Limited-scope flat fee or full representation — you choose, with real numbers in front of you. Pay online, or secure a Gavvl Direct payment plan or third-party financing in a few minutes. Nothing is billed until you decide.
3. Sign — Your agreement arrives by email. Review the client agreement and sign it electronically — from your phone if you like. While you do, your attorney reviews your intake.
4. Get started — Your first attorney call goes on the calendar. Limited scope: your attorney's first call is scheduled from your intake. Full representation: a paralegal reaches out the same or next business day to open your file and gather what's needed, then schedules your first attorney call — and if something is urgent, you speak with the attorney first.

It's easier than ever to retain an excellent attorney.

How you'll stay updated — you never have to wonder

Every client gets GavvLink™, our client portal, on day one. Your whole case — messages, calendar, billing, status — lives in one place, and your team is a message away.

• Reach your attorney directly. Message, text, email, or call. Request a callback or book time on their calendar yourself — no waiting to hear back.
• Case calendar with reminders. Every hearing, deadline, and milestone, with a reminder before each one.
• Case status updates. See where your case stands and what happens next, updated as it moves.
• Payments and billing in real time. Every entry on your account as it posts, plus links to make a payment or add funds.
• Your case team, one message away. Full-representation clients message their paralegal and case manager the same way — and they answer.
• 24/7 receptionists and direct lines. Something urgent after hours? A live receptionist answers around the clock and reaches your team. You also have your attorney's direct line — and a way to reach the managing partners. We return calls and messages promptly.

Why Having a Will Is Important

An overview of why every adult should have a will — how it protects your family, names guardians for minor children, designates an executor, and ensures your wishes are honored.

Watch the video explainer on YouTube

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a will or a trust in Ohio?

A will directs who inherits and names guardians but still passes through probate. A revocable living trust can avoid probate, keep your affairs private, and manage assets if you become incapacitated. The right choice depends on your assets and goals.

What happens if I die without a will in Ohio?

Your property passes under Ohio's intestacy statute, which distributes assets to your closest relatives in a fixed order. That default may not match your wishes — especially for unmarried partners, stepchildren, or chosen heirs.

Why is estate planning important for same-sex couples?

Clear documents ensure a partner and chosen heirs are protected, that second-parent relationships are recognized, and that your wishes control medical and financial decisions rather than Ohio's default rules.