Find an Estate Planner

Although Earthjustice cannot offer legal advice or recommend specific attorneys, we are happy to provide information about available resources for finding and selecting an estate planning attorney.

What to Know About Estate Planning

Estate planning is a critical part of financial planning and an important way to protect your family and ensure your wishes are respected.

An estate plan is a living plan — it should change over the course of your life as your needs and your family’s needs change and be reviewed and updated every few years.

Working with a qualified attorney is always best, and you should identify one whom you trust to best document your needs and goals.

1. Identify an estate planning specialist, not a generalist.

Speak to family and friends and ask for recommendations. You can also look at the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils and American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys website to find a qualified estate planner in your area.

Ask for references!

2. Ask about the attorney’s experience.

Some attorneys specialize in complex estates and business succession planning; others work primarily with families. It’s best to work with an attorney whose expertise fits your particular situation.

3. Ensure they have cultural competence.

Trust is essential to a good client/attorney relationship. And a big part of that is having confidence that your advisor understands your particular perspective, goals, challenges, and overall financial situation.

Those who are part of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other people of color) and LGBTQ+ communities may find it easier to speak openly with an attorney or advisor who has a personal understanding of their needs. This comfort level often stems from shared experiences of navigating unconscious or conscious biases within the financial and legal sectors. Engaging with professionals who are familiar with or sensitive to these life experiences can ensure more tailored and compassionate support in addressing their specific legal and financial concerns.

There are a number of resources to help:

• The Association of Black Estate Planning Professionals
• National Association of Minority and Women-Owned Law Firms
• Hispanic National Bar Association
• The LGBTQ Bar Association
• National Asian and Pacific American Bar Association
• National Native American Bar Association

If you or a family member have special needs, it’s especially important to work with an experienced attorney. The Special Needs Alliance has information about finding an estate and financial planner.