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Mr. Michael J. Howell
The Law Office of Michael J. Howell, P.A.
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Claimed Lawyer Profile
Biography
Michael J. Howell is certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law. Michael has over 40 years of experience. He and his staff have over 100 years of combined experience in trusts, estates and probate, He was also named as one of the Top Lawyers in the Lowcounty in Hilton Head Monthly Magazine's April, 2013 and 2014 issues, which are the only years the list was published. Michael is also a certified mediator for Probate and Circuit Circuit Court matters. He is also licensed to practice law in South Carolina and Florida. His firm firm handles wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care powers of attorney and related documents as part of its estate planning practice. The firm also handles probate and trust matters, including will and trust contests, representing personal representatives, trustees and beneficiaries.
Practice Areas
- Estate Planning
- Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
- Probate
- Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests
Fees
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Free Consultation
See www.HiltonHeadEstatePlanning.com for details on our free initial consultation. A credit is given against any work, including the free initial consultation, for up to the cost of one hour of time. It Requires submission of certain basic information needed to advise the client on estate planning matters. The information can be downloaded from our website at ww.HiltonHeadEstatePlanning.com. - Credit Cards Accepted
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Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
$320 per hour for Michael J. Howell. $250 for associate attorney and $140 per hour for non-attorney staff members. Estimates for most types of work are provided and required prior to the conference and can be downloaded from our website at www.HiltonHeadEstatePlanning.com. Retainers are required in rare cases.
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
- Florida
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- South Carolina
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Languages
- English: Spoken, Written
Professional Experience
- Shareholder
- The Law Office of Michael J. Howell, P.A.
- - Current
- Firm is a successor or spin off firm of Lyman and Howell, P.A. (1983 - 1986), Michael J. Howell, Attorney-at-Law, (1986 - 1989 and 1992 - 2000) and Palmer, Brooks, Bowen and Howell, P.A. (1989 - 1992).
- Vice-President and Trust Officer
- Bank of Beaufort Trust Department
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Education
- University of South Carolina School of Law
- J.D. (1977) | Law
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- Law Clerk from senior year in college until graduation from law school and then became attorney with the law firm.
- Honors: Highest Paper Estate and Gift Taxation. Also become an Enrolled Agent with the Internal Revenue Service prior to graduation from law school with the legal ability to represent taxpayers before the IRS; although, not then an attorney.
- Activities: Employed throughout law school with Markendorff and Enlow, which became Markendorff, Enlow and Grisso, and then became separate firms. Firms handled primarily civil and criminal tax matters. Member of Phi Dela Phi legal fraternity.
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- University of South Carolina - Columbia
- B.S. (1974) | Accounting
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- Construction, draftsman and law clerk.
- Honors: Dean's Honor Roll (Dean's List)
- Activities: Employed throughout all college years.
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Awards
- Outstanding Young Man of the Year
- Hilton Head Island Jaycees
- Top Lawyers of The Lowcountry
- Hilton Head Monthly Magazine
- Top Lawyers of The Lowcountry (2013, 2014)
Professional Associations
- South Carolina Bar Resolution of Fee Disputess Board
- 14th Judicial Circuit Panel Member
- Current
- Activities: From the South Carolina Bar Website: This Board, created by the Supreme Court under Rule 416, SCACR, resolves fee, cost and disbursement disputes between clients and SC Bar members, thereby providing a vital service to both the bar and public. Bar staff screens and forwards client applications to Circuit Chairs who assign the cases to local Board members. These volunteer attorneys promptly and professionally mediate, investigate and, if need be, arbitrate the disputes, preventing billing differences from spiraling into unnecessary litigation, grievance proceedings or poor public relations. The Board currently consists of almost 200 attorneys appointed by the Bar President for staggered three-year terms collectively handling about 100 cases annually -- less than one case per member per year on average.
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- South Carolina Bar
- Probate Forms Revision Committee
- - Current
- Activities: Member of the committee reviewing and making changes to the probate court forms based upon 2013 probate code legislation.
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- Florida Bar
- Member
- - Current
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- Florida Bar Foundation
- Legacy for Justice Program Member
- - Current
- Activities: Donor to and member of the Florida Bar Foundation,which helps provide legal services and legal education to those who can not afford legal services or for those who assist those who need but can not afford legal services. The Foundation also support numerous related functions and services. Member of the Legacy for Justice Program.
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- Florida Supreme Court Historical Society
- Member
- - Current
- Activities: The Florida Historical Society educates the public about the critically important work of the courts in protecting personal rights and freedoms, as well as in resolving the myriad of disputes that arise within the state. It also preserves the rich history of Florida's judicial system.
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- South Carolina Bar Foundation
- Life Fellow, Society of Justice and Justice Legacy Member.
- - Current
- Activities: Life Fellow of the South Carolina Bar Foundation. The Foundation supports programs around South Carolina designed to provide legal services to those who can not afford them and also education to the public concerning legal matters and rights. Member of the Society of Justice and Justice Legacy programs of the Foundation.
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- South Carolina Bar
- Member of the Professional Responsibility Committee
- - Current
- Activities: Member of the Professional Responsibility Committee. Past Chairman of the Committee. Member of the Ethics 2000 Subcommittee and also a member of the Bar's three person subcommittee that worked with the South Carolina Supreme Court and its own Commission on the new Rules of Professional Conduct for Lawyers, which became effective on October 1, 2005. Worked on a subcommittee that studied alternatives to multidisciplinary practices and changes to rules on what to do with a legal practice when an attorney dies, becomes incompetent, is suspended or disbarred. Co-authored a manual for South Carolina attorneys who are appointed by the South Carolina Supreme Court to take over such practices. Also chairman of a committee formed to define what constitutes a client file for purposes of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
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- South Carolina State Bar
- Member
- - Current
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- South Carolina Bar
- Board of Governors
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- Activities: Member of the Board of Governors of the South Carolina Bar. Also a member of the board of the South Carolina Bar Foundation.
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- South Carolina Supreme Court Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specializaiton
- Secretary and Member
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- Activities: Member From 1998-2004. Secretary from 2002 - 2004. The Commission oversees required continuing legal education requirements for South Carolina attorneys. The Commission also oversees the specialization programs for attorneys in South Carolina in Estate Planning and Probate Law, Taxation Law, Labor Law and Bankruptcy Law. Also represented South Carolina at three National Roundtables on Specialization sponsored by the American Bar Association.
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- South Carolina Bar
- Member of Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee
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- Activities: Past member of Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee. Also was a member of the complaints subcommittee and assisted in investigations of unauthorized practice of law cases.
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- South Carolina Supreme Court Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization Estate Planning and Probate Law Advisory Board
- Chairman and Member
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- Activities: Member for the years 1993-1996. Chairman of the Advisory Board in 1995. The Advisory Board interviews and tests attorneys wanting to become Certified Specialists in Estate Planning and Probate Law.
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Publications
Articles & Publications
- Ethical Considerations for Estate Planning Lawyers in South Carolina - A Study of Selected Provisions of the Rules of Professional Responsibility
- National Business Institute
- What's New and What's Left in Sophisticated Estate Planning, - A Primer on Selected Estate Planning Techniques for South Carolina Attorneys
- National Business Institute
- What's New and What's Left in Sophisticated Estate Planning
- National Business Institute
- Disclaimer Trusts: a wait and see approach to estate planning in light of EGTRRA
- South Carolina Bar Magazine
Speaking Engagements
- Estate Planning and Probate, Estate and Financial Planning Seminar
- St. Andrew By-The-Sea United Methodist Church
- Estate Planning and Probate
- University of South Carolina Business Law Class
- What Is So Special About Special Administrators, South Carolina Probate Judges Meeting
- Guns in Estates, 2018 South Carolina Probate Judges Bench - Bar Continuing Legal Education Course
Certifications
- Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law in South Carolina
- South Carolina Supreme Court
- Certified Mediator in South Carolina Probate and Circuit Courts
- South Carolina Supreme Court
Websites & Blogs
- Website
- Website
Social Media
Contact & Map
