John Hussell works with individual and institutional clients in multiple stages of estate planning and asset protection planning. He is a well-respected and successful corporate attorney focusing on "peace of mind strategies" - both in helping his clients pass assets to the next generation and in executing and litigating when contests arise.
John is adamant that no single client "gets more attention than another," indicating that estate planning, wealth protection and planning for the future are personal, fluid processes. He takes great care in developing relationships with each client and leveraging relationships with other trusted professionals to find solutions that fit the needs of the individual. That philosophy - combined with "24/7 accessibility" - puts his clients at ease and is a trust factor in addressing individual administrative and legal needs.
John focuses his law practice on helping individual and institutional clients with estate planning, trust and estate administration, charitable giving, and asset protection planning. He has a broad range of experience in advising institutional fiduciaries and is frequently called upon to create and advise tax-exempt organizations. John has developed an extensive practice in all aspects of trust and estate litigation, including will contests, will construction actions, and fiduciary litigation. He also assists clients with elder law issues such as advanced health care directives, guardian and conservator appointments, and planning for incapacity. John's experience in handling estate and trust matters, as well as his thorough understanding of the legal issues encompassed by estate planning and wealth protection, have enabled him to serve as an expert witness in civil actions, providing him with yet another perspective to bring to the table when assisting his own clients.
John is a natural competitor, enjoying sports and coaching and is an avid reader, which carries over into his philosophy in serving clients. He also serves as Managing Partner of Dinsmore's Charleston, WV office and on the firm's Board of Directors.
Memberships & Affiliations
· American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
· West Virginia State Bar, Probate Committee Chairman
· Charleston Estate Planning Council, Past President
· West Virginia Bankers Association, Trust Committee
· West Virginia University Foundation Planned Giving Advisory Committee
· Thomas Memorial Foundation Planned Giving Advisory Council
· Charleston Area Medical Center Foundation Estate Planning Advisors' Committee
· Kanawha County Bar Association
· West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Board of Directors
· Episcopal Diocese of the State of West Virginia, Chancellor
· Foundation for the Thomas Memorial and Saint Francis Hospitals, Inc., Board of Directors
Distinctions
· Best Lawyers' 2012 Charleston, WV Litigation - Trusts & Estates Lawyer of the Year
· Peer Review Rated AV in Martindale-Hubbell
· Listed in The Best Lawyers in America®
· West Virginia State Journal Generation Next (WV 40 Under 40), 2007
· Selected for the West Virginia Super Lawyers® List
Publications
December 6, 2011, 7520 Rate Drop: A Rare Opportunity Awaits...
November 16, 2011, Historically Low Interest Rates Create Planning Opportunities
October 24, 1997, "Through the 'Mindfield' of Confidential Mental Health Records" - Defense Trial Counsel Notebook (1997)
January 1, 1996, "Wills" Chapter of West Virginia Practice Handbook - 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004
Presentation
October 2011, "The New WV Uniform Trust Code," West Virginia University College of Law Continuing Legal Education
June 2011, "Fiduciary Litigation under the Uniform Trust Code," West Virginia University College of Law Continuing Legal Education, Charleston, WV
June 2011, "Basics for Establishing Special Needs Trusts," National Business Institute National Teleconference
May 2011, "Practical Aspects of Trust Administration under the Uniform Trust Code," The West Virginia Bankers Association Estate and Financial Planning Seminar, Charleston, WV
November 2010, "Basics for Establishing Special Needs Trusts," National Business Institute, National Teleconference
June 2010, "Probate Practice: The Essential Basics," National Business Institute, Charleston, WV
June 2010, "Gift and Estate Taxes," West Virginia University College of Law Continuing Legal Education, Charleston, WV
May 2010, "Practical Aspects of the Estate Tax Mess: What West Virginians Need to Know," The West Virginia Bankers Association Estate and Financial Planning Seminar, Charleston, WV