ROBERT H. EARDLEY is a Florida Bar Board Certified Wills, Trusts and Estates specialist and holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in Estate Planning. Mr. Eardley also holds an AV® (preeminent) peer rating from LexisNexis, Inc., a 9.5 rating from AVVO®, and has been designated a Florida Super Lawyer® by Thomson Reuters. Mr. Eardley’s law practice is concentrated in the areas of estate and trust planning, probate and trust administration, prenuptial agreements and Florida tax residency planning.
Mr. Eardley graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Science degree (cum laude) in 1986. Thereafter, Mr. Eardley received a commission in the United States Navy and served 7 years on active duty. While in the Navy, Mr. Eardley served as a Senior Airborne Intelligence Officer assigned to an intelligence reconnaissance squadron based in Spain. During this assignment, Mr. Eardley held a top secret clearance and logged over 1,000 hours of flight time, including 11 missions in Operation Desert Storm.
Mr. Eardley then attended the University of Kentucky College of Law, graduating in the top 10% of his class (Order of the Coif). While at the University of Kentucky College of Law, Mr. Eardley served as Assistant Editor for the Kentucky Law Journal and as President of the Christian Legal Society. After graduating from law school, Mr. Eardley joined the Louisville, Kentucky based top 150 law firm of Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP, as a member of its Estate Planning Practice Group. During his tenure at that firm, Mr. Eardley was awarded an Academic Fellowship to attend the graduate program at the University of Miami School of Law and subsequently received a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in Estate Planning from the University, graduating as the top student in his class. Prior to founding the firm, Mr. Eardley was a partner in a prominent Naples law firm.
Mr. Eardley is a frequent speaker on estate planning issues and has authored a number of estate planning articles and publications. He has also served as a legal columnist for the Naples Daily News. Mr. Eardley’s more recent works include The Second Marriage Estate Planning Dilemma - Spousal Inheritance Rights ©2018 for the Naples Daily News, Establishing a Florida Domicile for the Seasonal Resident ©2017 for the Naples Daily News, Estate Planning for the Florida Resident ©2015 for Key Private Bank, IRS Private Letter Ruling 201523003 issued January 28, 2015 (Mr. Eardley successfully served as lead counsel representing a client in an estate tax dispute with the IRS), Securing A Florida Tax Residency for the Seasonal Resident ©2014 for Lifestyles After 50 magazine, Review of 2012 Estate, Gift Tax Changes ©2013 for the Naples Daily News, Plan for End of Life as with Retirement ©2012 for the Naples Daily News, Lifetime Trust Protects Inheritance ©2012 for the Naples Daily News, and My Old Kentucky Home or the Sunshine State? Residency and Estate Planning Issues of Kentucky “Snowbirds” in Florida ©2010 for the Kentucky Bar Association.
Mr. Eardley is an active member of a number of professional associations including the Florida Bar, the Kentucky Bar, the Naples Estate Planning Council and the Trusts and Estates Section of the Collier County Bar Association. Also, Mr. Eardley serves as a member of the Wills, Trusts and Estates Board Certification Grade Review Panel for the Florida Bar.
Mr. Eardley is married to Holly, for 31 years, and has five children ages 15 to 29. He is an active member of his church and enjoys kayaking with his family in the Florida Keys.
