Attorney
Area of Focus
Education
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, JD
Cleveland State University, BA, Urban Planning, 1998, Dean's List
Bar Admissions
Ohio, 2002
Florida, 2005
Lori R. Kilpeck Partner
Contact Information

- Area of Focus
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Education
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, JD
Cleveland State University, BA, Urban Planning, 1998, Dean's List
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Bar Admissions
Ohio, 2002
Florida, 2005
Biography
Lori is a partner in Brouse McDowell’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group. Her practice is concentrated in the areas of estate planning, probate, estate and trust administration, probate and trust litigation, elder care and guardianship law. Lori works closely with her clients to meet their estate planning needs and objectives ranging from simple wills to sophisticated planning techniques involving estate and gift tax planning, succession planning, and special needs trusts. Lori has experience counseling her clients in complex probate and trust administration as well as contested estates that result in litigation due to undue influence, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and elder abuse. Additionally, Lori serves as a court appointed guardian.
Lori graduated from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and was admitted to practice in Ohio in 2002 and Florida in 2005. While in law school, Lori was a law clerk for Judge Lawrence Allen of the Willoughby Municipal Court, where she continued to serve as an acting Magistrate for many years. Additionally, Lori was an instructor at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, Ohio where she taught the Probate Law Class to paralegal students.
Lori lives with her husband, Matt, and their three daughters in Chardon, Ohio where she enjoys spending time with her family.
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Biography
Lori is a partner in Brouse McDowell’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group. Her practice is concentrated in the areas of estate planning, probate, estate and trust administration, probate and trust litigation, elder care and guardianship law. Lori works closely with her clients to meet their estate planning needs and objectives ranging from simple wills to sophisticated planning techniques involving estate and gift tax planning, succession planning, and special needs trusts. Lori has experience counseling her clients in complex probate and trust administration as well as contested estates that result in litigation due to undue influence, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and elder abuse. Additionally, Lori serves as a court appointed guardian.
Lori graduated from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and was admitted to practice in Ohio in 2002 and Florida in 2005. While in law school, Lori was a law clerk for Judge Lawrence Allen of the Willoughby Municipal Court, where she continued to serve as an acting Magistrate for many years. Additionally, Lori was an instructor at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, Ohio where she taught the Probate Law Class to paralegal students.
Lori lives with her husband, Matt, and their three daughters in Chardon, Ohio where she enjoys spending time with her family. -
Professional & Civic Activities
- Ohio State Bar Association, Member
- Florida State Bar Association, Member
- Lake County Bar Association, Co-chair of Probate and Law Day Committees, Trustee, 2017-2019, Secretary, 2019-2020, Treasurer, 2020-2021
- Geauga County Bar Association, Advanced Directive Committee
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Member
- Chardon Tomorrow, Board Member, 2018-Present
- Lakeland Foundation at Lakeland Community College, 2006-2016
- North East Ohio Mothers of Multiples
- Lake County United Way, Cabinet member, Charter member of the Women’s Initiative, 2014-2015
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Articles & Presentations
- "Potential Pitfalls in Estate Planning for Today's Clients," Co-Presenter with Julie E. Firestone, CMBA's 47th Estate Planning Institute (October 30, 2020)
- “The SECURE Act May Impact your Beneficiary Designations,” Trusts & Estates, Brouse McDowell Client Alert (August 21, 2020)
- “Webinar Series – Part Six: Estate Planning for Special Circumstances,” Co-speaker with Julie E. Firestone, Brouse McDowell Webinar (June 23, 2020)
- “Webinar Series – Part Five: Estate Planning Tools To Protect You and Your Spouse,” Co-speaker with Julie E. Firestone, Brouse McDowell Webinar (June 16, 2020)
- “Webinar Series – Part Four: Facts You Need To Know About Your Estate Plan and Taxes,” Co-speaker with Julie E. Firestone, Brouse McDowell Webinar (June 9, 2020)
- “Webinar Series – Part Three: Wills and Trusts - The Basics,” Co-speaker with Julie E. Firestone, Brouse McDowell Webinar (May 5, 2020)
- “Webinar Series – Part Two: Why I Should Have An Estate Plan,” Co-speaker with Julie E. Firestone, Brouse McDowell Webinar (April 28, 2020)
- “Webinar Series – Part One: What You Need To Know About Powers of Attorney,” Co-speaker with Julie E. Firestone, Brouse McDowell Webinar (April 21, 2020)
- “Why You Need an Estate Plan,” Co- Author Julie E. Firestone, Trusts & Estates, Brouse McDowell Blog (April 9, 2020)
- “The Six Major Provisions of the SECURE Act,” Co- Author Julie E. Firestone, Trusts & Estates, Brouse McDowell Blog (March 18, 2020)
- “Ohio Law Compliance - Signing Documents in the Midst of the Current Pandemic,” Co-Authors Julie E. Firestone and Richard H. Harris, Estate, Succession Planning & Probate Administration, Brouse McDowell Client Alert (March 24, 2020)
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Representative Engagements
- Preparation and implementation of defective grantor trusts in estate planning.
- Counseling small business owners in estate and succession planning.
- Representation of trustees and beneficiaries in trust disputes.
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Distinctions
- Rising Stars™ through a peer- and achievement-based review conducted by the research team at Super Lawyers®, a service of Thomson Reuters legal division — 2013-2015
- News
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Seminars & Events
June 23, 2020Trusts & Estates Webinar Series: Estate Planning for Special Circumstances
June 16, 2020Trusts & Estates Webinar Series: Estate Planning Tools To Protect You and Your Spouse
June 09, 2020Trusts & Estates Webinar Series: Facts You Need To Know About Your Estate Plan and Taxes
May 05, 2020Trusts & Estates Webinar Series: Wills and Trusts - The Basics
April 28, 2020Trusts & Estates Webinar Series: Why I Should Have An Estate Plan
April 21, 2020Trusts & Estates Webinar Series: What You Need To Know About Powers of Attorney
- Client Advisories
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Blogs
Business Blog
December 18, 2020Business and Trusts & Estates Blog: Year-End Gifting For 2020 and CARES Act Considerations