Stacey A. Dettwiller

Stacey focuses her practice on estate planning and wealth transfer matters.  She counsels clients on a variety of matters including estate and trust planning, administration, modification, termination and corresponding tax planning to reduce estate tax exposure and maximize wealth preservation.  A portion of Stacey’s practice also involves real estate transactions and advising individuals and businesses entering into sales agreements and dealing with both residential and commercial issues. 

Experience

• Succession planning for businesses and business owners
• Various business entity-related matters, including entity formation and dissolution, buy-sell agreements, confidentiality agreements, acquisitions and mergers, and exit strategies
• Formation of tax-exempt organizations, including public charities and private foundations
• Advised trustee in sale of real property and negotiated favorable terms of purchase agreement
• Drafted private settlement agreements to address trust fiduciary and administrative issues
• Represented surviving spouse to protect interest in deceased spouse’s estate administered by third party fiduciary
• Advised both fiduciaries and beneficiaries in breach of trust actions
• Drafted private settlement agreements among trustees and beneficiaries to modify trust terms without seeking a court order
• Represented corporate trustees with respect to the modification and termination of charitable trusts.
• Represented and advised a major franchisee in the sale of its business interests in 65 restaurants across Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania
• Represented and advised a local research facility in the purchase of a new commercial space into which it subsequently expanded its operations. The purchase included two credit facilities, and we have provided ongoing work related to the commercial space, advising on leasing to tenants and preparing lease documents
• Successfully represented a surviving spouse in claiming a $1 million life insurance policy where the deceased spouse had passed suddenly and the life insurance company was investigating the claim
• Advised a corporate trustee in terminating multiple charitable trusts to preserve assets for the benefit of charitable beneficiaries, including representation with respect to appropriate court filings and petitioning the Ohio Attorney General’s Office for approval
• Facilitated and advised a third-generation family-owned business in succession planning, including the transfer of ownership interests in conjunction with required state and federal filings, and estate planning for owners 

Services

• Estate Planning
• Corporate & Transactional
• Wealth Transfer & Succession Planning
• Real Estate
• Tax Law
• Probate, Trust & Guardianship Litigation

1. The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law, J.D.
   • Chief Note Editor for Ohio State Law Journal 
   • Awarded the Nancy H. Rogers Prize in Dispute Resolution Scholarship
2. Wright State University, M.Ed
3. Ohio University, B.S., Education
   • magna cum laude

Bar Admissions

1. Ohio

Court Admissions

1. U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio

Professional Affiliations

• Columbus Bar Association
• Ohio State Bar Association
• Columbus Estate Planning Council
• Ohio State University Mentoring & More at Moritz Program – Mentor
• Sunbury/Big Walnut Chamber of Commerce, Member