Attorneys' Profiles

Bryan Howard

Bryan Howard is a founding member of Howard & Mobley, PLLC. Bryan assists families whose net worth exceeds $10 million with wealth transfer planning, tax reduction planning, charitable giving and asset protection planning. He also advises the owners of closely-held businesses with respect to tax and business succession issues and represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries with regard to trust and estate administration and litigation issues.

Bryan is certified as an Estate Planning Specialist in Tennessee. Bryan is listed in the Best Lawyers in America (2001-2010 editions) in both the Tax and Trusts and Estates categories, has been selected as one of the top 100 Lawyers in the U.S. by Worth Magazine, one of the best lawyers in Tennessee by Business Tennessee magazine and one of the Best Lawyers in Tax Law by Corporate Counsel magazine. Bryan has the AV rating (highest available) for ethical standards and legal ability from Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review ratings system.

Bryan frequently lectures and writes on estate planning and taxation topics. Recent articles include: “Fixing Broken Trusts: The Uniform Trust Code and Other Tools” published in the Journal of Taxation of Investments in 2008; “Asset Protection Trusts Come to Tennessee” published in the Tennessee Banker in 2007; “Trust Planning In An Uncertain Estate Tax Environment” presented to the 57th Annual Tennessee Federal Tax Institute in 2006; and “Installment Sales Involving Non-Grantor Trusts” published in Estate Planning in 2005.

Education

B.S., Business Administration, University of California at Berkeley, 1979
J.D., Vanderbilt University Law School, 1983
L.L.M., Taxation, University of Florida Levin College of Law, 1984

Professional Activities

Fellow and Tennessee Chair-Elect, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
Numerous legislative activities, including, principal draftsman of the Tennessee Investment Services Trust Act of 2007 and the Tennessee Community Property Trust Act of 2010, a Member of Committee which drafted the Tennessee Uniform Trust Code (2004 and 2007) and Member of Tennessee Bar Association’s Probate Study Committee, which reviews and recommends legislation involving trusts and estates in Tennessee
Former Chairman (1994 & 2006), Estate Planning Committee, Nashville Bar Association
Former Chairman (2004), Tax Committee, Nashville Bar Association

Civic and Other Activities

Board Member and Former President, Guardianship and Trust Corporation of Tennessee
Trustee and Former President, Tennessee Federal Tax Institute
YMCA Foundation of Middle Tennessee - Member of Professional Advisory Committee
Nashville Symphony - Member of Legacy Advisory Council

Jeff Mobley

Jeff Mobley is a founding member of Howard & Mobley, PLLC and concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning, tax planning for estates and trusts, business succession planning, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, estate administration, and resolution of disputes involving estates, and related real estate matters. Jeff is certified as an Estate Planning Specialist by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization. He is listed in the The Best Lawyers in America (2001-2008 editions), and has the AV rating (highest rating) for ethical standards and legal ability from Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review ratings system. Jeff was listed as one of the top 150 lawyers in Tennessee by Business Tennessee magazine (Jan. 2006), one of only 8 attorneys listed as tops statewide in the area of Trusts & Estates.

Jeff is a Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He has served as President of the Nashville Estate Planning Council and as Chair of the Probate Court Committee of the Nashville Bar Association. Jeff is a co-author of Pritchard on the Laws of Wills and Administration of Estates (6th Ed. 2007), a three-volume treatise on the laws pertaining to wills and probate in Tennessee.

Education

B.A., History, with High Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa, University of Kentucky, 1979
J.D., Order of the Coif (top 10%), Law Review, University of Kentucky College of Law, 1982

Professional Activities

Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
Member, Nashville Bar Association
Member, Tennessee Bar Association
Member, American Bar Associations
Member and former President, Nashville Estate Planning Council
Member and former Chair, Probate Court Committee, Nashville Bar Association
Certified as Estate Planning Specialist, National Association of Estate Planners & Councils
Certified as Estate Planning Specialist, Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization
Frequent speaker to attorneys, estate planning professionals and laypersons concerning wills, trusts and related matters
Licensed to practice in Tennessee and Kentucky

Stephanie J. Edwards

Stephanie J. Edwards is an attorney with Howard & Mobley, PLLC and concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning, related business and tax matters, estate administration, and advising fiduciaries with respect to trust and administration issues.

Stephanie’s previous experience includes serving as the Trust Team Leader for the State of Tennessee for Bank of America, N.A. Prior to joining Bank of America, she was a Member in the firm of Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, PLLC.

Stephanie is the President of the Estate Planning Council of Middle Tennessee and is active in the Nashville, Tennessee and American Bar Associations.

Education

B.S., Business Administration, Middle Tennessee State University, 1989
J.D., University of Tennessee College of Law, with honors,1992
L.L.M., Taxation, University of Florida Levin College of Law, 1998

Professional Activities

Member, Tennessee Bar Association
President and Member, Nashville Estate Planning Council
Member, Estate Planning Committee and Probate Committee, Nashville Bar Association
Member and former Chairman (2005 and 2006), Tax Committee, Nashville Bar Association
Member, Tax and Real Property, Probate and Trust Law sections, American Bar Association