Elliott Stapleton

Protect What You Earn and Plan for Success.

AVVO

Phone: 513-334-0099

Email: Email Elliott

Cincinnati, Ohio – Attorney:

As an attorney and consultant with CMRS Law, Elliott’s legal services include Business Formation, Commercial Transactions, Estate Planning, as well as Probate and Trust Administration in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Elliott works with individual clients on putting clear, concise estate plans in place to help clients protect what they have earned. This includes representation in creating Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, asset protection planning, and during Trust and Probate administration.

Elliott advises business owners, executives, founders, and internal teams on maintaining legally sound businesses, protecting intellectual property, and creating customized agreements for commercial and technology transactions. He provides outside general counsel on a broad range of business matters, including technology and commercial transactions.

To provide clients with certainty, most legal services are based on flat rates. The flat rate for services is based on each client’s specific goals and the options selected to achieve those goals established in the initial consultation.

Elliott offers video consultations and signings designed to accommodate the needs of all clients. Elliott has created a visual summary of the process using Zoom.

Estate Planning

Elliott advises clients on Estate Planning, Probate, Trust Administration, and other forms of asset protection in Cincinnati, Ohio. He helps each client develop the best planning based on a review of the family’s goals. Most clients have questions such as:

What is an Estate Plan?

The word Estate is commonly associated with extreme wealth. But the word Estate means “all of your assets,” regardless of size.

An Estate Plan outlines how your property will be distributed upon your death and who will make important decisions if you are disabled.

How do you select the right plan?

Your specific needs determine what services will need to be provided. Our goal is to ensure that the individuals or charities you select receive the correct assets.

To achieve this goal, we help you balance options that limit taxation, ensure that the assets are used for their intended purpose, and avoid probate. This is the benefit of working with an Estate Planning attorney in Cincinnati, Ohio.

What does the planning process include?

During the planning process, we explain the purpose and effect of each step involved. With advice on the risks and implications, you decide which plan you prefer. Feel free to follow this link to see a summary of Trust and Estate Planning. Examples of services include:

  • Will;
  • Durable Power of Attorney;
  • Health Care Power of Attorney;
  • Living Will;
  • Revocable Living Trust;
  • Irrevocable Trust;
  • Medicaid Asset Protection Trust;
  • Special Needs Trust; and
  • Transfer-on-Death Designations.

If you already have an Estate Plan, but you’re not sure if an update is needed, here is an Estate Plan Review Checklist. This checklist includes important items to consider when reviewing an existing plan.

Elliott has created an article that summarizes the potential income tax issues related to trust modifications for those interested in modifying or terminating irrevocable trusts. He has also created summaries on estate taxes and techniques to limit exposure to estate tax. Our firm has created a summary of the Secure Act and potential changes to your Estate Plan.

For individuals who own Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, here is a summary of cryptocurrency planning considerations related to this unique asset class.

Elliott has created a summary of 30 Different Types of Trusts. This summary covers the issues when deciding which type of trust addresses a client’s specific goals. For creditor protection for professionals, one trust of particular interest is the Ohio Legacy Trust; he has created a three-part video series on this topic.

For adult children going off to college, it is essential to consider creating a Healthcare Power of Attorney and Financial Power of Attorney. These are vital documents to have if the adult child is incapacitated; without these legal documents in place, parents would be required to open probate (causing an unnecessary delay). Elliott has also created a summary of the different gifting methods for transfers to minor or adult children. 

Trust and Probate Administration

If your family member or loved one passes away with only a Will (or dies without a Will), we can help with probate administration. The administration process can take between six to twelve months and involves filings with the local county court. Trust administration is a much shorter process than probate administration.

Elliott also provides concise checklists to assist families in the event of an emergency. This includes guidance to executors, trustees, and powers of attorney. In addition, he supplies clients with flowcharts on estate planning and tax planning related to trusts and estates.

He has prepared an overview of the Probate process in Ohio as well as the Trust administration process in Ohio, including answers to frequently asked questions.

Business Law

Elliott provides outside general counsel and advises management as a consultant from formation, during stages of rapid growth, and, in some cases, through acquisition. His clients range from single-member, start-up businesses to large, privately-held companies and include corporate strategy, process improvement, and optimizing business operations. Business owners, executives, and leadership seek Elliott’s guidance on matters such as:

Selecting Business Entities

The purpose of entity selection is to determine which option would be best for your business to minimize liability and maximize tax advantages.

Examples of entities (including holding companies and subsidiaries) include Limited Liability Companies (LLC), S-Corporations, and C-Corporations. This work also includes addressing how the business owner will transfer their interest upon death.

Creating, Reviewing, & Negotiating Contracts

The purpose of a company’s contract is to protect the business owner. To this end, it is crucial to create contracts using language understood by all parties involved. The likelihood of litigation is diminished when all sides understand the terms of a contract.

Elliott has worked with clients on many commercial transactions, including:

  • Asset Purchase or Sale of Business Agreements (Letter of Intent);
  • Buy/Sell Agreements;
  • Employment Agreements;
  • Independent Contractor Agreements;
  • Joint Venture Agreements;
  • License Agreements;
  • Non-compete Agreements;
  • Operating Agreements;
  • Purchase Agreements;
  • Sale of Goods Agreements;
  • Security Agreements; and
  • Software (SaaS) Agreements.

Protecting Intellectual Property

A business’s name and its work product are important factors in distinguishing it from the competition.

Protecting your intellectual property involves filing Trademarks, Servicemarks, and Copyrights, as well as advising you on issues regarding enforcement of these filings.

Protecting Real Property and Personal Assets

Business owners should always limit their exposure to potential liabilities. This includes business ventures which are susceptible to significant damages. We help insulate risk to avoid business damages affecting personal assets.

Elliott regularly presents on topics related to estate planning, probate, and business law.

Background

In November of 2007, Elliott joined the firm as an associate after graduating from law school. He worked as an associate until March of 2011 when he was made a partner of the firm at age 29.

Previously, Elliott clerked with the Formica Corporation’s in-house counsel. While in Formica’s legal department, he worked on the day-to-day legal needs of a multinational corporation with the company’s General Counsel. This work included: contract review, commercial transactions, trademark protection, employment-related issues, and assessment of international law.

As an extern with the Office of Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service, Elliott resolved complex tax conflicts through negotiation, mediation, and administrative proceedings. He drafted appellant briefs and presented oral arguments on behalf of the United States Government in Tax Court.

Education

Elliott received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Louisville School of Law. While at Louisville, he focused on courses to better serve individuals in creating their estate plans and business owners in pursuing their goals. Some of the honors he received while at the University of Louisville include: Dean’s Scholarship, being named to the Brandeis Inns of Court, and representing the school in Securities Law Moot Court.

Elliott also attended the University of Cincinnati, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science. While at the University of Cincinnati, he was a member of multiple on-campus organizations and was tapped into the Honorary Order of the Omega.

Bar Admissions

  • The State of Ohio
  • The Commonwealth of Kentucky
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio

Board Membership

Professional Organization Membership

Fraternal Organizations

  • Delta Tau Delta
  • Phi Alpha Delta
  • Order of Omega

Locations:

When scheduling an appointment with Elliott, feel free to request either of our firm’s current locations:

Primary office: 123 Boggs Lane, 1st Floor, Cincinnati, Ohio 45246

Hyde Park/Central Cincinnati office: 2101 Grandin Road, Suite A, Cincinnati, OH 45208

Submit your confidential information prior to your meeting with Elliott Stapleton.


Required Disclaimer: These statements should not serve as a guarantee of the outcome for your specific legal matter. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case. None of the statements above are to be construed as legal advice. Any testimonials, ratings, or statements of achievements are not to be construed as full assessments by all of an attorney’s clients, certification of the attorney’s services, or certification of a given area of focus for such attorney. The viewer should not interpret any direct or indirect comparison of our services with the services of others as a verifiable comparison, which could be substantiated through an objective process.