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Mr. Michael J. Howell

Mr. Michael J. Howell

The Law Office of Michael J. Howell, P.A.
  • Estate Planning, Probate
  • Florida, South Carolina
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Biography

Michael J. Howell is certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law. Michael has over 40 years of experience. He and his staff have over 100 years of combined experience in trusts, estates and probate, He was also named as one of the Top Lawyers in the Lowcounty in Hilton Head Monthly Magazine's April, 2013 and 2014 issues, which are the only years the list was published. Michael is also a certified mediator for Probate and Circuit Circuit Court matters. He is also licensed to practice law in South Carolina and Florida. His firm firm handles wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care powers of attorney and related documents as part of its estate planning practice. The firm also handles probate and trust matters, including will and trust contests, representing personal representatives, trustees and beneficiaries.

Practice Areas
    Estate Planning
    Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
    Probate
    Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests
Fees
  • Free Consultation
    See www.HiltonHeadEstatePlanning.com for details on our free initial consultation. A credit is given against any work, including the free initial consultation, for up to the cost of one hour of time. It Requires submission of certain basic information needed to advise the client on estate planning matters. The information can be downloaded from our website at ww.HiltonHeadEstatePlanning.com.
  • Credit Cards Accepted
  • Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
    $320 per hour for Michael J. Howell. $250 for associate attorney and $140 per hour for non-attorney staff members. Estimates for most types of work are provided and required prior to the conference and can be downloaded from our website at www.HiltonHeadEstatePlanning.com. Retainers are required in rare cases.
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Florida
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South Carolina
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Languages
  • English: Spoken, Written
Professional Experience
Shareholder
The Law Office of Michael J. Howell, P.A.
- Current
Firm is a successor or spin off firm of Lyman and Howell, P.A. (1983 - 1986), Michael J. Howell, Attorney-at-Law, (1986 - 1989 and 1992 - 2000) and Palmer, Brooks, Bowen and Howell, P.A. (1989 - 1992).
Vice-President and Trust Officer
Bank of Beaufort Trust Department
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Education
University of South Carolina School of Law
J.D. (1977) | Law
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Law Clerk from senior year in college until graduation from law school and then became attorney with the law firm.
Honors: Highest Paper Estate and Gift Taxation. Also become an Enrolled Agent with the Internal Revenue Service prior to graduation from law school with the legal ability to represent taxpayers before the IRS; although, not then an attorney.
Activities: Employed throughout law school with Markendorff and Enlow, which became Markendorff, Enlow and Grisso, and then became separate firms. Firms handled primarily civil and criminal tax matters. Member of Phi Dela Phi legal fraternity.
University of South Carolina School of Law Logo
University of South Carolina - Columbia
B.S. (1974) | Accounting
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Construction, draftsman and law clerk.
Honors: Dean's Honor Roll (Dean's List)
Activities: Employed throughout all college years.
University of South Carolina - Columbia Logo
Awards
Outstanding Young Man of the Year
Hilton Head Island Jaycees
Top Lawyers of The Lowcountry
Hilton Head Monthly Magazine
Top Lawyers of The Lowcountry (2013, 2014)
Professional Associations
South Carolina Bar Resolution of Fee Disputess Board
14th Judicial Circuit Panel Member
Current
Activities: From the South Carolina Bar Website: This Board, created by the Supreme Court under Rule 416, SCACR, resolves fee, cost and disbursement disputes between clients and SC Bar members, thereby providing a vital service to both the bar and public. Bar staff screens and forwards client applications to Circuit Chairs who assign the cases to local Board members. These volunteer attorneys promptly and professionally mediate, investigate and, if need be, arbitrate the disputes, preventing billing differences from spiraling into unnecessary litigation, grievance proceedings or poor public relations. The Board currently consists of almost 200 attorneys appointed by the Bar President for staggered three-year terms collectively handling about 100 cases annually -- less than one case per member per year on average.
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South Carolina Bar
Probate Forms Revision Committee
- Current
Activities: Member of the committee reviewing and making changes to the probate court forms based upon 2013 probate code legislation.
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Florida Bar Foundation
Legacy for Justice Program Member
- Current
Activities: Donor to and member of the Florida Bar Foundation,which helps provide legal services and legal education to those who can not afford legal services or for those who assist those who need but can not afford legal services. The Foundation also support numerous related functions and services. Member of the Legacy for Justice Program.
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Florida Supreme Court Historical Society
Member
- Current
Activities: The Florida Historical Society educates the public about the critically important work of the courts in protecting personal rights and freedoms, as well as in resolving the myriad of disputes that arise within the state. It also preserves the rich history of Florida's judicial system.
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Florida Bar
Member
- Current
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South Carolina Bar Foundation
Life Fellow, Society of Justice and Justice Legacy Member.
- Current
Activities: Life Fellow of the South Carolina Bar Foundation. The Foundation supports programs around South Carolina designed to provide legal services to those who can not afford them and also education to the public concerning legal matters and rights. Member of the Society of Justice and Justice Legacy programs of the Foundation.
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South Carolina Bar
Member of the Professional Responsibility Committee
- Current
Activities: Member of the Professional Responsibility Committee. Past Chairman of the Committee. Member of the Ethics 2000 Subcommittee and also a member of the Bar's three person subcommittee that worked with the South Carolina Supreme Court and its own Commission on the new Rules of Professional Conduct for Lawyers, which became effective on October 1, 2005. Worked on a subcommittee that studied alternatives to multidisciplinary practices and changes to rules on what to do with a legal practice when an attorney dies, becomes incompetent, is suspended or disbarred. Co-authored a manual for South Carolina attorneys who are appointed by the South Carolina Supreme Court to take over such practices. Also chairman of a committee formed to define what constitutes a client file for purposes of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
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South Carolina State Bar
Member
- Current
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South Carolina Bar
Board of Governors
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Activities: Member of the Board of Governors of the South Carolina Bar. Also a member of the board of the South Carolina Bar Foundation.
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South Carolina Supreme Court Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specializaiton
Secretary and Member
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Activities: Member From 1998-2004. Secretary from 2002 - 2004. The Commission oversees required continuing legal education requirements for South Carolina attorneys. The Commission also oversees the specialization programs for attorneys in South Carolina in Estate Planning and Probate Law, Taxation Law, Labor Law and Bankruptcy Law. Also represented South Carolina at three National Roundtables on Specialization sponsored by the American Bar Association.
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South Carolina Bar
Member of Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee
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Activities: Past member of Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee. Also was a member of the complaints subcommittee and assisted in investigations of unauthorized practice of law cases.
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South Carolina Supreme Court Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization Estate Planning and Probate Law Advisory Board
Chairman and Member
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Activities: Member for the years 1993-1996. Chairman of the Advisory Board in 1995. The Advisory Board interviews and tests attorneys wanting to become Certified Specialists in Estate Planning and Probate Law.
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Publications
Articles & Publications
Ethical Considerations for Estate Planning Lawyers in South Carolina - A Study of Selected Provisions of the Rules of Professional Responsibility
National Business Institute
What's New and What's Left in Sophisticated Estate Planning, - A Primer on Selected Estate Planning Techniques for South Carolina Attorneys
National Business Institute
What's New and What's Left in Sophisticated Estate Planning
National Business Institute
Disclaimer Trusts: a wait and see approach to estate planning in light of EGTRRA
South Carolina Bar Magazine
Speaking Engagements
Estate Planning and Probate, Estate and Financial Planning Seminar
St. Andrew By-The-Sea United Methodist Church
Estate Planning and Probate
University of South Carolina Business Law Class
What Is So Special About Special Administrators, South Carolina Probate Judges Meeting
Guns in Estates, 2018 South Carolina Probate Judges Bench - Bar Continuing Legal Education Course
Certifications
Certified Mediator in South Carolina Probate and Circuit Courts
South Carolina Supreme Court
Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law in South Carolina
South Carolina Supreme Court
Websites & Blogs
Website
Website
Contact & Map
The Law Office of Michael J. Howell, P.A.
1 Corpus Christie Place
#112
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Telephone: (843) 785-7590
Monday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM (Today)
Wednesday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
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