Stephanie LeBlanc earned both her Juris Doctor and an LLM in Taxation from the University of Miami School of Law through the university’s dual degree program, a credential that shapes the way Lawn & LeBlanc approaches estate planning: not as the preparation of standard documents, but as tax-informed wealth preservation with legal structure built around each client’s financial and family situation. The firm is located at 5070 Florida A1A, Vero Beach, Florida 32963, and can be reached at (772) 231-1212.
The Firm’s Approach
Lawn & LeBlanc describes its work as “enhanced estate and business planning” combined with wealth preservation and tax-advantageous techniques. The standard estate planning products, wills and revocable trusts, are present in the firm’s practice, but they are integrated with tax analysis and asset protection strategies that the firm sees as essential components of any serious plan.
The firm serves individuals, family offices, businesses, and organizations in and around Vero Beach. Its practice runs across estate planning, probate administration, business formation and succession, and trust and estate litigation when disputes arise.
Practice Areas
Estate Planning
The firm builds plans around individual and family objectives. Documents include wills, revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, durable powers of attorney, and healthcare documents. These are not treated as standardized instruments. Each plan reflects the specific assets, family structure, tax situation, and intentions of the client.
Wealth Preservation and Asset Protection
Wealth preservation is described by the firm as an essential component of enhanced planning. The strategies involved aim to shield assets from taxes, judgments, and fraud. Stephanie LeBlanc’s LLM in Taxation provides the technical foundation for applying tax-advantageous techniques across trust structures, business entities, and transaction planning.
Probate
After a client’s death, the firm handles the administration of estates through the Florida probate process, including filing with the court, addressing creditor claims, and distributing assets to beneficiaries. For clients with trust-based plans designed to avoid probate, the firm handles trust administration instead.
Business and Corporate Law
The firm assists with the formation, maintenance, and succession of LLCs, partnerships, corporations, nonprofit corporations, and other entities. The firm applies a tax-advantageous and asset protection lens to business planning, which means the choice of entity and governance structure are analyzed not only for operational purposes but for tax efficiency and wealth preservation.
Tax Planning
With an LLM in Taxation at the partnership level, the firm brings applied tax knowledge to estate plans, trust structures, business formations, and transactions. The firm identifies tax risks and uses legal techniques to limit them and maximize available benefits.
Estate and Trust Litigation
When disputes arise involving estates, trusts, or fiduciary conduct, the firm handles litigation. This includes removing fiduciaries who are acting improperly, obtaining formal accountings from trustees or personal representatives, enforcing beneficiary rights and distributions, and resolving IRS audits and tax challenges.
The Attorneys
Ronald Keith Lawn is a founding partner of the firm and is licensed with the Florida Bar. His practice covers estate planning, probate, and business law. He has been selected to the Super Lawyers or Rising Stars list.
Stephanie M. LeBlanc is a partner licensed with the Florida Bar. She earned her J.D. and LLM in Taxation through the University of Miami School of Law dual degree program. Her practice focuses on estate planning, probate, and tax law with an emphasis on the intersection of taxation and wealth transfer. She serves as a board member of the Indian River Estate Planning Council and as an advisory board member of the Vero Beach Museum of Art Planned Giving Committee. She has been selected to the Super Lawyers list.
Dana C. Larsen is an attorney licensed with the Florida Bar whose practice focuses on estate planning, probate, and estate and trust litigation.
Service Area and Access
Lawn & LeBlanc serves individuals, families, and businesses in Vero Beach and Indian River County, with reach extending into Martin, St. Lucie, and surrounding counties. The office at 5070 Florida A1A in Vero Beach is accessible by phone at (772) 231-1212. The firm’s website is verobeachlawgroup.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does having an LLM in Taxation change estate planning advice?
An LLM in Taxation is a graduate law degree focused on tax law, separate from and in addition to the J.D. required for bar admission. Stephanie LeBlanc’s LLM means the firm can analyze estate plans for federal estate tax exposure, income tax implications of trust distributions, and tax consequences of business entity choices as a standard part of the planning process, rather than referring out to a tax advisor.
What is trust and estate litigation, and when is it needed?
Trust and estate litigation arises when there are disputes about how a trust or estate is being administered. Common situations include a beneficiary who believes a trustee is mismanaging assets, a family member contesting the validity of a will, or a situation where an accounting of assets is needed to verify that distributions have been made correctly. The firm’s attorney Dana Larsen focuses specifically on this area alongside estate planning work.
Does the firm serve business owners differently than individual clients?
Business owners often need coordinated planning that addresses the business itself alongside personal estate planning. The firm’s business law practice handles entity structure, buy-sell agreements, and succession planning, while the estate planning practice addresses how the business fits into the owner’s overall wealth and estate plan. These are frequently handled together for business owner clients.
What is the Indian River Estate Planning Council?
The Indian River Estate Planning Council is a professional organization for attorneys, financial planners, accountants, and others working in estate planning in the Indian River County area of Florida. Stephanie LeBlanc serves on the organization’s board, which involves collaboration with other professionals in the field and engagement with continuing education and professional standards in estate planning.
Is the firm’s litigation practice available for matters involving other estates not originally planned by the firm?
Yes. Trust and estate litigation does not require that the firm originally drafted the documents in dispute. Clients who are involved in disputes over an estate or trust administered by other attorneys or institutions can engage the firm for litigation representation independently of its estate planning work.