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Robert Thurmond Prior

Estate planning Attorney at Watkinsville, GA

5.0   7 reviews

also known as Bob Prior

  • Licensed for 30 years
    State GA
    Acquired 1993
    Status
    Active Member in Good Standing No misconduct found

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

About Robert

Learn Robert’s areas of practice.

5
Practice areas
  1. Estate planning
    35%
    - Wills - Trusts (including Revocable Living Trust), Dynasty Trusts, Irrevocable Trusts, Life Insurance Trusts, Qualified Personal Residence Trusts, Retirement Trusts, Minors’ Trusts, Generation-Skipping Trusts - Gifting Programs - Asset Protection - Charitable Planning - Powers of Attorney - Health Care Directives - HIPAA Authorizations - Family Limited Partnerships - Business Succession

  2. Elder law
    25%

  3. Probate
    20%

  4. Business
    10%

  5. Tax
    10%

ROBERT T. (Bob) PRIOR, J.D., LL.M, is an experienced and skilled attorney whose practice focuses on estate planning and administration, elder law, business planning and taxation.

Bob was born and raised in Madison and graduated from Morgan County High School. His father was a local lawyer and is a long time Superior Court Judge. His paternal grandfather was a cotton farmer in Morgan County and his maternal grandfather owned a small grocery store and furniture business in Madison. The Prior family cemetery (located in Apalachee) has ancestors dating back to the Revolution.

From high school, Bob received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. Upon graduation from Annapolis in 1986, Bob followed a long family tradition and proudly served his country as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. He spent 11 years on active duty as a Marine infantry officer and later as a Judge Advocate General.

Upon leaving the Marine Corps in 1997, Bob returned to Georgia and for the past twenty two years has been in private practice. He was the founding partner of the Athens firm Prior, Daniel & Wiltshire, LLC which he formed with his longtime friend and fellow JAG, Michael Daniel. Upon Mr. Daniel’s untimely death in 2018, Bob formed Prior Law Firm to continue his specialty.

Bob specializes in estate and trust planning and administration, elder law, and business and tax planning. Bob takes a unique approach to dealing with his clients and spends time getting to know them and their families on both a professional and personal level. He educates them on the estate planning process and carefully advises them regarding the decisions they need to make to have an effective plan. He uses his education, expertise, and years of experience to ensure that each client and their families have the best possible customized estate plan to meet their needs and objectives.

Bob has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Naval Academy. He graduated as valedictorian (magna cum laude) with a Juris Doctor from Mercer University Law School and as valedictorian (summa cum laude) with a Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Alabama. Bob is a member of WealthCounsel and ElderCounsel, organizations that provide a national professional support network to Estate Planning and Elder Law attorneys. He is also an active member of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). NAELA attorneys are experienced and trained in working with the legal problems of aging Americans and individuals of all ages with disabilities.

Bob has been very involved in his community. He is a Director at the Bank of Madison and Chairman of the Bank’s Asset and Liability Committee. He served 12 years on the Morgan County Board of Education (4 as chairman), 8 years on the Downtown Development Authority for Madison, Chairman of the Madison Chamber of Commerce, as a Deacon at Madison Baptist Church, and as a Director of the St. Mary’s Highland Hills Retirement Village.

Bob’s interests include sports, reading, fishing, and traveling. He is married to his high school sweetheart Mary Ann (née Cunningham). They have four wonderful adult children and one grandson, who is their pride and joy.

Bob’s main office is located just off the Oconee Connector at Three-Sixteen Professional Park. To better serve his clients, he has satellite offices on South Main Street in Madison and at Harmony Crossing at Lake Oconee.

With offices in Athens, Madison and Lake Oconee, we offer consultations at the office nearest you. Just call or or email to start the process.

Contact Robert

Prior Law Firm
1360 Caduceus Way
Building 800 Suite 103
Watkinsville, GA, 30677
Prior Law Firm
288 South Main Street
Madison, GA, 30650
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Reviews

5.0 / 5.0
  7 customer reviews
5 Star
 
100%
4 Star
 
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Posted by Harold | October 8, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Absolutely the best
Without question, Bob is the best attorney I have had the pleasure of dealing with in 40+ years in the construction business. I am probably 10 years late in doing our Estate planning but the good news is we have picked the perfect lawyer to guide us thru the process. He is well organized, extremely knowledgeable, easy to deal with and you learn very quickly that you have picked the perfect person to put your trust in. He is an absolute pleasure to deal with. He is very attentive to details and prepares the documents in an organized manor. You have a comfortable feeling in dealing with him and you know that he is extremely talented. My only regret is that I did not meet him sooner. Without any reservation I recommend Bob.
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Posted by Faye | October 5, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
F. H. Machen
Bob is helping my husband and me with estate planning and we have found him to be extremely knowledgeable and concise with his advice. He has the abi,it’s to explain very difficult issues in layman’s terms so that we can fully understand the process. We ate very pleased and will continue to call on him with other legal needs.
Posted by Judy | April 7, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
My Great Experience With Attorney Robert Prior
Bob Prior has been assisting me with estate planning and other matters for several years. I have found him to be very well informed in all areas of his profession, very prompt with anything that had to be carried out, and very kind as he listens and advises. I would highly recommend Attorney Prior for anyone's legal needs.
Posted by Susan | April 5, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
My experiences with Mr. Bob Prior
My experiences with Bob Prior have been rock solid. He is personable, articulate, and knowledgeable. He knows the law and can explain it to those of us who do not. He has handled several issues for me as well as family members. I am 100% satisfied with all Bob Prior has done for me.
Posted by Ray | March 29, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Review of Robert Prior
Robert Prior was originally recommended to me by a business associate and my financial planner. I met with Bob and asked him to review my will and other existing estate documents (which were prepared in another state) that he felt were necessary given my current situation. Bob met with my wife and I so he could fully understand our individual needs and concerns. His recommendations suggested not only updating the existing documents, but also placing a majority of my wife's assets and my personal assets into 2 separate revocable living trusts. Bob took the time to explain why we needed the individual revocable living trusts and timely prepared the documents for our review. Bob then met with us again to answer any questions before we signed the documents. Bob's work was professional in every aspect. It is my opinion that Bob fully understands our personal situation and has given us comfort that the future is well documented to protect us and comply with our wishes. I would recommend Bob to those that have any concerns about their estate planning and desire an educated and professional expert to help with the process. I also found that Bob's rate of compensation for these estate planning services was very reasonable.
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Posted by Melinda | March 25, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
THE man you can trust!!!
In 2008, we were introduced to Bob Prior when he acted as the closing attorney for some property we had purchased. We were not only impressed by his professionalism, knowledge and detail to attention, but his wit, friendliness and ability to make us feel relaxed and appreciated. A couple of years later, we contacted Bob to us assist us in setting up a trust fund for the future of our family. He was extremely knowledgeable. He offered suggestions and explained each aspect in language that we fully understood. It was amazing how little we knew and how smart he was! Later my sister and I employed Bob to frame a will for our elderly mother. Again, his expertise came to our rescue. With his help and clarification of her assets, we decided on putting her estate into a trust. My aged mother-in-law did not have a will, nor did she want one. We encouraged her to put her properties in an estate trust as well. Again, we had Bob come to our aid. She was very pleased and relieved to know her estate would be handled as she desires in the future. Bob is always available for any questions that may arise. He is so very helpful, so very personable, unbelievably intelligent and just such a nice guy. We consider him not only a wonderful attorney, but also a friend. The thing I most admire about Bob is that he makes you feel so comfortable, friendly and appreciated.
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Posted by Melanie | March 24, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
The nicest man I've met in years and the most helpful...
Bob has been our family attorney for over ten years. He not only guided us through many legal issues including an elder law plan for my mother and probate for both of my parents' estates. He also prepared an estate plan for us as we transitioned into retirement. Bob was truly fantastic through it all. He patiently explained each step of the process, kept us informed and educated us on areas (which were many!) that were unfamiliar. He has more than gone out of his way a number of times to answer questions and explain things and honestly has the patience of JOB. He has a great personality and even if you aren't face to face with him...you can see his smile over the phone. Anytime we mention Bob, a smile breaks out on our faces. He truly is the nicest person. It's obvious when you work with him that he truly cares about his clients. He gives you a "warm and fuzzy" feeling that comes from his heart whether on the phone or in person. You are truly made to feel you are a family member. We enthusiastically recommend him for anyone that needs estate planning help! It's too bad the highest rating for this survey is a 5 as he deserves much higher!
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Contact for Details

Resume

AVVO RATING 8.5 (Excellent)

Work Experience

  • Partner
  • Prior Law Firm
  • 2019 - Present
  • Partner
  • Prior, Daniel & Wiltshire, LLC
  • 1998 - 2019
  • JAG
  • United States Marine Corps
  • 1986 - 1997

Education

  • University of Alabama
  • LL.M - Master of Laws
  • 2015
  • Mercer University - Walter F. George School of Law
  • JD - Juris Doctor
  • 1993
  • United States Naval Academy at Annapolis
  • BS - Bachelor of Science
  • 1986

Associations

  • National Association of Elder Law Attorneys
  • 2011 - Present
  • WealthCounsel
  • 2009 - Present
  • ElderCounsel
  • 2009 - Present

Languages Spoken

  • English

Speaking Engagements

  • Speaking Engagement on Types of Contracts
  • Contracts
  • 2017

Attorney endorsements

Received (4)
Given (3)
Endorse Robert
Corporate and incorporation Attorney | Apr 20
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I have referred several of my clients to Bob for representation in their corporate and estate planning matters. I did so because I knew Bob would represent them and their interests to the highest of standards. While many lawyers are versed enough to provide representation on basic estate planning matters, few are as adept as Bob in navigating the pitfalls of such a complex practice area. I have had the pleasure of representing clients with Bob in corporate matters and know from that experience that he provides exceptional representation and cares immensely about his clients. Without hesitation, I will have Bob represent me should the need ever arise."
Estate planning Attorney | Mar 20
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"I have referred numerous clients to Bob for estate work. He is very knowledgeable and professional. Everyone that I have referred to him has been extremely pleased with his legal work. I highly recommend Bob for any estate planning and corporate legal issues."
Elder law Attorney | Feb 24
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I have known Bob for many years, and we have consulted on cases together on numerous occasions. It is well known that Bob is an excellent elder law attorney-wills, estate planning, probate matters, etc.. Legal accomplishments aside, the most impressive aspect of Bob is his personality. I know that a client will be treated like a good friend, and will be kept well informed about the matter(s) entrusted to him. I strongly recommend Bob."
Elder law Attorney | Nov 05
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Bob Prior is widely regarded as the very best estate planning, trusts, and elder law attorney in Athens, Madison and all of North Georgia. His knowledge is deep, his experience is impressive and his honesty is palpable. Bob is very personable with a thorough and caring manner that allows his clients to relax and establish the rapport necessary to freely discuss their needs. Bob Prior stands head and shoulders above his peers in his broad understanding of the very complex issues prevalent in elder and estate law. A man of character, Bob has a strong sense of both personal and professional honor. I trust Bob and so should you."
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Watkinsville Estate planning Lawyer Robert Thurmond Prior
Robert Thurmond Prior
Estate planning Attorney
Watkinsville, GA
Licensed for 30 years