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Karen Sue Keaton

Estate planning Attorney at Saint Petersburg, FL

5.0   6 reviews
  • Licensed for 39 years
    State FL
    Acquired 1984
    Status
    Member in Good Standing Lawyer disciplined by state licensing authority in 2014

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Karen S. Keaton, Esquire
2816 Beach Boulevard
Saint Petersburg, FL, 33707

Reviews

5.0 / 5.0
  6 customer reviews
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Posted by Mary Anna Matthews | July 24, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Karen Keaton
Karen drew up my husband's and my will and created a trust for us. After he died she kept after me to make sure that I updated the trust. I am very grateful for her caring and concern during that difficult time. She has never failed to offer me sound advice and I consider her a dear friend.
Posted by Pam | July 18, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Great Attorney
Our experience with Attorney Karen Keaton has been stellar. Karen is professional as well as genuinely caring about her clients. My Mom & I met with Karen Keaton about establishing a Trust. This can be a confusing process but it was explained clearly without an effort to 'sell' the process but to understand the true value of establishing a Trust. Karen helped my Mother with the details of creating a Trust and following her desires to protect the family assets. My Mother and Father have since passed away but Karen Keaton's commitment to the wishes of the Trust and family have remained steadfast and done so with compassion.
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Posted by Pat | July 18, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Living Trust
Living Trusts were set up and FUNDED with Karen's expert help and guidance. She is a pleasure to work with and is extremely knowledgeable in all aspects of estate planning. If you want to do it right, call Karen. Her support staff is top notch also.
Posted by Susan | July 17, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent caring attorney
Ms. Keaton and her staff guided me through the writing of my will and setting up my trust. They were professional, helpful, answered all of my questions. They made the whole procedure painless and I would recommend Ms. Keaton highly.
Posted by George | July 17, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Experience and Education that is hard to find
Having practiced law for over 1/3 of a century I have come to know a large number of lawyers - some good, some mediocre and some bad. And then there are those lawyers who rise above the pack. Karen Sue Keaton, SJD has years of experience in real estate, corporations and business law, estate planning and tax law. Her SJD (Juridicae Scientiae Doctor which is sometimes also referred to as a Doctor of Laws) is in tax law and is the equivalent to a PhD in other disciplines. I have only known one other lawyer with her educational background who was a professor of mine in law school. Because of her years of practical experience and strong education background I had no problem referring my own mother to her for family estate planning. She is also my personal lawyer for matters involving tax consulting as well as estate planning. The bottom line is that a good lawyer with her experience and education is hard to find.
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Posted by anonymous | May 3, 2015
Exceptional Attorney
Attorney Karen Keaton and her staff definitely go above and beyond. My mother was sick and could not go to the office to sign her Will, etc. Attorney Keaton and staff rushed to finalize everything and also came to my Mother's house. She did not charge extra for this. You can tell she really cares for her clients!
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AVVO RATING 8.2 (Excellent)

Professional misconduct

This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2014.

Public Reprimand issued in FL, 2014
updated on 07/17/2017

Public reprimand means the attorney did something wrong but may still practice law. The Bar warns the lawyer in hopes that he or she will not repeat the behavior. Details of the infraction are made part of the public record.

Karen's comment: “I served my client as trustee of a charitable remainder trust which invested in private money mortgages. I previously created a corporation for another client who subsequently borrowed money from the first client's charitable trust. Unfortunately, I failed to obtain a letter from the corporate client acknowledging that there could possibly be a conflict of interest should the corporate client default on the mortgage.”

Public Reprimand issued in FL, 2012
updated on 07/17/2017

Public reprimand means the attorney did something wrong but may still practice law. The Bar warns the lawyer in hopes that he or she will not repeat the behavior. Details of the infraction are made part of the public record.

Karen's comment: “My client nominated me to serve as trustee of her trust. I followed my client's specific directions in creating the trust and administered the trust in accordance with the terms of the trust. A trust beneficiary was unhappy with the terms of the trust.”

Work Experience

  • Attorney
  • Gulf Beaches Law, P.A., formerly known as Karen S. Keaton, P.A.
  • 1990 - Present
  • Professor - Estate Planning
  • Stetson University College Of Law
  • 1996 - 1996
  • Professor - Financial Planning and Accounting for Guardians
  • St. Petersburg Junior College
  • 1991 - 1991
  • Attorney
  • B. Gray Gibbs, P.A.
  • 1989 - 1990
  • Attorney
  • Powell, Carney, Moore, Hucks & Olson, PA
  • 1989 - 1989
  • Attorney
  • Allison & Heistand, P.A.
  • 1985 - 1988
  • Prosecuting Attorney
  • Pinellas County State Attorney
  • 1984 - 1985
View all work experience

Education

  • University of Florida
  • LL.M - Master of Laws
  • 1989
  • Stetson University College of Law
  • JD - Juris Doctor, with honors
  • 1983
  • Samford Univeristy
  • Bachelor of Music
  • 1974

Associations

  • National Association of Residential Property Managers
  • Affiliate Member
  • 2014 - Present
  • St. Petersburg Bar Association
  • Member
  • 1985 - Present

Languages Spoken

  • English

Honors and Awards

  • AV Rated
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 1993

Attorney endorsements

Received (4)
Given (3)
Endorse Karen
Landlord or tenant Attorney | Jul 20
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. I have known Karen for over 15 years. We have had the opportunity to consult with each other on several matters. I always appreciate how knowledgeable Karen is as well as how well she serves her clients."
Landlord or tenant Attorney | Jul 19
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"I endorse this lawyer. I send all my residential eviction work to Karen. She does an excellent job on residential evictions."
Unknown Attorney | Jul 18
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"I endorse this lawyer."
Estate planning Attorney | Jul 17
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"I endorse this lawyer."
Medicaid and medicare
Estate planning

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Saint Petersburg Estate planning Lawyer Karen Sue Keaton
Karen Sue Keaton
Estate planning Attorney
Saint Petersburg, FL
Licensed for 39 years
This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2014. See details