Deborah Browne Cole

Deborah B. Cole is a partner and member of the firm’s Estate Planning Group. Deborah has built her practice based upon her belief that professionally done estate planning is essential for every adult American. Although some estate planners focus on the super wealthy and senior citizens, Deborah believes that estate planning is an ongoing process, beneficial for young families, single parents with young children, recent divorcees, persons contemplating marriage, new retirees, as well as persons in non-traditional relationships and families planning for a person with Aspecial needs@ often due to a disability or the receipt of a large settlement. She focuses her practice on estate planning, which includes drafting wills, trusts, asset protection plans, health care directives and mental health directives. She also handles probate and trust administration matters, real estate matters and family business succession planning.

Although Deborah is well versed in the sophisticated planning tools and techniques required by larger estates and more complex situations, Deborah prides herself on assisting all of her clients in maintaining the maximum control over their assets and affairs, avoiding conflicts and accordingly financial abuse or exploitation during periods of mental incapacity. She also has been very effective at strategies to minimize taxation, and avoid, to the extent possible, lengthy and expensive probate and guardianship court proceedings. Deborah understands that providing thorough and personal service is the basis for successful client relationships, whether she is counseling individuals, families, corporate fiduciaries, charitable organizations or family business owners.

Deborah is a certified mediator and has provided mediation services on a volunteer basis with the Center For Conflict Resolution. She has handled disputes involving property damage, neighbor disputes, and child custody and visitation. However, because of her experience with guardianship matters, she has been particularly successful not mediating disputes among family members fighting over the care and control of finances of an elderly parent or family member. To Deborah, success in these situation is achieving a resolution to the dispute that all participating family members agree to, which avoids further court interaction, allows resources that would have been consumed in litigation costs to be redirected towards enhancing the care of the elderly person, and preserves family relationships. As of 2015, Deborah has added Guardianship and Probate mediation services to her practice.

Deborah’s professional work also reflects her conviction that preserving and supporting African American business owners and charitable organizations is critical to the growth and vitality of the community and to addressing issues concerning employment, education and crime. Deborah works with for profit business owners and charitable institutions to preserve and protect their businesses through trademark and copyright protection, planning for the proper business form, best practices, reporting to the appropriate governmental agencies and general planning for growth and diversification. Deborah is particularly proud of the work that she has done with family businesses to develop plans that will allow the business to continue with the next generation or maximize profit on sale.

In her spare time Deborah plays duplicate bridge as often as she can, and enjoys reading and travel.