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Ryan W. Gardner
About Ryan
Biography
Ryan W. Gardner is a Partner and Practice Group Leader of the the Trust and Estate Planning Practice Group at Howard & Howard, Attorneys, PLLC, a full-service law firm with over 130 attorneys in 5 offices nationwide. Ryan regularly counsels and represents individuals and families, business owners, and diverse entrepreneurs, helping to educate and navigate simple to complex estate and business succession planning by creating sensible, customized solutions to ensure that his clients' families, assets, and business interests are protected.
Practice Areas
4
Practice Areas
Fees and Rates
Cost
Hourly Rates
$ 395-495 per hour
Retainer
Sometimes
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in Michigan for 3 years
State: Michigan
Acquired: 2022
No misconduct found
Licensed in Illinois for 10 years
State: Illinois
Acquired: 2015
No misconduct found
Location
Howard & Howard, Attorneys, PLLC
200 S. Michigan Avenue, Suite #1100, Chicago, IL, 60604
Howard & Howard, Attorneys, PLLC
450 West Fourth Street, Royal Oak, MI, 48067
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Ryan W. Gardner's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
52 Client Reviews
Filter Avvo Reviews (52)
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Practice Areas
What Clients Mention
Showing 6 - 10 of 23 reviews | Practice Area Knowledge
Posted by Kristin | March 13, 2021 | Hired Attorney | Estate Planning
Estate Planning
Ryan was such a pleasure to work with in setting up our estate plan. He took the time to explain the entire process in terms we could easily understand. He was also patient and thoughtful when answering all of our questions. We felt very comfortable with Ryan, and would highly recommend him.
Ryan Gardner
Replied last March 13, 2021Thank you, Kristin. I appreciate your kind words, and enjoyed working with you.
Posted by Richard | March 13, 2021 | Hired Attorney | Estate Planning
Estate planning
Ryan and his team did an excellent job in helping my family create an estate plan. We had a discovery session where he listened to our family’s needs. He gave us some great insights into what other family’s like ours had done in terms of estate planning while also affirming decisions we were convict...
Ryan Gardner
Replied last March 13, 2021Thank you, Richard. It was a pleasure to work with you and your family.
Posted by anonymous | March 13, 2021 | Hired Attorney | Estate Planning
A great experience from beginning to end!!
Estate planning is one of those things that you put off but is a necessity. Ryan made the entire process painless and perfect. He asked all the right questions and made solid recommendations. He was incredibly thorough and took the time to make sure that I understood everything. Ryan answered all my ...
Ryan Gardner
Replied last March 13, 2021Thank you!
Posted by David | March 13, 2021 | Hired Attorney | Estate Planning
Complex law explained plainly and thoroughly
My wife and I hired Ryan to help us do estate planning, something that felt icky but necessary since we had just had our first child. We met with Ryan and associates in his office and he patiently and clearly explained the complexities of Illinois estate laws, guiding us to make decisions that we hop...
Ryan Gardner
Replied last March 13, 2021Thank you, David. It was a pleasure to support you and your family with your estate planning. As you know, new parents need this important planning, arguably more than most.
Posted by Kevin | March 13, 2021 | Hired Attorney | Estate Planning
Thorough, Comprehensive, and Comprehendable!
My wife and I used Ryan Gardner to prepare our wills and Revocable Trusts. We'd initially asked another lawyer about how to set up the types of trusts we wanted and learned that what we were looking for was more than just a simple trust and that he wasn't comfortable doing the work. After cont...
Ryan Gardner
Replied last March 13, 2021Thank you, Kevin. I'm grateful for the opportunity to support you and your family with your legal planning.
Ryan W. Gardner's Lawyer Endorsements
"Ryan is knowledgeable, ethical, caring, and attentive when it comes to helping clients navigate estate planning issues. He can be counted on to provide personalized attention and a quality deliverable. I highly recommend him!"
"Ryan is an attentive, experienced, and pragmatic business attorney."
"Your search for a lawyer ends here. Ryan is a stand up person, is intelligent and is committed to his practice. I highly highly endorse Ryan for all areas of law and is just a great person to know all together. Added bonus: Ryan has an expansive network which he isn't hesitant to utilize to assist others."
"Ryan is an excellent attorney with great character. He is diligent and attentive to his client's needs. He is extremely knowledgeable in estate planning. I would not hesitate to recommend him to my clients."
"As a former classmate and fellow attorney in the community, I endorse Ryan as a trustworthy and competent lawyer. For this reason, my husband and I engaged his services for our estate planning, and we were completely satisfied with his representation. His knowledge, care for his clients, and diligence were obvious from the moment we met with him for a consultation. I highly endorse Ryan Gardner as a fellow attorney."
"Ryan is a fantastic estate planning attorney. I have referred clients to him, and have heard nothing but great things from them about his work performance. I will continue to refer clients his way, and recommend others do so as well."
"Ryan is an excellent addition to our estate planning team whose enthusiasm is refreshing. He is highly committed to preparing customized estate plans which meet client objectives."
"Ryan is a talented, smart lawyer. He uses his substantial savvy to deliver excellent results for his clients. I can't say enough good things about Ryan. Not only does he possess great business sense, he also is a tireless advocate on behalf of his clients."
"Ryan is an enormous asset to Lavelle Law and the Clients we serve via our estate planning practice. He is an incredibly knowledgeable and diligent lawyer who takes a very personal approach to representing his clients."
"I endorse this lawyer. Ryan has really jumped into our firm and has added value to our estate planning group from the day he started. He is very thorough in his documentation of estate plans."
"Ryan is a motivated and driven attorney. He is committed to exceeding client expectations and I am constantly impressed with his knowledge in all areas of estate planning."
"Ryan is passionate about his clients and will ensure their questions are answered and their needs are met at every step of the estate planning process."
"Ryan works tirelessly for his clients and guides them through every step, ensuring they are getting the results the client desires. He has set a high standard for both professionalism and ethics. I highly recommend this attorney."
"Ryan's enthusiasm and commitment to high-level client service are second to none. He is an asset to our estate planning practice group, and I endorse him without reservation."
"Mr. Gardner is through and through a great attorney. His wealth of knowledge in the Estate Planning, Probate, Medicare, Medicaid and Guardianship fields make him an impressive mind to have in your corner. I know that he is knowledgable, respectful, personable and diligent. This makes him my first selection in referring anyone to an attorney in the aforementioned fields."
"Ryan brings a high level of energy to any case he is handling, and is a strong advocate for all of his clients. He's a great problem solver and genuinely cares about the outcomes he is seeking for his clients. I definitely endorse Ryan."
"I highly recommend Ryan. He is very knowledgeable about complex estate planning and probate issues. He is very hard-working and extremely talented and provides excellent representation and counsel for his clients."
"Ryan is a very conscientious, diligent and focused lawyer. I recommend and endorse Ryan."
"Ryan has shown an eagerness and a passion for excellence in his legal work. He wants to put his client's interests first and foremost and walk them through the estate planning process to accomplish their goals. He is a budding future star in the legal community."
"I endorse this lawyer. Ryan has shown a strong work ethic and great understanding of the law in regards to estate planning and probate that enables him to provide high quality legal services to clients at an affordable price."
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Experience
Honors
2013
CALI Excellence for the Future Award, DePaul University College of Law
Work Experience
2021 - Present
Partner, Howard & Howard Attorneys, PLLC
2015 - 2021
Associate Attorney, Lavelle Law, Ltd.
2014 - 2014
Judicial Extern for the Honorable Aurelia Pucinski, Illinois Appellate Court 1st Judicial District
2008 - 2014
Paralegal/Law Clerk, Novack & Macey, LLP
Associations
2018 - Present
III GentlemenBoard Member
2016 - Present
Kicks 4 The CityAmbassador
2015 - Present
Illinois State Bar AssociationMember
2015 - Present
American Bar AssociationMember
2015 - Present
Legal Assistance Foundation (LAF)Volunteer / Pro Bono Attorney
2012 - Present
Chicago Bar AssociationMember
Sample of Legal Cases
Special Needs Trust
Happy clients
Business Succession Plan
Happy clients
Education
2014
DePaul University College of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
2008
Michigan State University
BA - Bachelor of Arts
Speaking Engagements
2020
Lavelle Law Breakfast Briefs
Avoiding Taxes with Estate Planning – A Lavelle Law Breakfast Briefs Webinar
2019
Monthly Continuing Education
The Importance of Estate Planning
2017
KW Lunch & Learn
Protecting Rental and Investment Properties
2017
Career Builder Mentoring
Why Everyone Needs Estate Planning
2015
SBA Connections
Non-Tax Benefits of Revocable Trusts
Publications
2021
Lavelle Law, Ltd.
Potential Estate Tax Changes under President Biden
2018
Lavelle Law, Ltd.
Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency, and Estate Planning
2018
Lavelle Law, Ltd.
Aretha Franklin’s Estate Troubles, and How to Avoid Them
2018
Blog Talk Radio - Chicago Legal Latte
How to Select the Right Trustee and Executor
2017
Lavelle Law, Ltd.
Pet Trusts – What You Need to Know to Safeguard Your Beloved Animals
2017
Blog Talk Radio - Chicago Legal Latte
Legal Considerations for the Family Lake House and Vacation Home Co-Ownership
2016
Blog Talk Radio - Chicago Legal Latte
Estate Planning for New Parents
2016
Lavelle Law, Ltd.
Planning for...Your Digital Legacy
2016
Blog Talk Radio - Chicago Legal Latte
Reviewing and Updating Your Beneficiary Designations
2015
Lavelle Law, Ltd.
Selecting Your Successor Trustee
Languages
English
Activity
Legal Answers