Lee assists individuals with practical and tax-related estate planning advice and advises fiduciaries with regard to the administration of estates and trusts.
Get To Know Lee
Lee is an experienced estate planning attorney who has worked with a broad range of clients from professionals and business owners to couples starting a family or planning for retirement. He is familiar with a broad range of planning situations and is skilled at listening to clients to create the documents and structures most appropriate for their circumstances. Lee believes that communication is key to a good attorney-client relationship and to achieving a client's estate planning goals.
Lee is experienced with estate and trust administration, advising individuals and corporate trustees on fiduciary matters and serving in such fiduciary roles when doing so serves the best interests of his clients. While always planning with the intent to avoid disputes, Lee works with the experienced litigation team at Woods Rogers to assist clients involved in will contests, probate litigation or other disputed matters involving estates and trusts.
Lee is a trusted advisor who will work with you and your family to address your long-term estate planning and business succession goals.
Lee was born in Durham, NC and grew up in Richmond. He was a member of a boy's choir and an Eagle Scout. He attended Yale University where he sang in the SOBs and was a Whiffenpoof. He attended the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary. He came to Roanoke in 1983 after finishing his Masters in Tax Law where he met and married Susan Stanton. They are the proud parents of three daughters, Martha, Betsy and Meg, and he is Pappy to his granddaughter, Harper.
Lee enjoys the broad range of community service and economic development opportunities that Roanoke affords and devotes his time to contribute to the betterment of the Roanoke Region. He sang in a barbershop quartet for a number of years and performed in The Music Man with his quartet at Mill Mountain Theatre. Lee has served his church as an elder and is very active with his Kiwanis Club and various community and professional organizations. Most recently, when his work schedule allows he has enjoyed learning about fine spirits, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Credentials
Recognition
Education
William & Mary School of Law, J.D., Master of Law in Taxation
Yale University, B.A.
Admissions
Virginia
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Virginia
U.S. District Court, Western District of Virginia
Affiliations
- American Bar Foundation, Fellow (2020)
- American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
- Fellow (1994-present)
- Virginia State Chair (2013-2018)
- Professional Responsibility Committee Chair (2021-2024)
- Boyd Graves Conference (1993‑present)
- Charitable Advisors of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Chair (2020-2023)
- Committee on Continuing Legal Education (VACLE) of the Virginia Law Foundation (1995-2005)
- Kiwanis Club of Roanoke (1983-present), President (1991-1992)
- Kiwanis Foundation of Roanoke
- Of Counsel
- Director (2008-present)
- President (2023-2024)
- Mill Mountain Theatre, Board of Directors (2010-2023)
- Rescue Mission Foundation (1991-present), President (2010-2014, 2023)
- Roanoke Bar Association, President (2018-19), Director (2013-2019)
- Roanoke Law Foundation
- Board member (2016-present)
- Chair (2019-2020)
- Fellow, Class of 2014
- Roanoke Valley Estate Planning Council, President (2014-2015)
- Virginia Bar Association
- Board of Governors (2005-2008)
- Wills, Trusts and Estates Section and Legislative Committee, Member (1984—present)
- Chair (1993, 1994)
- Commonwealth Alliance of Rural Colleges (formerly the Virginia College Fund), Board member (2015-present)
- Virginia Law Foundation, Fellow (2013); Board of Directors (2018- present)
- Western Virginia Charitable Gift Planners, President (2015-2017)
- Virginia State Bar, Taxation Section, Chair (1993-1994); Trusts and Estates Section, Chair (1995-1996)
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