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| We're new but
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| The lawyers of Virginia Fiduciary, PLC bring more than a century of combined experience assisting individuals and families with the challenges of estate and trust administration. Our backgrounds include work in major law firms, a regional bank trust department, and the legal department of one of the largest pension funds in the country. As attorneys we have represented numerous executors, trustees and beneficiaries; prepared or reviewed hundreds of estate tax returns; assisted banks, trust companies and other professionals to administer complex estates; favorably resolved tax disputes with the IRS; and helped draft probate legislation. By applying this broad range of experience, with a dedication to practical problem solving, we are committed to providing outstanding professional service to our clients. | | | Derek L. Smith
dsmith@virginiaestateplans.com | | | Derek Smith has more than 24 years of legal experience in estate planning, probate and trust administration. His practice integrates substantive expertise in those areas with advanced technologies in law practice management. Derek is listed in the current edition of The Best Lawyers in America. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel and a past Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Virginia State Bar. He is the current President of the Richmond Trust Administrators Council. He is a member of the Virginia Bar Association and is an active member of the Legislative Committee of the Section of Wills, Trusts and Estates. Derek also belongs to the American Bar Association and its Sections of Law Practice Management and Real Property, Trust and Probate Law. He is a frequent lecturer on estate planning and estate administration and co-authored "Tax Planning Forms for Businesses and Individuals," Warren, Gorham & Lamont, 1985. Locally, Derek serves as a member of the Richmond Estate Planning Council, the Richmond Trust Administrators Council and the University of Richmond Estate Planning Advisory Council. Derek received his law degree in 1976 from the University of Virginia and his A.B. from the College of William and Mary in 1973. Back to top. | | | Helen L. Kemp
hkemp@VirginiaEstatePlans.com |  | Helen Lewis Kemp has more than 20 years of legal experience in estate planning, estate and trust administration, and charitable and tax planning. In her practice she represents individuals, small business owners, corporate and individual fiduciaries as well as tax-exempt entities.
Helen is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. She is the immediate past President of the Richmond Trust Administrators Council, and on the planned giving committee of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation, the planned giving advisory council of the Richmond SPCA, and the board of trustees of the St. James's Episcopal Church Endowment Fund. Helen has chaired the Wills, Trusts and Estates Section of the Virginia Bar Association and currently serves on its legislative Committee. She is a member of the Council of the Virginia Bar Association’s Wills, Trusts and Estates Section, the Estate Planning Council of Richmond, the University of Richmond Estate Planning Advisory Council, and the Council of the Elder Law Section of the Virginia Bar Association. She has also served on the Board of Trustees of Westminster Canterbury Foundation and the Board of the American Heart Association, Virginia affiliate.
Helen has been selected as a Virginia Super Lawyer by Law and Politics since its first publication and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America since 1998.
Prior to joining Virginia Estate Plans and Virginia Fiduciary, Helen was a partner of Troutman Sanders LLP. Helen graduated cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, with a B.A. from Hollins College. She received her M.A. from the University of Virginia in 1984 and her J.D. from the University of Virginia in 1987. Back to top. | | | Shela Camenisch Dean (Admitted in California)
sdean@virginiaestateplans.com |  | Shela Camenisch Dean has more than 25 years of legal experience in estate planning, probate and trust administration, including the creation of an internet-based estate and trust service. Shela graduated from John F. Kennedy School of Law in 1978 and was admitted to the California State Bar in that same year. She is published in The Digest of Financial Planning Ideas, received special recognition for her contribution to Understanding Living Trusts, a Schumacher publication, and an acknowledgement in the first edition of the national bestseller Smart Woman Finish Rich by David Bach. She has appeared as a featured guest on both television and radio, most recently as a panelist on Financial Advisors, a nationally broadcast PBS television program. And, she has lectured extensively on the subject of estate planning, estate settlement, and estate administration. Back to top. | | | Jeffry C. Burden
jburden@virginiafiduciary.com |  | Jeffry focuses his practice on the administration of decedent's estates, and the administration of trusts of all kinds, as well as estate planning. From 1998 to 2002 he administered trusts and estates and advised clients on fiduciary and investment matters for the Richmond trust department of SunTrust. Before that, he was engaged in an estate planning and administration law practice in Richmond. He also has served as "in-house" counsel for one of the country's largest private pension funds, located in Alexandria, Virginia. He speaks frequently to professionals and laypersons alike on estate administration and planning issues. Jeffry received a Bachelor of Journalism degree in 1982 from the University of Missouri, and his law degree in 1988 from the University of Richmond. Jeffry holds the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) designation from The Center for Fiduciary Studies. A member of the American Bar Association and the Virginia State Bar, Jeffry is also a member of the state bar's Section on Wills, Trusts and Estates. He is the founder of the Planned Giving Committee of the Arthritis Foundation (Virginia Chapter), and also serves on that organization's Board of Directors. Back to top. | | | Melissa W. Ashkani
mashkani@VirginiaEstatePlans.com | | | Melissa brings a diverse background to her estate planning and estate and trust administration practice. In addition to her J.D., Melissa is also a Certified Public Accountant (Virginia) and holds the Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) designation from The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She was previously a Vice President of Davenport & Company LLC (1998-2004), where she provided estate, retirement, charitable planning and investment advisory services. Previously, Melissa was a Tax Consulting Manager with Ernst & Young LLP (1992-1998), where she advised clients on income tax, retirement, charitable gift and estate planning. She is a member of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Virginia State Bar and the Personal Financial Planning Section of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Melissa received her B.S. from George Mason University in 1987, and her J.D. from College of William and Mary in 1992. Bacl to top. |
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