Business Details
25 Years
experience
Trusted Estate Planning & Probate Services in Winter Park
Your Caring Law Firm is a Central Florida-based legal practice dedicated to estate planning, probate, and asset protection. Founded in 2001 by attorney Merrell Bailey, a Certified Public Accountant and valedictorian of her law school class, we combine legal expertise with financial acumen to serve families, retirees, and business owners. Our team prioritizes compassionate guidance, offering tailored solutions for clients navigating complex estate matters.Recognized nationally for excellence, including Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers accolades, we emphasize education and client empowerment through workshops, publications, and community engagement. With over two decades of experience, we specialize in revocable living trusts, Florida probate processes, and asset protection strategies, ensuring clients' legacies are preserved with clarity and care.
Services
Estate Planning
Probate Administration
Trusts
Asset Protection
Special Needs Trusts
Details
- Year established: 2001
Highlights and features
- We offer over 20 years of combined legal and financial expertise in estate planning.
- Our founder is a Certified Public Accountant and nationally recognized attorney.
- We provide personalized estate plans tailored to unique family and business needs.
- Our team includes Florida Registered Paralegals with extensive probate court experience.
- We maintain a 5/5 client satisfaction rating across 25+ client testimonials.
Associations and certifications
- Super Lawyers
- Best Lawyers in America
- Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent
What people say
"First class professionals"
"Flawless process"
"Caring manner"
"Exceptional service"
"Highly recommend"
Services
Estate Planning
Our estate planning services help clients protect assets and prepare for future needs through customized wills, trusts, and advance directives. We specialize in complex scenarios including blended families, business owners, and LGBTQ clients. With a focus on tax efficiency and asset preservation, our plans ensure your wishes are honored while minimizing probate burdens for loved ones.
Probate Administration
We guide personal representatives and beneficiaries through Florida's probate process with clear, compassionate support. Our services include court document preparation, asset inventory, debt settlement, and distribution guidance. With experience in Orange County and 15+ Florida counties, we streamline probate proceedings while maintaining compliance with state-specific regulations and deadlines.
Asset Protection
Our asset protection strategies safeguard clients' wealth from creditors and legal threats through legal entity structuring and trust arrangements. We help business owners separate personal and business liabilities while creating plans that protect inheritances from divorce or lawsuits. Our CPA-led approach integrates tax planning with legal protections for comprehensive wealth preservation.
Trust Administration
We assist trustees with post-mortem trust administration, including asset transfer, tax filings, and beneficiary communications. Our team handles revocable living trusts, special needs trusts, and charitable remainder trusts. We provide detailed accounting and legal guidance to ensure fiduciary responsibilities are met while maintaining IRS compliance.
Special Needs Planning
Our special needs trusts protect government benefits eligibility while providing supplemental care funds for disabled beneficiaries. We coordinate with financial planners and advocacy groups to create comprehensive care plans. Services include trust drafting, guardian appointment guidance, and ongoing management support for families with special needs individuals.
People
Mary Merrell Bailey
Founder/Attorney
Attorney Merrell Bailey combines 20+ years of legal experience with CPA credentials to lead estate planning efforts. A UCF Hall of Fame inductee and Super Lawyers honoree, she teaches estate taxation at UCF while maintaining active Florida bar membership.
Vickie L. Parker
Senior Paralegal
Senior Paralegal Vickie Parker brings 25+ years of Florida estate planning expertise, specializing in probate court procedures and guardianship matters. Her client-focused approach ensures smooth document preparation and court compliance.
Laura Riekki
Operations Manager
Laura Riekki manages firm operations with 20 years of marketing and business development experience. She focuses on enhancing client technology experiences while maintaining strict confidentiality protocols for sensitive legal matters.
Amy Harrison
Legal Assistant
Legal Assistant Amy Harrison supports clients with compassionate document preparation. A former full-time parent, she brings personal understanding of family estate planning needs while maintaining strict legal documentation standards.
Annette Vargas
Accounts Manager
Accounts Manager Annette Vargas oversees financial operations with bilingual (English/Spanish) proficiency. Her background in public health administration ensures ethical financial practices while supporting community-focused legal services.
Questions
What estate planning documents do I really need?
Every adult should have a will, durable power of attorney, and healthcare directive. We customize additional protections like trusts based on your family structure, asset level, and specific goals during your consultation.
How does probate work in Florida?
Florida's probate process involves validating the will, inventorying assets, paying debts, and distributing property. Our team streamlines this court-supervised process, typically completing administrations within 6-12 months depending on estate complexity.
Can I protect my business from lawsuits through estate planning?
Yes, we create asset protection structures that separate personal and business assets. This includes establishing trusts and proper business entities to shield your company from personal creditors and vice versa.
What makes your firm different from other estate planning attorneys?
Our unique combination of legal, tax, and financial expertise allows comprehensive planning. As a CPA-led firm with Super Lawyers recognition, we provide technical excellence combined with compassionate, personalized service.
Do you offer remote consultations?
Yes, we accommodate virtual consultations via secure video conferencing for clients throughout Florida. In-person meetings at our Winter Park office are available by appointment.
How are your legal fees structured?
We offer transparent, fixed-fee pricing for most estate planning services. Probate matters use hourly billing with detailed monthly statements. All costs are clearly explained during your initial consultation.
