Needham & Associates:Estate Planning
Estate, Probate & Guardianship Planning Practice
Needham & Associates has an extensive estate planning practice. We work closely with clients to identify their goals, anticipate life’s contingencies, and create a comprehensive estate plan that achieves financial and personal goals.
MAY INCLUDE:
- Last will and testament to determine distribution of your assets and management of an estate
- Revocable living trusts that govern the ease of lifetime property management
- Durable powers of attorney authorizing trusted ones to act when one cannot
- Advanced health care directive and living will regarding advance life support decisions
- Family limited partnerships to pass a family-owned business to successors
- Irrevocable trusts to manage life insurance
- Grantor trusts
- Special needs trusts for a disabled child or adult
- Medicaid and senior living planning
- Charitable trusts
- Trusts to protect assets from creditors.
Needham and Associates regularly provide Oklahoma probate law advice and probate court representation. Probate can include representing individuals and families in settling a family member’s estate, including the court procedures necessary to determine the content and nature of an estate, complete the payment of debts, expenses, and taxes of the estate, and obtaining court authorization for distribution of the estate to heirs and beneficiaries. We represent the estates of clients in the probate of a last will and testament and the estates where there is no will under intestate succession laws of Oklahoma. Representation of clients by Needham & Associates in these contexts includes advisement on distribution of real property assets, equity accounts, employee benefits, retirement accounts, and life insurance policies. Our attorneys will also resolve disputes of estate taxation with authorities.
Our attorneys are experienced in trust administration issues that must be considered or resolved in a court proceeding. These situations can include questions related to interpretation of trust instruments, the securing of court approval of an amendment of a trust, and disputes over the terms of a trust or its administration by a trustee.
Needham & Associates provides compassionate counsel in all matters relating to legal guardianship. Clients in guardianship matters require representation before the court administration and oversight of managing financial needs and care for children and the incapacitated.
Clarity in the process
Amber Howard Cornelius
Attorney At Law
Amber is a shareholder at Needham & Associates whose practice includes probate, guardianship, estate planning and business planning. As part of her practice, Amber regularly advises families with oil and gas interests on probate and title curative matters as well as on related business matters. In addition, Amber assists clients with trust administration and advises on asset protection strategies.
Amber is a native Tulsan. She is a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Section and of the Tulsa County Bar’s Energy and Mineral Law and Estate Planning, Probate, and Elder Law Sections. She is also a member of the Tulsa Title and Probate Association. She served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Terrance Kern in Federal District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Prior to practicing law, Amber spent several years in South Africa working for a non-profit organization where she managed access to justice programs. Her current community involvement includes representing abused and neglected children as a volunteer attorney for Tulsa Lawyers for Children and serving on the executive board of the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice (OCCJ).
Joelle Fehlauer
Attorney At Law
Joelle Karin Fehlauer is an experienced attorney with a background in oil and gas law. Her practice primarily consists of complex title examinations, energy contract and lease agreements, and surface use issues. Prior to law school, Joelle studied Sociology and Criminology at the University of Fraser Valley, British Columbia and at the University of Oklahoma. Joelle was on the Dean’s Honor Roll, a member of the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature, and in the University of Oklahoma Pre-Law Society.
Joelle entered Law school at the University of Oklahoma School of Law where she received high honors and elected to the Dean’s Honor Roll. Joelle currently serves on the advisory board to the University of Oklahoma College of Law Professionals and Career Development. Joelle is active in her service to the Oklahoma Bar Association Access to Justice Committee. Additionally, she volunteers for the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.
- J.D., University of Oklahoma College of Law, Dean’s Honor Roll, 2012
- B.A., University of Oklahoma, Dean’s Honor Roll, 2007
Oklahoma Bar Association
Oklahoma Bar Association Access to Justice Committee
University of Oklahoma College of Law Professional and Career Development Advisory Board
Kyle Eckman
Attorney At Law
Kyle joined the firm’s Oklahoma City office in 2017. Kyle attended the University of Connecticut where he obtained a double major in Political Science and History. Kyle participated in NCAA Division 1 cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track and was a member of the Big East Academic All-Star Team and received the University of Connecticut Director of Athletics Scholar Athlete Award.
Kyle obtained his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law where he graduated with honors. Upon graduation from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, Kyle practiced as an insurance defense attorney with Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. Kyle is active in the Oklahoma City Mineral Lawyers Society and is licensed to practice in Oklahoma state courts and the United States District Court for the Western, Northern and Eastern Districts of Oklahoma.
J.D., University of Oklahoma College of Law, with Honors
B.A., University of Connecticut, Political Science and History
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