Specializing in Estate Planning, Cook Tillman Law Group is a premier law firm located in Brentwood, Tennessee. Building a passionate team with extensive knowledge and skill, Russ Cook and Josh Tillman are partners with the intent to help secure their clients’ legacy for generations to come.
Taking after his father and grandfather, Russ Cook is a third-generation estate planning lawyer and has been in the business for 35 years. Cook knew from a young age he wanted to extend his family’s legacy, which led to him ultimately becoming the first attorney to be recognized as an estate planning specialist by the Tennessee Board of Certification and Specialization. Starting this firm 18 years ago, he resides in Franklin alongside his wife, Joanna, and their three children.
For Josh Tillman, the journey to law was more circuitous but, like Russ’s, found its root in family. Being raised within a fourth-generation family business in the Chicago area, Josh came to understand the necessity of proper planning, both for family wealth and business succession. Before attending law school, Josh spent eight years in sales management with the Southwestern Company in Nashville, where he learned the value of asking the right questions and explaining oftentimes complex solutions in a way that makes sense – a skill he employs daily in his law practice. Josh lives in Franklin with his wife, Kelly – a graduate of Brentwood High School – and their two children.
Experts in their craft, the attorneys at Cook Tillman Law educate and guide their clients toward an estate plan custom-fit for their particular family – whether single or married, with or without children, traditional families or blended, having significant assets with complicated tax liability, or just starting out. Such plans can range from simple wills and trusts and powers of attorney to more complicated structures focused on asset protection and tax planning.
In addition to their technical proficiency, with four attorneys and seven members on their support and management staff, the team at Cook Tillman Law strives to make the estate planning process for their clients as easy and seamless as possible. “We understand that nobody wants to talk about death and taxes,” Tillman shares. “Everyone knows it’s important, but in the busyness of life, such planning tends toward the backburner. The key is to get started. . . then, a good estate planning attorney can help make the process easy.”
The team at Cook Tillman begins each client relationship with a consultation, where the attorney can get to know your family dynamics and planning goals before proposing appropriate planning options. Nearly all of their plans are completed for a flat fee commensurate with the complexity of the selected planning option, so clients understand costs from the beginning. Once a client decides to move forward, preparation and signing of documents is usually complete within four to six weeks, depending on the client’s schedule.
“It’s the most satisfying thing,” Tillman shares on what it means to be rooted in a career built around helping families. “After a plan is put in place, I love hearing a client remark that, ‘You made it so easy’ or ‘I feel so much better knowing that’s done.’ The peace of mind people receive is priceless. It has a real impact on families”
In addition to estate planning, the firm also offers probate and estate administration services, a department led by their third partner, Alex Fasching. What sets Cook Tillman Law Group apart is their primary focus is estate planning and commitment to making their team and clients feel like family – often their clients remain with them for multiple generations.
For more information on Cook Tillman Law or to book your consultation, visit their website.
“Your family is our business.”