Brian M. O'Connell

About Brian M. O'Connell

Brian M. O'Connell is a member of O'Connell & Crispin Ackal, PLLC, where he focuses his practice primarily on estate planning and administration as well as probate litigation. Located in Palm Beach, Florida, he provides representation to clients throughout the area. Admitted to practice in Florida and before the U.S. Tax Court, Mr. O'Connell has been certified as a specialist in wills, trusts and estates by the Board of Legal Specialization & Education of The Florida Bar.

During his distinguished career, Mr. O'Connell has regularly prepared and reviewed wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, financial and health care powers of attorney, and advance medical directives. He works with his clients to understand their needs and objectives, and he then tailors their plans accordingly, often with an eye to minimizing the federal estate and gift tax burden. Mr. O'Connell also works with trustees and assists them in meeting their obligations as fiduciaries, including communications with and distributions to beneficiaries, the preparation of accountings and tax returns, and payments to creditors.

Mr. O'Connell's probate litigation experience has encompassed will challenges based on lack of capacity, fraud, and undue influence, and his experience in this regard has also involved representing both heirs and fiduciaries in claims of executor misconduct. He has also worked on guardianships, and his background includes other types of complex civil litigation. His successful track record in all of his professional endeavors has earned him a great deal of recognition from his colleagues, including an AV Preeminent* peer review rating through Martindale-Hubbell.

Majoring in government, Mr. O'Connell attended Florida State University as an undergraduate and received a bachelor's degree in 1976. His legal education came at what was then known as the University of Florida College of Law, and he holds both a Juris Doctor and a Master of Laws from that institution.

*AV?, AV Preeminent?, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell? is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell? Peer Review Rating? fall into two categories ? legal ability and general ethical standards.