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Stephen W. Murphy Partner

Charlottesville T +1 434 977 2538 F fax +1 434 980 2266
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Steve is the former chair of the firm’s private wealth services group. He helps his clients develop and administer thoughtful estate plans that navigate complex issues. He is a frequent author and speaker, and he is a lecturer at the University of Virginia School of Law, where he teaches courses on trusts and estates. Steve also is the host of the Legacy Planning, Once Removed podcast on thoughtful estate planning.

Steve helps his clients identify their goals and develop a thoughtful plan. He then helps his clients work towards those goals in an efficient way, considering how best to transfer and manage wealth over generations while preserving settlor intent, protecting assets, providing for charitable goals, and reducing or managing estate tax, income tax, and GST tax. He also works with individuals and families to update and preserve that plan over time.

In advising fiduciaries, Steve works with individuals and corporations in the administration of complex estates and trusts, including trust modifications, management of investments, and avoiding or litigating disputes.

He also advises corporate fiduciaries and financial institutions regarding regulatory issues pertaining to their custody or administration of estate and trust assets.

Steve regularly presents and publishes on a variety of legal topics relating to estate planning and trust and estate administration, including the modification of irrevocable trusts, the GST tax, international (or multi-national) estate and tax planning, investments and the Prudent Investor Rule, the use of arbitration clauses in wills and trusts, and estate planning for owners of closely-held businesses.

At the University of Virginia School of Law, he teaches “Trust & Estate Administration” and the advanced seminar, “Estate Planning: Principles & Practice.” He has also served as an adjunct professor at the Washington & Lee University School of Law.

He received his J.D. and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, where he was an editor of the Virginia Law Review and received the Ritter Award for “honor, character, and integrity.”

Events

  • Author and presenter, "Estate and Tax Planning under OBBBA: The New Normal (for Now)," Central Virginia Estate Planning Council, November 6, 2025
  • Presenter, "Portability Planning: Strategies, Opportunities, and Pitfalls for Estate Tax Planning," Security National Bank Annual Conference, Sioux City, Iowa, October 27, 2025
  • Presenter, "Estate and Tax Planning under OBBBA: The New Normal (for Now)," Security National Bank Annual Conference, Sioux City, Iowa, October 27, 2025
  • Presenter, "Trust and Estate Scouting Report," Security National Bank Annual Conference, Sioux City, Iowa, October 27, 2025
  • Speaker, "Ethics, Empathy, and Endurance: Mental Health in the Legal Profession," In-House Legal CLE Seminar, October 3, 2025
  • Co-author and co-presenter, "Legislative Updates and Judicial Developments in Trusts & Estates in Virginia," Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association CLE: Trusts & Estates, September 24, 2025
  • Co-author and co-presenter, "Estate and Tax Planning under OBBBA: The New Normal (for Now)," Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association CLE: Trusts & Estates, September 24, 2025
  • Presenter, "The Ethics of Productivity, Organization, and Attorney Well-Being," 43rd Annual Real Estate Practice Seminars 2025, Virginia CLE, Richmond, VA, May 22, 2025
  • Presenter, "The Ethics of Productivity, Organization, and Attorney Well-Being," 43rd Annual Real Estate Practice Seminars 2025, Virginia CLE, Fairfax, VA, May 13, 2025
  • Speaker, "Scouting Report on Recent Tax-Related Estate Planning Developments," 2025 Tri-State Trust Conference, Fargo, North Dakota, April 23, 2025
  • Presenter, "Recent Developments in Estate, Trust, and Gift Taxation: Trust and Estate Scouting Report," 2024 ATA Annual Tax Conference, Webinar, December 5, 2024
  • Speaker, "Now What? Estate and Tax Planning after the 2024 Election," Central Virginia Estate Planning Council, November 7, 2024
  • Speaker, "Countdown to Sunset 2025: Estate Tax Planning in the Face of Scheduled Changes in the Law," Charlottesville Area Bar Association CLE, September 25, 2024
  • Speaker, "Recent Developments in Trusts & Estates: Lessons Learned from Recent Judicial Decisions in Virginia," Charlottesville Area Bar Association CLE, September 25, 2024
  • Co-presenter, "Terminating the Unwanted or Unneeded Trust," Central Virginia Estate Planning Council, February 1, 2024
  • Presenter, "Recent Developments in Estate, Trust, and Gift Taxation: Trust and Estate Scouting Report," 2023 ATA Annual Tax Conference, Webinar, December 7, 2023
  • Speaker, "Planning for the GST Tax," Estate Planning Council of St. Louis, November 6, 2023
  • Co-speaker, "Charitable Planning: Opportunities and Pitfalls for the Charitable Legacy," Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association CLE, September 20, 2023
  • Co-speaker, "Recent Developments in Trusts & Estates: Lessons Learned from Recent Judicial Decisions in Virginia," Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association CLE, September 20, 2023
  • Co-presenter, "Ethical Issues Regarding Tax Information, Reporting, and Disclosures," 74th Annual Virginia Conference on Federal Taxation, Virginia CLE, Charlottesville, Virginia, June 2, 2023
  • Co-presenter (with Thomas W. Abendroth), "Creating and Managing Discretionary Distribution Standards," American Bankers Association Teleconference, March 2, 2023
  • Speaker, "Estate Planning for Married Couples: Opportunities and Pitfalls," U.S. Bank, N.A. Webinar, February 15, 2023
  • Speaker, "Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax," ACTEC Southeast Fellows Institute, Atlanta, Georgia, February 10, 2023
  • Co-presenter (with Thomas W. Abendroth), "The Impact of the Economic Downturn on Tax Planning and Administration," American Bankers Association Teleconference, February 2, 2023
  • Speaker, "International Estate Planning," Wealth Planning Scouting Report, Washington, D.C., November 10, 2022
  • Speaker, "Ethical Issues Facing Trusts & Estates Lawyers," Virginia CLE 41st Annual Trusts and Estates Seminar, Williamsburg, VA, October 27, 2022 and Fairfax, VA, October 31, 2022
  • Speaker, "Trust and Estate Scouting Report," Security National Bank Annual Conference, Sioux City, Iowa, October 13, 2022
  • Speaker, "Opportunities and Pitfalls for Estate Planning by Spouses," Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association CLE, September 28, 2022
  • Speaker, "Electronic Wills and Remote Signatures," American Bankers Association Teleconference, August 11, 2022
  • Co-presenter (with Thomas W. Abendroth), "The Life Cycle of an Estate Plan, Part III: Irrevocable Trust Modification," American Bankers Association Teleconference, June 2, 2022
  • Speaker, "What Every Estate Planner Should Know about Asset Protection," Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Law Alumni Weekend, University of Virginia School of Law, May 13, 2022
  • Co-presenter (with Thomas W. Abendroth, David C. Blickenstaff, Keri D. Brown, and Benjamin S. Candland), "Fiduciary Litigation Update," American Bankers Association Teleconference, May 5, 2022
  • Co-presenter (with Thomas W. Abendroth), "The Life Cycle of an Estate Plan, Part II: Updating the Estate Plan to Reflect Life’s Changes," American Bankers Association Teleconference, April 7, 2022
  • Co-presenter (with Thomas W. Abendroth), "Tax Legislation 2021: What Happened and What Almost Happened," American Bankers Association Teleconference, March 3, 2022
  • Co-presenter (with Thomas W. Abendroth), "The Life Cycle of an Estate Plan, Part I: The Dynamic Nature of Wealth and Estate Plans," American Bankers Association Teleconference, February 3, 2022
  • Speaker, "Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax: Opportunities and Pitfalls," New Developments in Tax and Wealth Planning, October 21, 2021
  • Speaker, "Trust and Estate Scouting Report," Security National Bank Annual Conference, Sioux City, Iowa, October 14, 2021
  • Speaker, What is Portability for Estate and Gift Tax?, ACTEC Family Estate Planning Guide, August 26, 2021
  • Speaker, "Recent Developments in Trusts and Estates," Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Law Alumni Weekend, University of Virginia School of Law, May 14, 2021
  • Speaker, "Planning for the Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax," Conner-Zaritsky 42nd Annual Advanced Estate Planning and Administration Seminar, Webcast, April 29, 2021
  • Presenter, "Today's Role of Settlor Intent," American Bankers Association, June 4, 2020
  • Speaker, "Why Trust Situs is Important," New Developments in Wealth Planning, Richmond, VA, October 24, 2019
  • Speaker, "Tips to Avoid Becoming the Subject of Fiduciary Litigation," Virginia CLE 38th Annual Trusts and Estates Seminar, Fairfax, VA, October 21, 2019
  • Speaker, "Recent Developments in Trusts and Estates," Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Law Alumni Weekend, University of Virginia School of Law, May 10, 2019
  • Speaker, "Estate Planning under Current Law: Challenges and Opportunities," Chase Investment Counsel 46th Annual Investor Conference, April 24, 2019
  • Co-presenter, "Fiduciary Litigation Updates," Fiduciary Risk Management and Compliance Roundtable, December 12, 2018
  • Presenter, "Modifying, Restructuring, and Terminating Irrevocable Trusts," Roanoke Valley Estate Planning Council, December 5, 2018
  • Co-presenter, "Fixing the Broken Trust: Modifying, Restructuring and Terminating Irrevocable Trusts," Charlottesville Albemarle Bar Association, November 14, 2018
  • Speaker, "What Every Estate Planner Should Know about Asset Protection," Continuing Legal Education Seminar, DC Bar, Washington, DC, September 24, 2018
  • Speaker, "Recent Developments in Trusts and Estates," Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Law Alumni Weekend, University of Virginia School of Law, May 11, 2018
  • Co-presenter, "Estate Planning with Portability: Opportunities and Strategies," Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association CLE, November 29, 2017
  • Co-presenter, "Avoiding Fiduciary Litigation," In-House Continuing Education Webinar for Bank and Corporate Trustees, August 17, 2017
  • Co-presenter, "Repairing Broken Trusts," Webcredenza, June 21, 2017
  • Speaker, "Recent Developments in Trusts and Estates," Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Law Alumni Weekend, University of Virginia School of Law, May 12, 2017
  • Speaker, "Lessons from Virginia Fiduciary Litigation Cases," 35th Annual Trusts and Estates Seminar, October 18, 2016
  • Co-presenter, "Trust Decanting," In-House Continuing Education Webinar for Bank and Corporate Trustees, September 1, 2016
  • Presenter, "Charitable Trusts," National Business Institution Seminar, August 18, 2016
  • Presenter, "Generating-Skipping Transfer Taxes and Dynasty Trusts," National Business Institution Seminar, August 18, 2016
  • Co-presenter, "Trust Distributions: Planning and Navigating Discretionary Standards and Distributions," Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association CLE, April 27, 2016
  • Co-presenter, "Asset Protection in Estate Planning and Trust and Estate Administration," Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association CLE, November 18, 2015
  • Faculty, "The Probate Process from Start to Finish: Probate Disputes and Litigation, and Handling Claims Against the Estate," National Business Institute Continuing Legal Education Seminar, October 27, 2015
  • Faculty, "Estate Planning in a World of Creditors and Predators: Asset Protection for Every Estate Planning Client," 34th Trusts Estates Seminar, October 22, 2015
  • Co-presenter, "Uniform Prudent Investor Act: What Fiduciaries and Planners Should Know," In-House Continuing Education Webinar for Bank and Corporate Trustees, October 15, 2015
  • Co-presenter, "Uniform Prudent Investor Act, Uniform Principal and Income Act, Third Restatement Trusts: What All Estate Planners Need to Know," Uniform Prudent Investor Act, Uniform Principal and Income Act, June 19, 2015
  • Co-presenter, "Uniform Principal and Income Act: What Fiduciaries and Planners Should Know," In-House Continuing Education Webinar for Bank and Corporate Trustees, June 16, 2015
  • Speaker, Federal Fiduciary Income Tax Workshop, Foxmoor Continuing Education, November 21, 2014
  • Speaker, "What Every Estate Planner Should Know about Asset Protection," Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Law Alumni Weekend, University of Virginia School of Law, May 9, 2014

Podcasts

Insights

  • Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, Trusts and Estates, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
  • Named “Lawyer of the Year,” Trusts and Estates, Charlottesville, The Best Lawyers in America, 2025
  • Recognized in “Readers’ Choice Awards,” Top Author in Wealth Management, JD Supra, 2024
  • Named to “Virginia Rising Stars,” Estate & Probate, Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2012, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2020

Spotlight

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