M. Elizabeth Monihan

Biography

Lisa Monihan is a Partner in the Trusts & Estates practice group, and she also serves as a practice group co- coordinator. Her practice is focused on wealth transfer planning for individuals and fiduciaries, including income, gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning; trust and estate administration; multi-generational family issues; retirement planning; succession planning for closely-held businesses; and charitable planning.

A client once told Lisa that the decision to hire her was made because “[she] really listened to what I had to say; the other lawyers I interviewed were too busy trying to impress me with how smart they were.” Lisa establishes personal, long-term relationships with her clients and guides them through the legal, tax, financial, and family issues in their unique situations with empathy and compassion.

Lisa is a frequent speaker to professional and community groups on estate planning and related topics.

Education

• Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, J.D., 1984
• John Carroll University, B.S., Economics, 1979

Admissions & Associations

• State of Ohio
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
• U.S. Tax Court
• U.S. Supreme Court
• American Bar Association, Member
• Ohio State Bar Association, Member
  
  • Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Section Council, Executive Committee and Immediate Past Chair, '23-'25
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Member
  
  • Estate Planning, Probate, and Trust Law Section, Former Chair, 2008-2009
• Ohio Women’s Bar Association, Member
• The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Fellow; State Laws Committee, Technology in the Practice Committee
• Marvin R. Pliskin Advanced Probate and Estate Planning Seminar, Member, Planning Committee
• Probate Law Journal of Ohio, Editorial Advisory Board, 2015-current
• Estate Planning Council of Cleveland, Member and Former President 1994-1995

Awards & Honors

• Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent®

• Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® since 2018 for Practice Areas:
  
  • Litigation - Trusts and Estates
  • Tax Law
  • Trusts and Estates

• Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers^® for:
  • Tax Law, Cleveland 2024
• Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers^® for:
  • Trusts and Estates, Cleveland 2023

• Ranked in Chambers High Net Worth: Private Wealth Law, 2018-present

• Selected to the Ohio Super Lawyers® list: 2006-present
  • Top 50: Women Ohio Super Lawyers list: 2024-2025
  • Top 25: Women Cleveland Super Lawyers list: 2024

• Accredited Estate Planner® - National Association of Estate Planners & Councils
• Distinguished Estate Planner - Estate Planning Council of Cleveland, 2013

Community Activities

• Cleveland Council on World Affairs, Development Committee, 2016-present
• Union Club Foundation Board, Secretary 2017-current
• Catholic Charities Corporation, Board of Trustees, 2003-2014
• Volunteer Council of The Cleveland Orchestra, President, 1998-2001
• The Junior Committee of The Cleveland Orchestra, President, 1997-1999
• The Women’s Committee of The Cleveland Orchestra, Board of Trustees, 2000-2003
• Cleveland Museum of Art, Planned Giving Committee
• Lawyers Guild of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
• Hathaway Brown Parent Association, President 2013-2014
• University Hospitals, Diamond Advisory Group
• Case Western Reserve University, Professional Advisory Group

Articles & Presentations

• Ohio Update, Estate Planning Council of Cleveland, December 2023
• OSBA Update, CMBA Hot Topics in Estate Planning 2023, June 2023
• Ohio Law Update, ACTEC Great Lakes Regional Meeting, Chicago, December 2022
• Legislative Update, Park National Bank Estate Planning and Ethics Seminar, November 2022
• Ohio Legislative Update, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Estate Planning Institute, October 2022
• Ohio Legislative Update, Marvin Pliskin Advanced Probate and Estate Planning Institute, September 2022
• Summary of Written Testimony before Ohio House of Representatives Civil Justice Committee in opposition to H.B. 339, Probate Law Journal of Ohio, November/December 2021
• Opposition Testimony on behalf of the Ohio State Bar Association concerning Proposed Electronic Wills Legislation, Ohio House of Representatives Civil Justice Committee, October 12, 2021
• Making a Difference - The Ohio Legislative Process and Recent Developments for Estates and Trusts, Boy Scout Estate Planning Seminar, September 14, 2021
• Ohio Enacts a Legal Malpractice Statute of Repose, Probate Law Journal of Ohio, May/June 2021
• Starting Out: The Initial Client Interview, Fiduciary Responsibilities, Conflicts of Interest and Fees, Ohio State Bar Association, Annual Presentation 2019-2023
• The Inside Scoop on Choosing an Estate Planning Lawyer, Crain’s Cleveland Business-Estate Planning, November 2020
• Planning for Elderly Clients Below the Exemption Amount, Probate Law Journal of Ohio, July/August 2020
• Dilemma for Executors and Survivors: Should Cares Act Economic Impact Payments to Decedents be Returned? Probate Law Journal of Ohio, July/August 2020
• Estate Planning for Clients Below the Exemption Amount, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel Ohio Regional Meeting, Columbus, Ohio, May 4, 2019

• The Art of Inheritance - Planning for Children of Assisted Reproductive Technology following Enactment of Substitute Senate Bill 232, West Shore Bar Assn., July 20, 2018
• To Be an "Heir" or Not to Be an Heir" - That is the Question, Ohio State Bar Association, April 2017
• Increase in Value and Number of Vehicles Which May be Selected by Surviving Spouse, Probate Law Journal of Ohio, January/February 2017
• Assisted Reproductive Technology (Art) and Inheritance Rights, Akron Tax and Estate Planning Council, January 2017