Jeffrey Skatoff

Attorney Jeffrey Skatoff practices in the areas of Florida probate, estate litigation, trust litigation, guardianship litigation, and estate planning.

In the estate planning area, Mr. Skatoff regularly prepares estate plans of all complexities, for young families with minor children, to owners of large, complex, multistate businesses, including those with international aspects.

In the Florida probate administration area, Mr. Skatoff oversees the administration of dozens of probate and trust estates each year in Florida, from simple estates to very large and complex taxable estates, often with assets throughout the globe.

Mr. Skatoff also represents personal representatives and beneficiaries in probate litigation and trust litigation.  Some of these litigated areas include will contests, trust construction and reformation, elective share litigation, creditor claims against estates, and estate tax apportionment cases. 

Mr. Skatoff started his career in 1991 as a trial attorney in the Honors Program of the Tax Division at the Department of Justice, in Washington DC. Mr. Skatoff litigated cases on behalf of the federal government. In 1993, Mr. Skatoff was awarded the Outstanding Attorney Award, for superior performance.

Mr. Skatoff left government service in 1995 and has been a practicing attorney since that time. He is a regular speaker and author on the topics of estate planning, tax, and probate. Mr. Skatoff is a frequent on-air legal commentator for CNN on the topics of probate litigation and estate planning.  He was also recently quoted in the Wall Street Journal on the topics of estate planning for second marriages, and on the abuse of a power of attorney; and in the Palm Beach Post on an estate tax issue of note regarding the sale of the Miami Dolphins.

Given his extensive experience as a Florida probate lawyer, Mr. Skatoff also serves as a mediator in contested Florida probate and trust matters.