Jill Kaess
ATTORNEY
Estate Planning & Trust Attorney
- 3414 Wrightsville Ave Wilmington, NC 28403
- PO Box 4548 Wilmington, NC 28406
Jill Kaess is a highly respected estate planning and trust attorney, providing clients with strategic guidance in drafting and executing comprehensive estate plans. With a strong focus on estate tax, gift tax, and charitable gift planning, she helps individuals, families, and fiduciaries navigate the complexities of wealth preservation and transfer.
As a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Board-Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law by the North Carolina State Bar, Jill brings exceptional financial and legal expertise to her clients. She is also a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), a distinction earned by leading estate planning professionals nationwide.
Beyond her practice, Jill has been actively involved in numerous community organizations and currently serves on the Board of Amazima Ministries.
- Education
- J.D., Wake Forest University School of Law (Magna Cum Laude, 2002)
– Order of the Coif
- B.S. in Accountancy, University of North Carolina at Wilmington (Summa Cum Laude, 1999)
- Achievements & Superlatives
- Certified Public Accountant
- Board Certified Specialist, Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law
- Recognized by Chambers High Net Worth (HNW) North Carolina (2020-2025)
- “Leader in the Field” in North Carolina for Private Wealth Law (2018)
- American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
- Fellow
- Wilmington’s Best Lawyers
- Trusts and Estates Law Lawyer of the Year (2016, 2018, 2021)
- The Best Lawyers in America® (Woodward/White, Inc.)
Trusts and Estates (2015-2023) - North Carolina Super Lawyers
– Rising Stars Edition (2009-2017)
– Estate and Probate (2018-2022)
- Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite
– Tax and Estate Planning (2011, 2014, 2015, 2018-2022)
- Rated AV Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell®
- Admissions
- North Carolina
- North Carolina State and Federal Courts
- Memberships
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Board of Governors, Past Member
- Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law Section, Past Council Member
- Estate Administration Manual Committee, Past Chair
- Technology Committee, Past Chair
- North Carolina State Bar, Estate Planning and Probate Law Specialization Committee, Past Member and Past Chair
- New Hanover County Estate Planning Council, Past President