Attorneys

John M. Hartzell, Jr.

John M. Hartzell, Jr. concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning and estate and trust administration, and chairs the Firm’s Estates and Trusts Group. Prior to becoming an attorney, John worked as a Certified Public Accountant for more than seven (7) years. As a CPA, John prepared tax returns and provided income tax advice to individuals, corporations and flow-through entities, such as partnerships and S-corporations. John also supervised audit and review engagements and worked with closely-held businesses on their accounting and year-end tax planning matters. His income tax and accounting background lead John, as an attorney, to focus on estate and gift tax planning for individuals and business owners.

Much of the Firm’s estate planning work involves medium to high-net worth individuals who use sophisticated techniques to minimize their federal and state death taxes and to transfer their wealth in a controlled and efficient manner. With many of the Firm’s corporate clients, John works with the owners on their succession and tax planning matters. John is integrally involved with advanced estate tax planning, which includes grantor retained annuity trusts, installment sales to intentionally defective grantor trusts, family limited partnerships, charitable trusts and private foundations. He is also involved with the administration of decedents’ estates, many of which must file a Federal death tax return.

Each year John presents seminars to lawyers, accountants and financial planners for continuing professional education and general information concerning estate planning, corporate tax and business succession planning and estate administration matters.
 

Bar Admissions

• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 
• United States Tax Court

Education

• Pennsylvania State University, B.S., Accounting, 1983
• Clarion University, M.B.A., 1988
• Duquesne University, J.D., 1994 

Professional Affiliations

• Member, Allegheny County Bar Association (Probate Trust Law Section)
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• Member, Estate Planning Council of Pittsburgh
• Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association
• Member, Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants 

Community Involvement

• Member, Advisory Board of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Western Pennsylvania
• Member, Executive Committee, Light the Night Walk, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
• Member, Advancement Committee, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Pittsburgh
• Member, Advancement Committee, St Anne School, Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania