Jennifer Schooley

Jennifer Schooley, the owner of Schooley Law Firm, PC, in Richmond, Virginia, leads a boutique legal practice with a focus on estate planning, estate and trust administration, and gift and estate tax planning.  Her clientele is diverse, ranging from high net worth individuals, large landowners and those with multigenerational wealth or extensive art collections to blended families seeking thoughtful and equitable planning solutions.  Members of the firm can assist people from all walks of life, and pride themselves on being able to explain complex legal matters in a relatable manner.  

Ms. Schooley herself is adept at navigating complex planning strategies, including installment sales to grantor trusts, GRATs, spousal lifetime access trusts (SLATs), irrevocable life insurance trusts, charitable trusts, fractional-interest gifts, private foundations, and working with family offices. She takes particular joy in representing families with multiple generations of wealth, whether that be the wealth generator or a member of the next-generation seeking to understand and operate within a complex legal plan.  She also enjoys assisting blended families, drawing from her own experiences to guide them through intricate planning challenges. Her academic journey includes a Juris Doctor from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 1998 and a B.A. magna cum laude in American studies and English literature from Florida State University in 1995. She began practicing law in Virginia in 1998.

Before establishing her own firm, Ms. Schooley spent almost a decade honing her skills in estate planning and tax law with one of the world's leading law firms, contributing to its nationally recognized Private Wealth Services team.   She was invited by her peers on a national level to become a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) where she serves on the state laws committee, the family law task force, and the practice committee.  Her peers on a state level have repeatedly honored her as a "Legal Elite" in Taxes/Estates/Trusts/Elder Law, as featured in Virginia Business magazine.  She has served as the chairman of the Board of Governors of the Trust and Estate section of the Virginia Sate Bar, actively serves on the trust and estate legislative committee of the Virginia Bar Association promoting legislative changes, is a speaker for the Virginia State Bar's continuing legal education, and is a contributing author for the trust and estate newsletter for the Virginia State Bar.   She is an esteemed member of the local legal community, actively participating in several professional organizations including the Richmond Estate Planning Council and the Trust Administrator's Council.

Beyond her legal endeavors, Ms. Schooley is passionate about art and dedicates her time to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA). She serves on the Board of Directors for the VMFA Foundation, chairs the audit and governance committee and contributes to the executive board for the Charitable Advisors group. Previously, she served as the chairman of the “Canvas” support group.