John F. Kearns III
John F. Kearns III was the first Connecticut attorney to be board certified as an elder law specialist by the National Elder Law Foundation, under accreditation by the American Bar Association. Jay’s practice focuses on sophisticated estate planning, the development of special needs trusts, probate and trust administration, and succession planning. He is known for his ability to build strong, lasting relationships with clients by listening carefully to their needs and the needs of their families. Through thoughtful, customized planning, Jay helps clients protect what matters most and plan confidently for the future.
Jay was inducted as a Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and is a founder and past president of the Special Needs Alliance, LLC, a national network of attorneys dedicated to special needs trust planning. He has served on the Board of Directors of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the National Elder Law Foundation, the organization responsible for examining and certifying elder law attorneys nationwide.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Jay has an extensive record of community and nonprofit service. He has served on the Advisory Board of the General Electric Center for Financial Learning and on the Boards of Directors of HARC, FAVARH (Farmington Valley ARC), the Alzheimer’s Association Connecticut Chapter, the St. Francis Hospital Foundation, Seabury At Home Care of Bloomfield, and Autism Services Resources of Connecticut.
Jay is a graduate of Fordham University and Syracuse University College of Law and a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Areas of Practice:
- Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning
- Probate and Estate Administration
- Trust Administration
- Succession Planning
Bar Admissions:
- Connecticut
Education:
- Syracuse University College of Law
- Fordham University
- Member, Phi Beta Kappa
Professional Associations & Memberships
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Fellow
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Board of Directors
- Special Needs Alliance LLC, Founder and Past President
- National Elder Law Foundation, Board of Directors
- General Electric Center for Financial Learning, Advisory Board
- HARC, Board of Directors
- Farmington Valley ARC, Board of Directors
- Alzheimer’s Association, Connecticut Chapter, Board of Directors
- St. Francis Hospital Foundation, Board of Directors
- Seabury At Home Care of Bloomfield, Board of Directors
- Autism Services Resources of Connecticut, Board of Directors