Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, Estate Administration, Tax Law & Estate Litigation

Planning Ahead—So Your Wishes Are Honored and Your Family Is Protected

Planning for the future isn’t always easy, but it’s one of the most important things you can do for the people you care about. Whether you’re creating a will, setting up a trust, or managing the estate of a loved one who’s passed, you need more than just documents—you need clarity, confidence, and guidance you can trust.

At Ray, Winton & Kelley, we help West Virginians make thoughtful decisions about their assets, their families, and their legacies. We also step in when estate matters turn into disputes—providing experienced representation in litigation when needed.

Estate Planning: More Than Just a Will

Good estate planning does more than say who gets what. It protects your loved ones from confusion, conflict, and unnecessary legal fees. It ensures your wishes are clear, your affairs are in order, and the people you trust are empowered to act on your behalf if needed.

We help individuals and families with:

Wills
Revocable and irrevocable trusts
Powers of attorney (financial and medical)
Living wills and advance directives
Transfer-on-death deeds
Charitable or special needs planning
Business succession planning

Whether your estate is simple or complex, we’ll explain your options clearly and help you build a plan that reflects your values and goals.

Estate Administration: Handling a Loved One’s Affairs

Losing someone close to you is hard enough. Being responsible for handling their estate can make an already difficult time even more overwhelming. There’s paperwork, deadlines, court filings, and often a lot of questions about what’s supposed to happen—and when.

We guide executors, trustees, and family members through the process of:

Probating a will
Identifying and distributing assets
Notifying beneficiaries and creditors
Paying debts, taxes, and expenses
Resolving disputes among heirs
Filing necessary documents with the court

We know how emotional and confusing this process can be, and we’re here to make it manageable.

Estate and Tax Disputes: When Things Get Complicated

Sometimes, estate matters don’t go as planned. Disputes can arise between family members, questions may surface about someone’s intentions, or tax consequences can become unexpectedly complex. When that happens, you need a firm that’s ready to step in and protect your interests.

We represent clients in:

Will contests and challenges to capacity or undue influence
Disputes between beneficiaries, executors, or trustees
Breach of fiduciary duty claims
Trust modifications or terminations
Estate tax and inheritance tax concerns
Claims involving jointly owned or transferred property

Whether you're trying to enforce a valid will or defend against a claim, we approach these cases with professionalism, discretion, and a focus on resolution.

Why Estate Planning Isn’t Just for the Wealthy

One common myth is that estate planning is only for the very wealthy. The truth? Anyone with assets, children, or specific wishes about healthcare or inheritance can benefit from having a plan in place.

A properly drafted will or power of attorney can save your family time, money, and uncertainty. And even if you’ve already created a plan, life changes—like divorce, remarriage, retirement, or the birth of a child—may mean it’s time for an update.

We make the process straightforward, respectful, and focused on what matters to you.

Why RWK Is the Right Fit

At Ray, Winton & Kelley, we’ve built a reputation on practical, thoughtful legal work that puts our clients’ needs first. We don’t overcomplicate things or bury you in jargon. Instead, we focus on helping you understand your situation, make informed decisions, and take the right steps to protect yourself, your family, or your business.

With decades of experience serving Charleston and communities across West Virginia, we bring both deep legal knowledge and a grounded, real-world perspective to every case. Whether you're planning ahead, facing a dispute, or simply looking for clarity, you can count on our team to provide steady guidance and dependable representation.

FAMILY LAW, DIVORCE & DOMESTIC RELATIONS

Family relationships are complex, and the finances associated with those relationships are often intricate. We have the ability to understand the complexity of those relationships and provide our clients with effective counsel, especially when relationships end in divorce. We handle divorce cases at all income levels and have had particular success with high net-worth cases.

CORPORATE LAW & LITIGATION

Starting and operating a business requires many important decisions. We can help guide you through the process and protect your interests. The issues we handle include business incorporation, breach-of-contract claims, construction law, contractor’s liens, collection of debts, judgment enforcement, non-compete agreements, fraud, partnership disputes, operating agreements, employment matters, and business purchases and sales.

GENERAL CIVIL LAW & LITIGATION

General civil litigation involves seeking compensatory damages for some actual or perceived wrong. However, remedies in civil matters can also include specific performance of a contractual agreement, injunctive or other equitable relief.

REAL ESTATE LAW & LITIGATION

We handle a variety of real estate legal issues, including sales, leasing, financing, contract negotiations, title assurance, landlord-tenant relations and taxes. When litigation is necessary, we represent clients in disputes over construction, mechanic’s liens, easements, boundaries, condemnation and landlord-tenant issues.

LAWYER DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS

Mark Kelley has represented numerous West Virginia attorneys in all stages of the disciplinary process. If you need representation in this area or just want a consultation to help you deal with a complaint, the firm is ready to assist you in the process.

EMPLOYMENT

Employment law encompasses thousands of federal and state statutes, administrative regulations and judicial decisions that cover a wide spectrum of the employer/employee relationship. We handle issues for employees or employers in such areas as collective bargaining, employment discrimination, unemployment compensation, pensions, workplace safety and workers’ compensation.

MEDIATION

The firm offers mediation services for business disputes, estate disputes and domestic relations cases. Mark and Sam have taken basic and advanced mediation courses through the West Virginia State Bar. Mark has mediated numerous cases in the above fields and is available to assist litigants and their attorneys in trying to resolve these often-complicated and contentious matters. Sam generally limits his mediation practice to family law disputes. It greatly enhances the chances of a successful mediation if your mediator has extensive experience dealing with the issues to be mediated.

Testimonials

Elizabeth Smith

Mr. Kelley is extremely responsive and knowledgeable when it comes to family law. He and his staff are have done an excellent job handling child custody issues quickly and effectively, highly recommend.

David Log

A very old and established law firm. Great for estate management and general law.

Leslie Richmond

Franki Parsons has been a life saver. Franki goes above and beyond to help you. So easy to talk to and you know she cares. Can't recommend enough.