M. Elizabeth Monihan

Partner

Practice Areas:

Biography

Lisa Monihan is a Partner in the Trusts & Estates Practice Group, and she also serves as a practice group co-coordinator. Her practice is focused on wealth transfer planning for individuals and fiduciaries, including income, gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning; trust and estate administration; multi-generational family issues; retirement planning; succession planning for closely-held businesses; and charitable planning.

A client once told Lisa that the decision to hire her was made because “[she] really listened to what I had to say; the other lawyers I interviewed were too busy trying to impress me with how smart they were.” Lisa establishes personal, long-term relationships with her clients and guides them through the legal, tax, financial, and family issues in their unique situations with empathy and compassion.

Lisa is a frequent speaker to professional and community groups on estate planning and related topics.

Elizabeth is a state-wide, if not a national, expert. She's very well known, very involved, collaborative, and has unmatched expertise.

She has great perspective on issues and sensitivity. She sees the big picture and explains everything to clients really well. She is a really balanced and holistic adviser.

– Chambers HNW

Education

Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, J.D., 1984
John Carroll University, B.S. in Economics, 1979

Admissions & Associations

State of Ohio
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
U.S. Tax Court
U.S. Supreme Court

Articles & Presentations

Update on Ohio’s Enactment of a Legal Malpractice Statute of Repose, Probate Law Journal of Ohio, March/April 2025
Ohio Update, Estate Planning Council of Cleveland, December 2023
OSBA Update, CMBA Hot Topics in Estate Planning 2023, June 2023
Ohio Law Update, ACTEC Great Lakes Regional Meeting, Chicago, December 2022
Legislative Update, Park National Bank Estate Planning and Ethics Seminar, November 2022
Ohio Legislative Update, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Estate Planning Institute, October 2022
Ohio Legislative Update, Marvin Pliskin Advanced Probate and Estate Planning Institute, September 2022
Summary of Written Testimony before Ohio House of Representatives Civil Justice Committee in opposition to H.B. 339, Probate Law Journal of Ohio, November/December 2021
Opposition Testimony on behalf of the Ohio State Bar Association concerning Proposed Electronic Wills Legislation, Ohio House of Representatives Civil Justice Committee, October 12, 2021
Making a Difference - The Ohio Legislative Process and Recent Developments for Estates and Trusts, Boy Scout Estate Planning Seminar, September 14, 2021
Ohio Enacts a Legal Malpractice Statute of Repose, Probate Law Journal of Ohio, May/June 2021
Starting Out: The Initial Client Interview, Fiduciary Responsibilities, Conflicts of Interest and Fees, Ohio State Bar Association, Annual Presentation 2019-2023
The Inside Scoop on Choosing an Estate Planning Lawyer, Crain’s Cleveland Business-Estate Planning, November 2020
Planning for Elderly Clients Below the Exemption Amount, Probate Law Journal of Ohio, July/August 2020
Dilemma for Executors and Survivors: Should Cares Act Economic Impact Payments to Decedents be Returned? Probate Law Journal of Ohio, July/August 2020
Estate Planning for Clients Below the Exemption Amount, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel Ohio Regional Meeting, Columbus, Ohio, May 4, 2019
The Art of Inheritance - Planning for Children of Assisted Reproductive Technology following Enactment of Substitute Senate Bill 232, West Shore Bar Assn., July 20, 2018
To Be an "Heir" or Not to Be an Heir" - That is the Question, Ohio State Bar Association, April 2017
Increase in Value and Number of Vehicles Which May be Selected by Surviving Spouse, Probate Law Journal of Ohio, January/February 2017
Assisted Reproductive Technology (Art) and Inheritance Rights, Akron Tax and Estate Planning Council, January 2017

Professional Involvement

American Bar Association, Member
Ohio State Bar Association, Member
- Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Section Council, Executive Committee and Immediate Past Chair, '23-'25
Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Member
- Estate Planning, Probate, and Trust Law Section, Former Chair, 2008-2009
Ohio Women’s Bar Association, Member
The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Fellow; State Laws Committee, Technology in the Practice Committee
Marvin R. Pliskin Advanced Probate and Estate Planning Seminar, Member, Planning Committee
Probate Law Journal of Ohio, Editorial Advisory Board, 2015-current
Estate Planning Council of Cleveland, Member and Former President 1994-1995

Community Activities

Cleveland Council on World Affairs, Development Committee, 2016-present
Union Club Foundation Board, Secretary 2017–current
Catholic Charities Corporation, Board of Trustees 2003–2014
Volunteer Council of The Cleveland Orchestra, President 1998-2001
The Junior Committee of The Cleveland Orchestra, President 1997-1999
The Women’s Committee of The Cleveland Orchestra, Board of Trustees 2000-2003
Cleveland Museum of Art, Planned Giving Committee
Lawyers Guild of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
Hathaway Brown Parent Association, President 2013-2014
University Hospitals, Diamond Advisory Group
Case Western Reserve University, Professional Advisory Group

Awards & Honors

Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent®
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® since 2018 for Practice Areas:
- Litigation - Trusts and Estates
- Tax Law
- Trusts and Estates
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers^® for:
- Tax Law, Cleveland 2024
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers^® for:
- Trusts and Estates, Cleveland 2023
Ranked in Chambers High Net Worth: Private Wealth Law | Ohio, 2018-present
Accredited Estate Planner® - National Association of Estate Planners & Councils
Distinguished Estate Planner 2013 - Estate Planning Council of Cleveland
Selected to the Ohio Super Lawyers® list: 2006-present
- Top 50: Women Ohio Super Lawyers list: 2024-2025
- Top 25: Women Cleveland Super Lawyers list: 2024
Crain's Cleveland Business 2022 Notables In Law