Virginia Estate Planning Attorneys | Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney & More
Protect Your Family Before It's Too Late.
Without a clear estate plan, your family faces probate, taxes, and conflict. We build wills, trusts, and protection plans that keep your wishes intact and your family protected.
Wills and Trusts Built Around Your Goals
Custom wills, revocable trusts, and protection plans tailored to your family and your long-term wishes.
Spare Your Family From Probate and Conflict
No proper plan means long probate battles, unnecessary taxes, and painful disputes. We make your wishes legally ironclad.
Pass On What You've Built Privately
Keep assets out of probate, minimize estate taxes, and ensure everything you've built reaches the people who matter most.
Trusted by Families Across Virginia Beach and Surrounding Communities
3 Important Considerations When Planning Your Estate
01
Protecting Your Assets and Property
Without a clear estate plan, your property and savings can be left to the probate court. That creates delays and uncertainty for your loved ones. Proper planning ensures your assets transfer exactly as you intended.
02
Avoiding Probate Delays & Unnecessary Costs
Probate can drag on for months or even years. Court fees and administrative procedures eat into what you leave behind. A well-structured plan keeps more in your family's hands.
03
Providing Clarity for Your Family’s Future
When intentions aren't clearly documented, families face confusion and disagreements. A clear plan prevents misunderstandings and ensures your wishes are carried out exactly as you intended.
Who We Help
Families Protecting What They've Built
You've worked hard to build your home, savings, and investments. Without a clear plan, the probate court decides how they're distributed and when. We make sure your assets pass to your family exactly as you intend, with no surprises.
Parents Planning for Their Children's Future
If something happens to you, your children deserve clarity, not chaos. We document guardianship, financial protection, and long-term care arrangements. So no matter what happens, the people you love are taken care of.
Adults Preparing for Their Retirement
As you near retirement, your assets need a clear structure. We help you transfer wealth efficiently, reduce unnecessary taxes, and avoid the delays that drain estates. Your retirement should secure your family, not complicate things.
Anyone Wanting Peace of Mind
You don't want your family guessing what you would have wanted. We document your decisions clearly and make your wishes legally ironclad. So your loved ones are never left wondering, and your intentions are always respected.
How Our Estate Planning Process Works
We make estate planning clear, structured, and straightforward. Here's exactly what to expect.
Step 1
Understanding Your Family and Financial Situation
We start by reviewing your family situation, assets, and long-term goals. We also discuss any concerns you might have. This helps us identify the right legal structures for your specific circumstances.
Step 2
Designing Your Personalized Estate Plan
We build a strategy tailored to your needs. This includes wills, trusts, guardianship arrangements, and any documents needed to protect your assets and outline your wishes.
Step 3
Preparing Documents and Securing Your Plan
We prepare the necessary legal documents and guide you through signing and implementation. Everything is properly structured so your wishes are documented and your family has a reliable plan in place.
What's Included in Your Estate Plan
What Our Clients Say
Real experiences from families who trusted Melone Hatley, P.C. with their estate planning.
“From the first consultation, the team was professional and responsive. Everything was explained clearly, and I always understood my options.”
– E.M.
“Lelan pays close attention to every detail and always brings a positive attitude. He genuinely wants to see others succeed and goes out of his way to support the people he works with.”
– C.I.
“Ms. Sloan was amazing to work with. Her personality made a difficult situation easier, and she truly cared about helping me understand every step. I would definitely recommend her.”
– T.H.
“Cassidy Millard is extremely knowledgeable, and I trusted her completely with a delicate case. As a mother, it meant everything knowing she was on my side and ready to act.”
– A.M.
“Mr. Chang is professional, patient, and incredibly thorough. He took the time to explain every detail and answered all my questions. I highly recommend him.”
– N.N.
“Abigail Hockett was proactive, responsive, and realistic about my case. She handled everything with care, and I trusted her enough to work with her again on another matter.”
– V.H.
“Julia has been a great lawyer for me during a very difficult divorce. Her advice was solid, and her responsiveness made a stressful situation much easier to handle.”
– T.R.
“My wife and I were extremely pleased with the level of care and expertise we received from Melone Hatley, P.C. We truly felt supported throughout the process.”
– M.A.
“The staff was friendly, attentive, and treated me like more than just another case. It was clear they cared about me and the outcome, and the results spoke for themselves.”
– M.H.
The Founders Behind Your Legal Support
Rebecca Melone and Charles Hatley lead Melone Hatley, P.C. with one shared goal: helping families plan for the future with clarity and confidence. With decades of combined legal experience, they understand that estate planning is not only about legal documents. It's about protecting what matters most. Every plan they build reflects the firm's core values: preparation, integrity, and personalized guidance tailored to each client's situation.
Trusted by Families In Virginia Beach & Beyond
Over the years, Rebecca and Charles have helped hundreds of families create estate plans that protect their assets and provide clarity for the future. Their work includes wills, trusts, guardianship planning, and strategies designed to simplify the transfer of wealth across generations. Under their leadership, Melone Hatley has grown into a respected firm known for thoughtful guidance, structured plans, and a calm, practical approach to complex legal matters.
Charles Hatley, Esq. & Rebecca Melone, Esq.
CEO & Managing Partner at Melone Hatley, P.C.
What Happens After You Contact Us
01
You Schedule Your Consultation
You schedule your consultation online, by phone, or by submitting a form.
Once we receive your request, we confirm your appointment and prepare for your consultation.
02
You Meet Directly With an Attorney
You meet directly with one of our attorneys for your initial consultation.
During this meeting, we review your situation, answer your questions, and outline your goals so we can guide you clearly.
03
We Define Your Estate Plan and Next Steps
We outline your legal options and develop a strategy tailored to your needs.
You receive clear guidance on next steps so you can move forward with confidence and make informed decisions.
Your Estate Planning Team in Virginia Beach
Your estate plan is built by Jeffrey Sodoma, our dedicated Estate Planning Attorney, with the full support of the Melone Hatley team behind him. Together, they bring decades of combined legal experience in wills, trusts, guardianship planning, and wealth transfer strategies, so your family's future is structured, protected, and clearly documented.
Jeff Sodoma, Esq.
Estate Planning Attorney
Sebastiana Bradstreet, Esq.
Litigation Attorney
William Wilkinson, Esq.
Office Managing Attorney
Arian Saleh, Esq.
Office Managing Attorney
Our Office in Virginia Beach
Our Virginia Beach office is centrally located and welcomes families throughout the region. Meet with our team in a professional, comfortable setting to review your situation, ask your questions, and build the right estate plan for your family.
Office Address:
575 Lynnhaven Pkwy, Suite 310
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
Whether you're starting your first estate plan or updating an existing one, you'll meet directly with a local team
that's accessible, responsive, and invested in protecting what matters most to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common questions families ask before starting their estate plan.
Who do you help with estate planning?
Do I really need a will or trust?
What is the difference between a will and a trust?
When should I create or update my estate plan?
What happens if someone dies without an estate plan?
How can an estate planning attorney help me?
How do I get started with estate planning?
Don't Let the State Decide What Happens to Your Family.
You've worked hard to build something for the people you love. A home, savings, a future. But without a clear estate plan, none of it is guaranteed to reach them the way you intended.
Without proper documents in place, your assets go through probate. That means months or years of court delays, unnecessary taxes, and the very real risk of family disputes over what you left behind.
Worse, your wishes may not be honored at all. State law, not you, decides who gets what. Your children's guardianship, your healthcare decisions, your financial legacy. All of it ends up in the hands of strangers.
A properly built estate plan changes that. Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives, all structured to protect your family, minimize taxes, and make sure your wishes are carried out exactly as you intend.
Hundreds of families across Virginia have trusted Melone Hatley to build estate plans that protect what matters most. Our 4.7 out of 5 rating reflects what clients value most: clear guidance, careful preparation, and plans that actually work when families need them.
Imagine knowing your family is taken care of. No probate battles. No tax surprises. No confusion about your wishes. Just clarity, security, and peace of mind for the people you love most.
Your free consultation gives you a clear path forward. We'll review your situation, answer your questions, and outline exactly what your estate plan should include.
No pressure. No obligation. No cost. You leave the consultation with a clear understanding of your next steps, whether you choose to work with us or not.
The best time to put a plan in place is before you need one. Every day without a plan is a day your family's future is left to chance.
