Brandon J. Lawrence - Louisville Lawyer

Directions Website

Brandon J. Lawrence - Louisville Lawyer Brandon Lawrence is a Louisville, KY, Jefferson County Attorney practicing in estate planning, motorized vehicle accidents and personal injury.

When the stakes are high and the pressure mounts call Brandon! Put your trust in one of Louisville's Best! Dealing with the challenges of pain and suffering, medical expenses, loss of income, and other difficulties brought on by an injury can leave you feeling devastated and alone. At the Law Office of Brandon J. Lawrence, our mission is to offer personalized, dedicated legal help to those who have been hurt. If you have been injured in an automobile accident, motorcycle accident, tractor-trailer accident, farm machinery accident, or have been the victim of medical malpractice, you need to speak with us immediately. We are an experienced personal injury law firm and offer a free case evaluation. There are no up front fees! We only get paid if we are successful in obtaining compensation for you or your loved ones. Time is of the essence in any personal injury claim, so speak with us today. We take an aggressive stance in protecting your rights and well-being. Call the Law Office of Brandon J. Lawrence at (502) 996-7735

10/21/2026

How can you provide financial support for a disabled loved one without risking their government benefits? 💙📜
Many families want to leave an inheritance, gift, or financial safety net for a child or relative with special needs, but a direct cash gift can accidentally disqualify them from essential government assistance like Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Section 8 housing.

In this episode of the Protect Your Nest Podcast, titled "What Is a Special Needs Trust?", Louisville estate planning attorney Brandon J. Lawrence ("Lawyer for the City") explains how to properly set up a Special Needs Trust (SNT) to fund medical, educational, and recreational care while keeping vital public benefits fully intact.

Here are 5 critical takeaways every Kentucky family needs to know:
🔹 1. First-Party vs. Third-Party Special Needs Trusts: The main difference is where the money comes from. A First-Party SNT is funded with the disabled individual's own assets (such as a personal injury settlement or direct inheritance). It must be irrevocable, and Medicaid has the right to seek reimbursement after the beneficiary passes away. A Third-Party SNT is funded by family members (like parents or grandparents) before the beneficiary turns 65, requires no Medicaid payback upon death, has its own Employer Identification Number (EIN), and stays completely private without court filing in Kentucky.

🔹 2. Protecting Critical Benefit Eligibility Limits: To remain eligible for government assistance, individuals face strict financial caps. In Kentucky, Medicaid limits countable assets to $2,000, SSI caps monthly income at $994, and Section 8 housing limits total assets to $105,574. Assets held within an SNT do not count against these resource limits.

🔹 3. The Power of a Letter of Intent: Alongside a Third-Party SNT, grantors can write a Letter of Intent to guide caregivers and trustees. This document outlines personalized medical, dietary, educational, and recreational preferences, ensuring your loved one maintains the highest quality of life.

🔹 4. Common Drafting Mistakes to Avoid: Never use standard "health, education, maintenance, and support" (HEMS) language in a Third-Party SNT, as it can give the appearance of direct beneficiary control over funds. Additionally, never make a disabled child a direct pay-on-death (POD) beneficiary or name them as a successor trustee.

🔹 5. Pooled Trusts for Added Flexibility: For families seeking another option, a Pooled Trust combines resources for multiple individuals with disabilities under a single master trust. Unlike a Third-Party SNT, there is no age restriction to start a Pooled Trust.

Don't let a well-intentioned inheritance jeopardize your loved one's care—roadmap a Special Needs Trust today!
👉 Learn more and watch full episodes: http://www.LawyerForTheCity.org

📞 Schedule a consultation: (502) 424-3130 / (502) 996-7735
Contact Information
Lawyer for the City
101 N. 7th Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202

Phone: (502) 424-3130 / (502) 996-7735

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.LawyerForTheCity.org

Disclaimer
This podcast is meant to provide information and is not legal advice. Brandon’s principal office is located at 101 N. 7th Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202.
This is an advertisement.

10/19/2026

What Is a Power of Attorney—and Who Will Make Decisions for You If You Can't? 📋🖊️
Many people assume a Power of Attorney (POA) covers everything, stays in effect forever, or that any standard form will work at the bank, but these common misconceptions can cause major legal and financial headaches when life throws a curveball.

In this episode of the Protect Your Nest Podcast, titled "What Is a Power of Attorney?", Louisville estate planning attorney Brandon J. Lawrence ("Lawyer for the City") breaks down the legal mechanics of Power of Attorney under Kentucky law (KRS 457) and explains how to structure this vital document to safeguard your health, finances, and quality of life.

Here are 5 critical takeaways every Kentucky family needs to know:
🔹 1. The 4 Main Types of Power of Attorney: Under Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS 457), POAs can be General (broad financial authority), Limited (created for a specific transaction like selling a home), Durable (remains in effect if you become incapacitated), or Springing (only "springs" into effect after incapacitation occurs). In Kentucky, a POA is assumed to be durable unless explicitly stated otherwise.

🔹 2. Bank Requirements & Courthouse Recording: Before relying solely on a standard attorney-drafted form, check with your bank or financial institution to see if they require their own in-house POA forms. Additionally, while recording your POA at the county courthouse isn't legally required, doing so provides an official court seal stamp that prevents delays when dealing with mortgage companies, lenders, and medical providers.

🔹 3. The Biggest POA Myth (It Ends at Death!): One of the most widespread misunderstandings is that a POA continues after you pass away.
A Power of Attorney is only valid while the principal is living.
The moment you pass away, the POA automatically terminates, and a Last Will and Testament or Trust takes over.

🔹 4. Specificity Prevents Misuse & Protects Your Intent: To prevent fraud or misunderstandings, your POA should explicitly outline what your agent is authorized to do.
Be specific about real estate transactions, loan agreements, financial parameters, and healthcare choices—including life support, medications, and medical treatments.
You can also assign separate agents for financial decisions and medical decisions.

🔹 5. Choose a Younger Backup Agent & Nominate Guardians: Because primary agents (such as a spouse) may predecease you or experience health complications like dementia, it is essential to name a successor agent who is at least 10 to 15 years younger.
You can also nominate a guardian or conservator within your POA, which Kentucky courts are strongly inclined to honor.

Don't wait until incapacitation occurs to make these critical choices. Appoint a trusted agent while you are competent to protect your nest!
👉 Learn more and watch full episodes: http://www.LawyerForTheCity.org
📞 Schedule a consultation: (502) 424-3130 / (502) 996-7735

Contact Information
Lawyer for the City
101 N. 7th Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202
Phone: (502) 424-3130 / (502) 996-7735
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.LawyerForTheCity.org

Disclaimer
This podcast is meant to provide information and is not legal advice. Brandon’s principal office is located at 101 N. 7th Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202. This is an advertisement.

10/16/2026

Does Your Estate Plan Account for Dementia and Alzheimer’s? 🧠💙
Caring for a loved one suffering from severe memory loss, dementia, or Alzheimer’s is a full-time, unpaid, and often emotionally exhausting job.

With over 81,000 older adults in Kentucky living with Alzheimer's and more than 11% of adults aged 45+ experiencing cognitive decline, memory care is becoming an urgent priority for local families.

In this episode of the Protect Your Nest Podcast, titled "Does Your Estate Plan Account for Dementia and Alzheimer’s?", Louisville estate planning attorney Brandon J. Lawrence ("Lawyer for the City") explains how proper legal and financial planning can protect your loved one’s quality of life without wiping out their hard-earned assets.

Here are 4 critical takeaways every Kentucky family needs to know:
🔹 1. Kentucky Medicaid Qualifications & Asset Caps: To qualify for Medicaid to cover 24-hour nursing home or memory care, applicants must meet physical care requirements (assistance with bathing, dressing, feeding, or toileting) and strict financial caps.

An individual applicant cannot earn more than $2,982 per month in income and cannot hold more than $2,000 in countable assets.

🔹 2. Protecting the Non-Applicant Spouse & the Home: If only one spouse needs memory care, the non-applicant spouse has no monthly income limit and can retain up to $162,660 in assets.
While your primary home and car are initially excluded from eligibility caps, you must set up protective legal tools (like irrevocable trusts) to prevent the state from claiming your home through the Medicaid Estate Recovery Act after you pass away.

Strategic spend-down techniques, such as paying off debt, funding prepaid burial plans, or installing wheelchair ramps and walk-in showers, can also help you qualify safely.

🔹 3. Hollywood Lessons: Why You Must Update Your Plan: Attorney Lawrence shares caution from high-profile estate battles, including actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner's family trust dispute (which was created before marriage and never updated) and Chadwick Boseman dying intestate.
If you don't regularly review your estate plan after major life events like marriage or having children, your assets may not go to the people you intended.

🔹 4. You Cannot Disinherit Your Spouse in Kentucky: Under Kentucky law, you cannot write a spouse out of your estate plan without a valid prenuptial agreement.
Failing to plan or attempting to disinherit a spouse defaults to Kentucky's statutory intestate laws, which automatically grant 50% of the estate to the surviving spouse and 50% to surviving parents or heirs, often leading to costly court disputes.

Don't wait until a medical crisis forces emergency decisions—roadmap your memory care and asset protection plan today!
👉 Learn more and watch full episodes: http://www.LawyerForTheCity.org

📞 Schedule a consultation: (502) 424-3130 / (502) 996-7735

Contact Information
Lawyer for the City
101 N. 7th Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202

Phone: (502) 424-3130 / (502) 996-7735

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.LawyerForTheCity.org

Disclaimer
This podcast is meant to provide information and is not legal advice. Brandon’s principal office is located at 101 N. 7th Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202.
This is an advertisement.

10/15/2026

Did you know that having a Will doesn't automatically keep your estate out of court? 🏛️📜
Many families assume that writing a Will means their loved ones can avoid court proceedings after they pass away.

In reality, a Will must still go through the public probate court process to validate documents, settle debts, and transfer property.

In this episode of the Protect Your Nest Podcast, titled "Probate vs. Non-Probate Assets: What Every Kentucky Family Should Know," Louisville estate planning attorney Brandon J. Lawrence ("Lawyer for the City") breaks down how categorizing your assets today can save your family time, money, and unnecessary legal drama tomorrow.

Here is what every Kentucky family needs to know about how assets are treated:
⚠️ What Happens If You Die "Intestate"? If you pass away without a Will or Trust, you die "intestate".
Under Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS 391), state law predetermines who receives your property, typically splitting assets between your surviving spouse and children, rather than letting you choose.

đź“‹ Common Probate Assets (Require Court Intervention):
Real estate or land titled solely in your name.

Checking and savings accounts solely in your name with no beneficiary designated.

Personal belongings such as vehicles, jewelry, artwork, and furniture owned alone.

Sole proprietorships or business shares without a succession plan or buyout agreement.

Life insurance policies or retirement accounts that name your estate as the beneficiary.

âś… Common Non-Probate Assets (Bypass Court & Stay Private):
Assets placed in a revocable or irrevocable Trust.

Payable-on-Death (POD) or Transfer-on-Death (TOD) bank accounts, CDs, and brokerage accounts with named beneficiaries.

Property held jointly with a joint right of survivorship, which transfers automatically upon death.

Life insurance policies, pensions, annuities, and 401(k) accounts that name specific individuals or entities as beneficiaries.

Using legal tools like trusts and updating your beneficiary forms keeps your financial business private, reduces legal fees, and ensures your legacy goes directly to the people you intended faster.

Don't let the state predetermine your family's financial future—roadmap your estate plan today!
👉 Learn more and watch full episodes: http://www.LawyerForTheCity.org.

📞 Schedule a consultation: (502) 996-7735

Contact Information
Lawyer for the City

101 N. 7th Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202

Phone: (502) 996-7735

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.LawyerForTheCity.org

Disclaimer
This podcast is meant to provide information and is not legal advice. Brandon’s principal office is located at 101 N. 7th Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202. This is an advertisement.

10/14/2026

Did you know that putting the wrong information in your Last Will and Testament can cause major confusion, legal conflicts, or even prevent your true wishes from being carried out?

📜✍️ Many people assume a Will is a catch-all document for every asset, medical preference, and funeral instruction. However, under Kentucky law, putting certain items in a Will is redundant, or completely overruled by other legal designations!

In this episode of the Protect Your Nest Podcast, titled "What Not to Put in Your Will," Louisville estate planning attorney Brandon J. Lawrence ("Lawyer for the City") shares essential tips to make your Will simple, clear, and effective.

Here are 8 things that DO NOT belong in your Last Will and Testament:
🔹 1. Retirement Accounts & IRAs: Beneficiary designations set up directly with your financial institution or employer take legal precedence over anything written in your Will.

🔹 2. Funeral Arrangements: Wills are often read weeks after a person passes away and is buried or cremated; funeral preferences should be expressed in a separate document.

🔹 3. Organ Donation Wishes: Time-sensitive decisions like organ donation must be known immediately prior to passing (such as through a driver's license designation or directive), not after.

🔹 4. Life Support Instructions: Directions regarding ventilators or life support prolongment belong in a Living Will, not a Last Will.

🔹 5. Trust Assets & Beneficiaries: A properly funded trust takes precedent over a Will and directly dictates how assets are distributed.

🔹 6. LLC Real Estate & Business Assets: Assets owned by an LLC are governed by the entity; specific properties cannot simply be divided in a Will without transferring membership interests or restructuring.

🔹 7. Life Insurance Beneficiaries: Policy beneficiary forms take precedence over Will provisions.

🔹 8. Long Explanations or Novels: Brevity is key. Avoid writing lengthy explanations for why you are leaving an item to someone in the legal document itself.

Brandon also highlights the legal rules under Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS 394.040) regarding handwritten "holographic" wills, which must be entirely in your own handwriting, signed, and dated to be valid.

Don't leave your family's future to guesswork. Work with an experienced attorney to roadmap a complete estate plan that protects your nest!

👉 Learn more and watch full episodes: http://www.LawyerForTheCity.org

📞 Schedule a consultation today: (502) 996-7735

Contact Information
Lawyer for the City
101 N. 7th Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202

Phone: (502) 996-7735

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.LawyerForTheCity.org

Disclaimer
This podcast is meant to provide information and is not legal advice.
Brandon’s principal office is located at 101 N. 7th Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202.
This is an advertisement.

The best gift you can leave your family isn't money — it's a plan.An estate plan means your wishes are honored, your ass...
07/31/2026

The best gift you can leave your family isn't money — it's a plan.

An estate plan means your wishes are honored, your assets are protected, and the people you love aren't left navigating chaos during their hardest moments.

Start your legacy plan today → www.lawyerforthecity.org

Wrongful death. Police brutality. Cases the system hopes you'll walk away from.We don't walk away.If your family has bee...
07/24/2026

Wrongful death. Police brutality. Cases the system hopes you'll walk away from.

We don't walk away.

If your family has been failed by the system, Brandon Lawrence will be in your corner — relentless, experienced, and ready to fight for the justice you deserve.

⚖️ www.lawyerforthecity.org

You've worked too hard to leave your legacy to chance.Wills, trusts, and peace of mind for the people who matter most — ...
07/17/2026

You've worked too hard to leave your legacy to chance.

Wills, trusts, and peace of mind for the people who matter most — that's what we're here for. Whether you're just getting started or need to update an existing plan, we're ready to help.

Plan today. Protect tomorrow.

Schedule your free consultation → www.lawyerforthecity.org

Injured? Don't wait.Every day matters in a personal injury case — and delays can cost you what you're owed. We work on c...
07/10/2026

Injured? Don't wait.

Every day matters in a personal injury case — and delays can cost you what you're owed. We work on contingency, which means you pay absolutely nothing unless we win your case.

Zero risk. Real results.

Free consultation → www.lawyerforthecity.org

Happy 4th of July from The Lawyer for the City. 🇺🇸Freedom isn't just something we celebrate once a year — it's something...
07/04/2026

Happy 4th of July from The Lawyer for the City. 🇺🇸

Freedom isn't just something we celebrate once a year — it's something worth protecting every single day. Knowing your rights, having someone who will fight for them, and getting the justice you deserve.

That's what we're here for.

www.lawyerforthecity.org

Address

101 North 7th Street
Louisville, KY
40202

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Brandon J. Lawrence - Louisville Lawyer posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Nearby law practices