Julia B. (Schroeder) Meister

Businesses, individuals, and charitable organizations turn to Julia for counsel and advocacy in their most important matters.

Julia is a partner in Taft’s Litigation, Health & Life Sciences and Private Client groups and heads the firm’s Wealth Transfer Litigation practice. She has served as lead trial counsel at bench and jury trials and has represented clients in appeals and in alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration. Julia has represented plaintiffs and defendants in challenges to estate planning documents and fiduciary conduct, notably: serving as lead trial attorney for the first will contestant to prevail in a will contest at a jury trial in Hamilton County in several decades, obtaining a jury verdict on behalf of a major national charitable organization on intentional interference with expectancy of inheritance claims in a multimillion dollar estate, and serving as a defense team member to obtain a unanimous jury verdict for the defense in a contest of the will of the part owner of an NFL team. She counsels clients and represents them in business, class action, commercial, estate, guardianship, trust and fiduciary matters and professional ethics and discipline matters before courts, administrative tribunals and arbitrators. Julia’s health care practice includes privacy, risk management, statutory compliance, and decision making. She handles disciplinary proceedings and investigations before licensing boards and professional societies. Julia also represents universities and secondary schools as outside counsel.

Julia oversaw administration of the settled wrongful death and personal injury claims in the litigation against DuPont, featured in the movie “Dark Waters,” which documented Taft’s two-decade long representation as counsel for the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee in multi-district litigation involving toxic chemical PFOA claims.

Selected Speeches

“Dealing with Clients with Diminished Capacity,” Ohio Bar Association Webcast, Feb. 26, 2024.

“Identifying and Handling Capacity Issues and Summary of Guardianship Process,” Basic Estate Planning & Probate Institute, Cincinnati Bar Association, Nov. 30, 2023.

“Dealing with Diminished Capacity,” American College of Trust and Estate Counsel – Fall Meeting, Oct. 2023.

“Protecting Your Gifts and Assets – a Litigator’s View,” Greater Cincinnati Planned Giving Council Conversation & Coffee Event, Sept. 20, 2023.

“Careers in Aging Week Panel Presentation,” Xavier University Aging Week Program, March 30, 2023.

“License to Steal? POA Abuse and Remedies,” American Law Institute CLE Seminar, Nov. 18, 2022.

“Trying the Trust Reformation Case,” American College of Trust and Estate Counsel – Fiduciary Litigation Committee Meeting, Oct. 2022.

“Frontline Warriors and Mandatory Reporters: Legal Solutions to Battle Elder Abuse,” Moderator, OSBA Marvin R. Pliskin Advanced Probate and Estate Planning Institute, Sept. 16, 2022.

“Clients and Fiduciaries with Diminished Capacity,” National Committee Chair, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) Elder Law Committee, June 25, 2022

“Do’s and Don’ts for Drafting Attorneys,” Panelist, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) Fiduciary Litigation Committee, June 24, 2022

“Commentary to Model Rule 1.14: Client With Diminished Capacity,” OSBA Marvin R. Pliskin Advanced Probate and Estate Planning Seminar, Sept. 17, 2021

“Virtual Technology Practices for Fiduciary Litigators,” ABA Real Property Trust & Estate Section, Nov. 11, 2020

“Wrapping Up the Estate, Dealing with Claims and Distribution,” Ohio State Bar Association CLE, June 4, 2020

“Guardianship/Conservatorship Trends in Uniform Laws and Case Law,” American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) 2019 Great Lakes Regional Meeting, Dec. 13-15, 2019

“Protecting Your Organization’s Assets and Gifts: A Litigator’s View,” Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center – Development Professionals, April 2019

“The Probate Omnibus Bill: HB 595,” Ohio State Bar Association CLE Seminar, Columbus, OH, April 2019

“Ethics for Newer Taft Attorneys,” Taft Associate Training, Nov. 2018

“Protecting Your Gifts and Assets – A Litigator’s View,” Greater Cincinnati Planned Giving Council Conversation & Coffee, Oct. 2018

“Intelligent Case Evaluation in Light of New Trends in Probate Litigation,” Moderator, Ohio State Bar Association Estate Planning and Probate Law Section – Marvin R. Pliskin Advanced Probate and Estate Planning Seminar, Columbus, OH, Sept. 2018

“Involuntary Hospitalization Overview,” TriHealth Department of Psychiatry, May 2018

“The Estate Plan in Litigation,” American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (“ACTEC”) 2017 Great Lakes Regional Meeting, Chicago, IL, Dec. 2017

“High Stakes Litigation: When to Bring in the Expert to Win Your Case,” American Bar Association’s Real Property, Trust and Estate Law 29th Annual Spring Symposia, Denver, CO, April 2017

“Will Contests: Direct and Cross in Action,” Cincinnati Bar Association’s 34th Annual Advanced Estate Planning Institute Seminar, March 2017

“Every Little Thing You Do is Magic… and Ethical,” Taft Associate Training, Jan. 2017

“Our Elder Law Committee and a Possible ACTEC Foundation Project,” Ohio American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (“ACTEC”) Summer Meeting, June 2016

“Judges and Litigants Address Elder Abuse in Probate Courts: Trends and Reporting Obligations,” National College of Probate Judges 2016 Spring Conference, Point Clear, AL, May 2016

“One if by Land, Two if by Sea: Ethical Warnings for Attorneys Working with Charitable Gifts,” Panelist, American Bar Association Real Property Trust and Estate Law 28th Annual Spring Symposia, Boston, MA, May 2016

“The Trustee’s Duty to Inform and Report,” Moderator, Ohio State Bar All-Ohio Legal Forum, April 2016

“Rule 66.09 – Responsibilities of Guardian to Ward,” Ohio State Bar Association Guardianship CLE, Sept. 2015

“Mental Health and Substance Abuse Issues Affecting Our Clients and Their Families,” Ohio American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (“ACTEC”) Fellows Meeting, April 2015

“Silver Hair and Fighting Heirs: Contested Guardianships,” Panelist in the American Bar Association Real Property, Trust and Estate Law CLE Webinar, May 2015

“Contested Estates, Trusts & Guardianships,” Cincinnati Bar Association’s 32nd Annual Advanced Estate Planning Institute Seminar, Feb. 2015

“Best Practices for Development Professionals: The Litigator’s View,” Cincinnati Zoological Society and Botanical Gardens – Office of Development, Aug. 2014

“Ohio Legacy (Asset Protection) Trusts,” Ohio State Bar Association Health Care Law Seminar, Aug. 2014

“Current Issues Under the Ohio Trust Code,” Ohio State Bar Association CLE Seminar, July 2014

“Ohio Legacy Trust Act and Amendments to the Receivership Statute,” panelist, 2013 Midwest Regional Bankruptcy Seminar, Aug. 2013

“Uniform Transfer of Guardianship Act,” Probate Court Course of The Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College, Aug. 2013

“Ethical Issues in Representing Elderly Clients,” Teleseminar co-presenter, Professional Education Broadcast Network, April 2013

“Ohio Legacy (Asset Protection) Trusts,” Taft Health & Life Science Practice Group, Oct. 2013

“Opera and the Law,” panel co-producer, Cincinnati Opera Program, March 2013

“Expert Witnesses in Fiduciary Litigation,” Cincinnati Bar Association, Nov. 2012

“Digital Asset Issues in Estate Planning and Administration,” Dayton Bar Association Elder Law Seminar, Oct. 2012

“Review of Ohio Advance Directives and Proposed Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Legislation; Organ Donation; Involuntary Probate for Drug and Alcohol Treatment,” Marvin R. Pliskin Advanced Probate and Estate Planning Seminar, Sept. 2012

“Expert Witnesses in Probate, Estate, Trust and Fiduciary Litigation,” Ohio ACTEC Fellows Meeting, April 2012

“Expert Witnesses in Trust and Estate Litigation,” University of Miami’s 46th Annual Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, Jan. 2012

“Statutory and Case Law Update: The Procedural and the Substantive in Ohio Adult Guardianships,” Ohio State Bar Association Marvin R. Pliskin Advanced Probate and Estate Planning Seminar, Sept. 2011

“I (Might) Get By With a Little Help from My Expert: Expert Witnesses in Trust and Estate Litigation,” American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law 22nd Annual Spring Symposia, April 2011

“Ohio Case Law and Statutory Update,” Cincinnati Bar Association 28th Annual Advanced Estate Planning Institute, Feb. 2011

“Trust Modification & Termination Under New Law,” Atrium Medical Center Foundation 2009 Tax & Estate Planning Professional Seminar, Nov. 2009

“Educational and Q/A Session,” TriHealth – Risk Management Team, Oct. 2009

“Litigation Get Together,” Taft Estate, Trust & Fiduciary Litigation Practice Group, Oct. 2007

Selected Publications

Author, “Is Your Dispute A Candidate For Mediation?” Probate Law Journal of Ohio, May/June 2021, Vol. 31, Issue 5

Author, “Should Ohio Legislatively Expand Parental Authorization for Powers of Attorney for Minors?” Probate Law Journal of Ohio, March/April 2021, Vol. 31, Issue 4

Author, “MY VIEW: Here’s what you need to know about guardianship and the law,” Cincinnati Business Courier, March 8, 2021

Co-author, “Beware of Hasty Estate Planning Amid COVID-era Concerns,” April 2020

“New Ohio Guardianship Rules & Requirements,” Probate Law Journal of Ohio, May 2019

“Ohio Legislature Provides for Obtaining Decedents’ Medical Records for Limited Purposes without Opening Estate Administration,” Probate Law Journal of Ohio, March/April 2019

“Prioritize Your Estate Plan Now,” co-author, Cincinnati Business Courier, Sept. 2018

“Here’s What You Can Learn From Buzz Aldrin’s Family Disputes,” Cincinnati Business Courier, July 2018

“Adjunct Anecdotes,” American Bar Association Litigation Section, The Woman Advocate, June 2018

“Media Reports of Guardianship Abuse Highlight Need to Plan for Incapacity,” co-author, Taft Law Bulletin, Nov. 2017

“In Debate Over Electronic Wills, Fraud Protection Should Be Top of Mind,” Cincinnati Business Courier, July 2017

“Three Questions with Julia Meister,” Cincy Magazine, June 2017

“Here’s How the Ohio Supreme Court’s New Decision Could Affect Your Business,” Cincinnati Business Courier, April 2017

“Ohio Supreme Court Rejects ‘Substantial Compliance’ Theory and Rules That Claims Against Decedents’ Estates Must Be Presented in Strict Accordance With Statutory Language,” Taft Law Bulletin, April 2017

“7 Ways to Plan a Winning Case: ‘The End Is Where We Start From,” American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation, The Woman Advocate, March 2017

“Changes Coming This Spring to Ohio Estate Administration and Health Care Law,” Taft Law Bulletin, Jan. 2017

“New Federal Legislation Impacts Mental Health, Protected Health Information and Research Reforms,” Taft Law Bulletin, Dec. 2016

“New Ohio Guardianship Rules,” (co-author Brian Morris), Probate Law Journal of Ohio, Jan./Feb. 2016

“Cincinnati Attorney Weighs in on Apple, FBI Feud’s Implications for Your Data,” Cincinnati Business Courier, Feb. 2016

“Are Game Changers in Lawsuits Always What We Expect?” American Bar Association’s Litigation Section, The Woman Advocate, Nov. 2015

“Powers of Attorney and Living Wills,” Taft Law Bulletin, Oct. 2015

“Ohio Enacts Transfer of Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act,” Probate Law Journal of Ohio, March/April 2013

“Marvin R. Pliskin Advanced Probate And Estate Planning Seminar,” Probate Law Journal of Ohio, July/Aug. 2012

“Involuntary Probate for Drug and Alcohol Addicted Persons: §§ 3793.31-39,” Probate Law Journal of Ohio, March/April 2012

“The Fiduciary Exception: What the United States Supreme Court is Saying about the Attorney-Client Privilege Between Trustees and Their Counsel and What it Means in Ohio,” Probate Law Journal of Ohio, Sept. 2011

“Transfer of Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act Introduced in Ohio as HB 27,” Probate Law Journal of Ohio, March/April 2011

“Guardians, Granny Snatching, and Geography: Recent Ohio Supreme Court Guardianship Decisions and the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act (UAGPPJA),” Probate Law Journal of Ohio, May/June 2009

“Nonresident Next of Kin and Standing in Guardianships: The Santrucek Decision,” Probate Law Journal of Ohio, Jan./Feb. 2009

“Case Law Develops under Ohio’s Intentional Interference with Expectancy of Inheritance Tort,” Probate Law Journal of Ohio, March/April 2008

“Ahmed v. Ahmed: The Ohio Slayer Statute, Common Law, and ERISA Preemption” Probate Law Journal of Ohio, Nov./Dec. 2005