Law Office of David M. Goldman PLLC

Focus and practice areas

The website lists estate planning, probate, elder law, asset protection, guardianship, trust litigation and business formation. These areas combine personal planning, court proceedings and business entity work. The stated scope gives families and business owners several related services within one firm.

Some matters begin with documents that record a person's wishes. Others require petitions, notices or hearings in court. Business formation focuses on entity structure and the legal documents that govern ownership.

In my opinion, the clearest feature of the firm's stated scope is the connection between planning and later administration. Estate plans may affect probate, trusts can become the subject of disputes, and incapacity planning can relate to guardianship. The website identifies services within each of those fields.

Estate planning and later-life matters

Wills, trusts and advance planning documents

The estate planning work includes wills, revocable trusts and irrevocable trusts. The firm also handles advance directives, medical powers of attorney, financial powers of attorney and deeds. Those documents address different types of authority, property ownership and personal instructions.

A will states how a person wants an estate handled after death. A trust can hold property under terms set by the person who creates it. Revocable and irrevocable trusts have different rules concerning control, amendment and ownership, so clients usually need advice tied to their own assets and goals.

Advance directives address health care choices during incapacity. Medical and financial powers of attorney authorize selected people to make certain decisions. Deeds concern title to real property and may play a role in carrying out an estate plan.

Elder law and long-term care planning

The firm's elder law services include Medicaid planning and planning for long-term care. These matters often require attention before a person enters a care setting or applies for benefits. General planning may involve a review of income, property ownership and prior transfers under the rules that apply at the time.

Medicaid planning concerns eligibility rules as well as the financial effect of long-term care. Families may also need to consider who has authority to manage finances or approve medical care. Existing estate planning documents often shape those discussions.

The website also lists asset protection. That field generally examines how a person or business owns property and what lawful structures apply to identified risks. The exact options depend on the type of asset, existing obligations and the timing of the planning.

Guardianship for adults and children

The guardianship work includes preneed guardianship documents, matters concerning incapacitated people and guardianships for minor children. A preneed declaration lets a person identify a preferred guardian before incapacity occurs. A court still applies the governing law when it decides whether to appoint someone.

An adult guardianship case generally begins when a petitioner asks the court to examine capacity and the need for assistance. The court reviews evidence, considers the person's rights and determines the scope of any appointment. A guardian may then have reporting and accounting duties under court supervision.

Guardianship for a minor involves a different legal basis. The court may need to appoint someone to manage property or assume an authorized role for the child. The petition and later court orders define the guardian's authority.

Probate administration and trust disputes

The firm represents families in probate administration and handles formal and summary administration. It also handles disputes concerning trusts. These services place the firm in both administrative proceedings and contested matters.

Formal and summary administration

Probate administration addresses property held in a deceased person's name and the obligations of the estate. In a formal administration, the court may appoint a personal representative with authority to collect estate assets, address creditor claims and carry out authorized distributions. The will and court orders guide that work.

Summary administration follows a shorter petition-based procedure when an estate meets Florida's statutory conditions. The court reviews the petition and the interests of beneficiaries and creditors. A resulting order can authorize the transfer of estate property.

Families commonly need death records, wills and information about estate property before the probate process can move forward. Creditor issues and beneficiary rights may affect the timing. Real property can also require separate attention because title records must match the result ordered by the court.

Trust litigation

Trust disputes can concern the meaning of trust terms, a trustee's conduct or a beneficiary's rights. Questions may also arise about accountings and distributions. The website identifies trust litigation as part of the firm's work.

A contested trust matter usually begins with the governing instrument and records of trust activity. The parties may exchange evidence, file motions and attend court hearings. Some disputes also involve settlement discussions under the applicable procedural rules.

Trust litigation differs from routine trust administration because the parties disagree about legal duties, facts or requested relief. A judge may interpret the document and decide what remedies the law permits. The trust terms remain central throughout the case.

Business formation and commercial background

The firm assists clients with forming limited liability companies and limited partnerships. Each entity type allocates ownership, management authority and liability under its governing law. The proper choice depends on the proposed business and the roles of its owners.

Business formation generally includes a state filing and internal governing documents. For an LLC, the owners may address voting rights, management and transfers of ownership in an operating agreement. A limited partnership uses partnership terms to define the roles of its general and limited partners.

Formation decisions can affect later business operations. Owners usually need clear terms for capital contributions and decision-making authority. They may also need rules for admitting a new owner or handling an owner's departure.

David Goldman's business experience

The website states that David Goldman has more than 20 years of business experience. He has helped start and manage technology companies engaged in distribution, manufacturing, marketing, retail, direct marketing and ecommerce. This is the specific commercial background published in connection with his profile.

That experience concerns operating companies as well as creating them. In my opinion, it gives useful context to the firm's business formation listing because the site identifies the types of companies and activities involved. The published description ties that experience directly to David Goldman.

Business owners often make formation choices with future operations in mind. Management structure and ownership terms can affect how a company approves decisions. Written governing terms give the owners a shared record of those arrangements.

How the named team is presented

The attorney profiles identify David Goldman, Esq., Attorney at Law, and Brian Sherman. The website attributes the stated business experience to David Goldman. It lists both lawyers within the firm's attorney profile section.

The named team corresponds with a practice mix that includes personal planning, court administration and business formation. David Goldman's published background gives the business work a defined factual connection. Brian Sherman appears as the other attorney named by the site.

Legal identity and office footprint

The website headers and structured site data identify the legal entity as Law Office of David M. Goldman PLLC. The site describes it as a Florida law firm. Its listed services cover planning documents, probate proceedings, guardianship matters, trust disputes and entity formation.

The firm identifies Jacksonville as its main office location. It also lists a satellite office in Ponte Vedra Beach.