Vivile Dietrich leads the Firm’s Estate Planning and Probate practice.  She advises individuals, trustees, and other fiduciaries to develop a comprehensive estate plan, including informing them of their rights and obligations related to powers of attorney, living wills, health care surrogate designations, wills, and trusts.  Viv assists individuals and businesses on business succession planning matters to identify a business owner’s goals, and to develop a plan for the transfer of ownership and decision-making upon the retirement, death or disability of business owners and key personnel.  She also guides individuals through the court-administered probate process to identify the probate assets of the deceased person, pay the deceased person’s debts, and distribute the deceased person’s assets to his or her beneficiaries.  As part of her practice, Viv also represents business entities of all sizes ranging from start-up companies and small businesses to multimillion-dollar companies on a wide variety of legal matters, including business formations and incorporations, acquisitions, federal and state taxation, and general corporate and contract matters.

As an identical twin, Viv brings a unique perspective and varied experiences to evaluating and understanding estate planning matters.  While appreciating commonalities in different individual or family situations, Viv recognizes that despite the outward similarities, there are various innate distinctions in a client’s goals, family relationships, financial situation, asset-mix, and other factors that impact a client’s estate plan.  She explains options and recommendations in clear and understandable terms to assist clients with customized estate plans that meet their unique needs.  

Viv is passionate about helping clients with their estate planning needs.  In her late teens, after her father was diagnosed with cancer and passed away within 10 months, Viv experienced first-hand that her parents’ advanced planning for their estate laid a solid foundation that brought stability and comfort in an emotional and uncertain time.  Although it is not easy or pleasant to think about what would happen, or what your family would do, if you became incapacitated or passed away, lack of planning can lead to uncertainty and family discord.  Viv’s goal is to help her clients create or modify a plan to have that peace of mind. 

Outside of work, Viv enjoys spending time with family and family dog (a Siberian Husky with Ninja-like tendencies); playing tennis; kayaking, boating, and is learning to enjoy running.  She also likes to travel and learn new languages; and is conversant in German.

Professional Associations And Memberships

  • Florida Bar (Real Probate, Property and Trust Law Section);
  • Virginia Bar (inactive status);
  • Jacksonville Bar Association (Estate Planning and Tax Committee)
  • Jacksonville Asian-American Bar Association (President, 2020—2021)
  • Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association (JWLA)
  • American Business Women’s Association, Orange Park Charter Chapter (Membership Committee Chair 2019—2020; Best Practices Committee Chair 2019—2020)
  • Small Business Resource Network (SBRN)

Awards, Recognitions And Publications

  • Virginia’s Largest Verdicts of 2011
    • Kevin Webb v. Virginian Pilot Media Companies, LLC (Chesapeake Cir. Ct.);
  • Virginia’s Largest Verdicts of 2012
    • Philip Webb v. Virginian-Pilot Media Companies, LLC (Chesapeake Cir. Ct.;
    • Walsh v. WAVY Broadcasting LLC, et al. (U.S.D.C. E.D.Va., Norfolk Division)
  • Virginia’s Largest Verdicts of 2014
    • Bennett v. Shea (Newport News Cir. Ct.)