Bass W. Chadwick, Esq.
Pennsylvania Estate Planning & Probate Attorney serving the Main Line and Greater Philadelphia
· Georgetown LL.M. in Taxation · AmLaw 100 Trained · Pennsylvania Bar Admitted · Montgomery County Bar Association · Montgomery County Rules of Orphans' Court Committee ·
I spent my early career in the Taxation and Wealth Planning Department of an AmLaw 100 firm. The legal work was sophisticated — but the model was volume-driven. The more clients the firm took on, the better the numbers looked, and the less time any individual client actually received from a senior attorney who knew their matter. Billing bloat isn't a side effect of large firm practice. It's built into the structure.
I founded Chadwick Estate Law to change that equation. After earning my LL.M. in Taxation and Certificate in Estate Planning from Georgetown University Law Center, I wanted to bring that level of expertise to a practice built around a different premise: deliberately managing the number of clients I take on, so each one receives the time, attention, and quality of work their matter deserves.
You're not a file number here. Your estate plan or your probate matter gets handled by me — directly, personally, from the first consultation through the final document or court proceeding — with the same sophistication I developed in big-firm practice, without the overhead and assembly-line treatment that come with it.
Background & Credentials
Education
- LL.M. in Taxation with Certificate in Estate Planning, with Honors — Georgetown University Law Center
- Juris Doctor, Magna Cum Laude — Charleston School of Law
- B.A., Summa Cum Laude — University of Maine
Bar Admissions & Memberships
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Montgomery County Bar Association
- Montgomery County Estate Planning Council
Committee Appointments
- Montgomery County Rules of Orphans' Court Committee
Prior Experience
- AmLaw 100 law firm — Taxation & Wealth Planning and Fiduciary Litigation Group
What I Do
I practice exclusively in three areas:
Estate Planning — Wills, powers of attorney, advance directives, and trust structures — revocable, irrevocable, and special needs — tailored to your family and financial situation. Not standard forms, but documents that actually reflect your intentions.
→ Learn about estate planning
Probate & Estate Administration — Guiding executors and administrators through every stage of Pennsylvania probate — from the Register of Wills to final distribution — with clarity and precision. Executors have personal liability; I make sure they're protected.
→ Learn about probate & estate administration
Orphans' Court Litigation & Beneficiary Representation — Will contests, trust litigation, beneficiary representation, and executor removal proceedings before Pennsylvania's Orphans' Court. I represent both those bringing claims and those defending against them.
→ Learn about litigation & beneficiary representation
Practicing exclusively in this area means every matter I handle involves the same body of law — Pennsylvania estate statutes, Orphans' Court procedure, and federal and state tax rules. That depth of focus is something generalist attorneys can't replicate.
Who I Work With
Most of my clients fall into one of three situations:
Planning ahead. They want a complete estate plan — not a boilerplate will, but a thoughtful set of documents that reflects their family, their assets, and their goals. They want to understand their choices, not just sign what they're handed.
Navigating a loss. They've been named executor or administrator, often without warning, and are facing unfamiliar legal obligations with real deadlines and personal liability. They need guidance from someone who knows Pennsylvania probate specifically and can take the complexity off their plate.
Dealing with a dispute. Something has gone wrong with an estate or trust. A will was changed under suspicious circumstances. An executor is withholding information or mismanaging assets. A beneficiary is challenging a distribution. They need an attorney who knows Orphans' Court and can protect their rights.
I serve clients throughout Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and Bucks Counties from five office locations across southeastern Pennsylvania, and I'm available by video for clients anywhere in the state.
My Approach
Estate planning and probate should feel manageable — not overwhelming. Too often, attorneys make these matters more complicated than they need to be, or rush clients through documents they don't fully understand.
My approach is different. I take the time to explain what each document does and why it matters. I identify issues early, before they become expensive problems. And I draft plans that actually reflect my clients' intentions — not standard forms with names filled in.
When something goes wrong with an estate, the same principle applies. I tell clients what their options are, what each path realistically looks like, and what I recommend. Then they decide.
Every client works directly with me — not a paralegal, not a junior associate — from the first consultation through the final document or court proceeding.
What Clients and Colleagues Say
Bass Chadwick at Chadwick Estate Law is outstanding. He made the estate planning process clear, efficient, and far less intimidating than we expected. Bass is knowledgeable, responsive, and extremely detail-oriented, and he took the time to understand our situation and provide thoughtful guidance. I would highly recommend him to anyone needing wills, trusts, or estate planning in Pennsylvania
-William, Client
Working with Bass was such a pleasure. He took everything off my plate and gave me peace of mind. I would recommend Bass to anyone needing to update their estate planning or dealing with an estate planning issue.
-Kathy, Client
Bass is the most intelligent, efficient, and professional attorney I've encountered. I worked in Mayor Giuliani's office — Bass would be in the top one percent in that environment.
-Jenna, Former Colleague
If you're ready to put an estate plan in place — or you're facing probate and aren't sure where to begin — I'd welcome the conversation. The first consultation is complimentary, and there's no obligation.
Call (215) 277-0888 | Schedule Your Free Consultation | bass@chadwickestatelaw.com
Mon – Fri: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm | In-Person & Virtual Appointments Available
Five office locations: Radnor · Philadelphia · Bala Cynwyd · Plymouth Meeting · Malvern
