Mr. Cairns has concentrated his practice in estate planning and administration for more than thirty years. He became a partner at Spieth Bell in July of 1995, after having been a partner in a large multi-national Cleveland-based firm for many years. Click here to read a PDF of Mr. Cairns' bio.

He has implemented many sophisticated estate plans, involving individuals at all ranges of personal net worth, from over $1 billion dollars to modest net worth. His practice has included preparing and serving as trustee of charitable lead and remainder trusts, private foundations, complex multi-generation trusts and marital deduction and “by-pass” trusts.

Many engagements as expert witness in trust and estate matters, including conflicts of interest among multiple clients, legal malpractice in estate planning, trustee distribution issues, and trustee investment diversification such as the Ruth Lilly Charitable Trust litigation described at: http://www.in.gov/judiciary/opinions/pdf/10190602jgb.pdf

He is a member of the Ohio and Florida Bars. He is certified in Ohio as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, and in Florida as a Board Certified Estate Planning and Probate Lawyer. He received his A.B. degree from Harvard University and his J.D. degree from Ohio State University College of Law.

Mr. Cairns is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and member of its Estate and Gift Tax Committee, and a past member of its Board of Regents and its Technology Committee. He has spoken at estate planning programs for the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Cleveland Estate Planning Institute, Notre Dame Estate Planning Institute, Cleveland Regional Tax Institute, and various Estate Planning Councils.