Jake H. Snow.
The overview.
Most of Jake's clients come to him during one of two moments.
Some are planning ahead — trying to get their assets to the people they care about in a way that makes sense for their family, preserves what they've built, and minimizes unnecessary complications.
Others are facing the loss of a loved one and suddenly find themselves responsible for decisions they never expected to make.
Either way, his job is the same: help them think clearly when thinking clearly is hard.
Jake takes time to understand each client's situation — their family, their goals, and what they're ultimately trying to accomplish.
Estate planning sits at the intersection of money, mortality, and meaning. The legal documents matter, but so do the conversations behind them. Jake helps clients navigate both.
His approach is straightforward: listen carefully, explain the available options, and develop a plan that reflects what matters most to the client and their family.
Clients often tell Jake they leave meetings with a clearer understanding of their options than they had when they arrived. That's exactly the goal.
A Forest, Virginia native, Jake spends his time away from the office with his wife, his children, and his dog — often at the Peaks of Otter.
Experience
Jake's practice focuses exclusively on estate planning, estate administration, trust planning, and trust administration. He works with individuals and families at every stage of life, helping them create plans that protect loved ones, simplify administration, and carry out long-term family goals.
Jake leads PLDR's Trusts & Estates practice — estate planning, estate administration, trust planning, and trust administration.
His goal is a clear client experience: clients understand the process at the beginning, understand their options throughout, and receive the guidance they need through the finish line.
- Davies & Davies
- Bice Law Group
Two influences shaped the way Jake practices today.
Years spent in marching band, indoor drum line, and drum and bugle corps taught him discipline, preparation, and attention to detail. Growing up surrounded by a close extended family taught him the value of listening, patience, and understanding people at different stages of life.
Estate planning and estate administration require both. Clients need sound legal guidance, but they also need someone who can help them navigate personal decisions involving family, legacy, and responsibility.
Those early experiences continue to influence Jake's work today — careful planning, clear communication, and a genuine interest in the people he serves.
Recognition & Involvement
- Virginia Super Lawyers Rising Star — Estate Planning & Probate (2026)
- Lynchburg Business Magazine — Top 20 Under 40 (2025)
- Lynchburg Living Top Lawyers — Trusts and Estates (2023–2026)
- Virginia State Bar Taxation Section — Chair (2025–2026); Vice Chair (2024–2025); Secretary (2023–2024); Newsletter Editor (2022–2023); Board of Governors (2022–Present)
- Lynchburg Estate Planning Council — Vice President (2026–Present); Treasurer (2024–2025)
- Lynchburg Bar Association — Board Member (2022–Present)
- Virginia Bar Association
Publications & Speaking
- Author, Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too: Combining Transfer on Death Deeds and Revocable Trusts, Virginia Trusts & Estates Newsletter (2022)
- Co-Author, Federal Gift and Estate Tax Basics, Virginia State Bar's Taxation Law Reporter (Winter 2022)
- Author, Considering Duty in Take-Home Asbestos Exposure Cases, 12 Liberty U. L. Rev. 199 (2018)
- Co-Presenter, A Review of Federal Gift and Estate Tax, Virginia Bar Association Young Lawyers Fall Meeting (October 19, 2024)
- Presenter, Trust Planning: How Standards of Distribution Impact Creditors, Taxation, and Trust Administration, Virginia Mountain Valley Lawyers' Association & Lynchburg Bar Association (May 28, 2024)
- Co-Presenter, Income Tax Nuances for Estate Planning, Virginia State Bar General Practice Section (October 12, 2023)
- Co-Presenter, Federal Wealth Transfer Tax Basics, Virginia State Bar General Practice Section (May 9, 2023)
In Jake’s Words
"Estate planning sits at the intersection of money, mortality, and meaning. The legal documents matter — but so do the conversations behind them."— Jake H. Snow · Trusts & Estates Practice
Areas of focus
The practice.
Jake is the Practice Group Lead for Trusts & Estates at PLDR. His focus is on estate planning, estate administration, trust planning, and trust administration — the work that helps people transfer what they have to people they care about in a way that makes sense and holds up.
In the office
Get to know Jake Snow.
Talk with Jake
When it's the will, the trust, or the family — call Jake.
Whether you're planning ahead, settling an estate, or thinking through the next transition for the business, Jake's office will help you understand the path forward — and walk it with you.