About the Author
Patrick Nolan
Missouri Estate Planning Attorney · Veteran · Former Reporter
Patrick Nolan doesn’t just draft documents; he engineers peace of mind. After a decade in high‑volume trial litigation and criminal defense, he refocused his practice on estate planning following a personal realization: most family tragedies aren’t caused by bad luck, but by the lack of a plan. He watched his own family fracture after his step‑mother passed without one. The Dead Man’s Guide to Estate Planning is that lesson turned into a field manual.
His approach combines military discipline, journalistic clarity, and a deep skepticism of overcomplicated solutions that lawyers love but clients can’t use. His practice runs on flat fees, not billable hours.
The record
- Admitted to the Missouri Bar in 2014; previously admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
- Chaired the Missouri Bar’s Veterans and Military Law Committee
- Four combined terms as president of the Adair County and Northeast Missouri Bar Associations
- Named a Super Lawyers Rising Star every year from 2019 to 2024
- Gulf War combat veteran: four years active duty in an M1A1 Abrams tank with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, four years in the reserves
- Fifteen years as an award‑winning investigative journalist for outlets including USA Today and the St. Louis Post‑Dispatch, with IRE and SPJ honors
- Founder of Chariton Media, an AI‑powered community publishing venture, and creator of the PatTalksLaw YouTube channel
- Also the author of An Unfinished Republic and the Small Claims Court Handbook
Why he wrote this book
Two careers before the law taught Patrick the same lesson: a good plan executed today beats a perfect plan that never happens. The tank taught him systems and preparation; the newsroom taught him to find what others miss and say it plainly.
Estate planning fails the same way for almost every family. Not for lack of caring; for lack of anyone making it make sense. This book is his answer: 30 short chapters that turn you into an informed client who asks better questions and makes faster decisions.
Patrick lives in Kirksville, Missouri with his wife of 20 years, Erin, and their three children. When he isn’t in the office or his woodworking shop, he’s likely 3D printing, freeze‑drying, or advocating for the next generation of Eagle Scouts.
Read his book
Working with Missouri families directly: Nolan Law Firm, Kirksville · 660.956.4502