About Zachary B.
Zachary B. Setzer earned his law degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 2007 after completing undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2002, where he read Religious Studies and Political Science. Those formative years combined liberal arts and legal training, and set the stage for a practice that crosses estate, tax and trust concerns.
He launched his own practice in 2011, taking on the title of managing lawyer at the Law Office of Zachary B. Setzer, PLLC. Four years later he served as managing lawyer at Providence Wills and Trusts. Those roles placed him in both client-facing and administrative positions. He has handled matters involving wills, trust administration and tax questions that often arise at the end of life or in the transfer of wealth.
Setzer is admitted to practice in North Carolina and before the United States Tax Court. That combination shapes the cases he accepts and the work he does day to day. Being admitted to the Tax Court means he can represent clients in disputes over federal tax issues that touch estate and trust matters. He also maintains membership in the American Bar Association’s Section on Real Property, Trusts, and Estates, which keeps him connected to developments in the field and to practitioners in other jurisdictions.
Clients and colleagues describe his work as practical. He writes and reviews estate documents, prepares plans for incapacity, and advises fiduciaries on their duties. He has experience overseeing trust administrations and guiding executors through probate processes. When tax questions emerge, he draws on the procedural tools available in Tax Court and on counsel from tax advisers when appropriate. His practice involves a mixture of drafting, counseling and dispute resolution.
The arc of his career shows a lawyer who moved quickly from law school into private practice and leadership roles within his own firms. He has alternated between running a small office and taking management responsibilities at a specialized practice. Those choices reflect an emphasis on handling the everyday legal tasks that families and small businesses face as they plan for the future.
He keeps an active practice based in North Carolina. He maintains a practice handling estate planning, wills and trusts, and tax-related matters.
