If you are interested in scheduling an appointment, use our online scheduler to see available dates and times. You can also call our office at (919) 678-5761.
Amy Privette
Amy began her legal career as a paralegal for a well-respected family law firm in Raleigh. Through her seven-plus years working as a paralegal, she was able to gain valuable insight, not only into the mechanics of working with clients during some of the worst times of their lives, but also at the significant impact legal professionals have on clients. Amy's compassionate and empathetic nature made her a lifeline for her family law clients. Those traits serve her well in her work as an estate planning and estate administration attorney.
Amy was born and raised in North Carolina, the youngest of three in a very close-knit family, and she had never planned to live anywhere else. It was a surprise to those closest to her when she decided to move to Virginia Beach and attend law school at Regent University School of Law, despite being accepted to several high-profile law schools in her home state. Yet, as a Christian, the ability to learn the law from a Christian-centered perspective under the tutelage of a nationally ranked faculty made it an easy choice. Amy's time at Regent was unforgettable and afforded her the opportunity to take classes under former Attorney General John Ashcroft, attend lectures by former Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez and Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, travel to France to visit the European Court of Human Rights, the Council of Europe, and the European Parliament, and work with the American Center for Law and Justice, led by renowned attorney Jay Sekulow.
Although living in Virginia Beach was wonderful, the pull of family back home in North Carolina was too great. Amy's decision to return to home was validated when her father was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia mere months after Amy graduated from law school. Building a new law practice while being "on call" to help her mother care for her ailing father was not easy, but there were many precious moments with her father during his 4-year journey with Lewy Body Dementia that Amy would not trade for anything. And her father's dementia journey further impressed upon Amy the importance of having well-crafted medical directives and the need to designate someone to your voice should the time come when you can no longer advocate for yourself.
She now lives in Cary with her widowed mother, only minutes from her two brothers and their families. Her greatest joy in life is hanging out with her nephews and niece and cheering them on in their various football, band, and dance endeavors. And there's nothing sweeter than coming home from a long day at work to the wagging tail and happy barks of her dog, Copper.
Amy got her love of travel from her father, and she has been fortunate to spend time in Sudan, Israel, Greece, Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Turks & Caicos, Mexico, the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, and Canada. Australia and New Zealand are at the top of her travel bucket list (with a return to trip to Scotland close behind)!
RECENT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
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IMPACT: Understanding the Intersection of Estate Planning and Real Estate Ownership, sponsored by RE/MAX United, Raleigh, NC, February 2023
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Estate Planning Pitfalls and Best Practices, Navigating a Woman's World Seminar sponsored by The Longview Group, Morgan Stanley, Raleigh, NC, March 2021
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Estate Planning Sessions for the Young Family, a 5-week seminar on how to set your family up for success even if you're not around to protect them, Genesis United Methodist Church, Cary NC, September-October 2019
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Estate Planning Pitfalls and Practicalities, Women in Retirement Seminar sponsored by Edward Jones, Apex NC, June 2018
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Estate Planning 101, Gates of Praise Church, Durham NC, April 2018
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Estate Planning: A Biblical Perspective, Life International Church, Durham NC, January 2018
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Top 10 Myths and Misconceptions about Estate Planning, various community banks, 2016-2017
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Tips and Traps of Estate Planning and Administration, Fall Program on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel, Military & Veterans Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association, Cary NC, September 2016
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Leaving a Legacy: What's Your Story, Faith and Family Program Series, St. Luke's Community Church, Burlington NC, April 2016
ARTICLES AND PUBLICATIONS (check out our monthly newsletters for more)
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https://www.hilltopwealthadvisors.com/blog/estate-planning-lessons-learned-pandemic (May 2021). My Experience with COVID: Four Estate Planning Lessons Learned, Hilltop Wealth Advisors, Guest Blog Post, available at
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Note, Call of Duty: Family Warfare Edition, 27 Regent U.L. Rev. 433 (2015).
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Ten Commandments for Handling Military Retirement Benefits, co-written with Colonel Mark Sullivan (Ret.), 2 American Bar Association GPSolo eReport, available at http://www.americanbar.org/publications/gpsolo_ereport/2013/july_2013/ ten_commandments_for_handling_military_retirement_benefits.html (July 2013) (reprinted in 36 Penn. Fam. Law. 67, 73; Fam. Law. Newsletter (Oregon) Oct. 2013, at 7; AAML Newsletter, Summer 2014, at 18; N.J. Fam. Law., Aug. 2014, at __; Fam. Law. Mag., 2014 at 64; also used as part of the course materials for Divorce in the Military: Dividing Benefits and Other Assets, a CLE sponsored by the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Assistance to Military Personnel in Sept 2013).
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Quick Tips for Handling Military Retirement Benefits, July 2012 Newsletter of Institute for Paralegal Education (reprinted in the Fall 2012 edition of Roll Call, the newsletter of the Military Committee, ABA Family Law Section).
EDUCATION
Regent University School of Law - Juris Doctor, Cum Laude
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Honors Program Participant
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Academic Merit Scholarship Recipient
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Regent University Law Review, Articles Editor
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Top 8 Legal Brief Award
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Book Award, Estate Planning
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Book Award, Non-Profit Tax-Exempt Organizations
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Book Award, Secured Transactions
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Alternate Dispute Resolution Board, Member
Meredith College - Paralegal Certificate, Civil Litigation Specialty
Meredith College - Bachelor's of Music, Music Education, Magna Cum Laude
Cary High School - Honors Graduate
ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
North Carolina Bar Association (2015-current)
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Estate Planning & Fiduciary Law Section, Member
10th Judicial District Bar (2015-current)
WealthCounsel (2016-current)
Advisory Board Member, Salvation Army of Wake
County (2019-2021)