Elizabeth E.W. Weinewuth

Beth is a partner in the Vorys Cincinnati office and a member of the litigation practice.  Her practice focuses on controversies related to wealth transfer, including estate, trust, real estate, and closely-held business disputes, and the exercise of fiduciary duties by trustees, executors, administrators, guardians and powers of attorney.  She represents both corporate and individual trustees and beneficiaries, guardians and other individuals in both probate courts, common pleas courts and appellate courts throughout Ohio as well as the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.  Beth also handles probate administration at all asset levels and advises clients concerning trust administration, helping to avoid controversy before it arises.  Beth is an efficient, practical and passionate advocate for her clients.

Beth is a Fellow of the American College of Trusts and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), elected in 2019.  ACTEC fellows are elected based on their outstanding reputation, exceptional skill, and substantial contributions to the field by lecturing, writing, teaching and participating in bar activities.  She is currently an member of ACTEC’s Fiduciary Litigation Committee and State Laws Committee. 

Career highlights include:

• Successful trial defense of bank trustee against multi-million dollar breach of fiduciary duty claims regarding trust administration and investments.
• Successful defense and summary judgment for bank trustee against multi-million dollar breach of fiduciary duty claim involving an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT).
• Defense, mediation, and successful settlement of intense family dispute regarding use of funds from multi-million dollar generation-skipping trust.
• Defense, mediation, and successful settlement of claims against an individual trustee and Power of Attorney against claims of self-dealing.
• Successful representation of Florida resident in partition of family farm located in Butler County, Ohio.
• Successful trial defense and settlement of claims regarding family farm in Fayette County, Ohio, including defense against co-parceners’ claims and prosecution of partition action; obtained rare physical partition of farm land, which allowed client to maintain home farm.
• Representing clients in counties across Ohio including: Hamilton, Montgomery, Butler, Warren, Clinton, Fayette, Delaware, and Coshocton counties.

Beth is a frequent speaker at bar associations and professional programs at the national, state and local level regarding estate, trust and fiduciary litigation.  She is also an active member of the firm’s trust and estate litigation subgroup.

Beth is a member of the American Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association and the Cincinnati Bar Association.  Beth is also an appointed member of the Ohio State Bar Association’s Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Section Council.  The Council evaluates the current state of Ohio law relevant to estate, probate, and trust practitioners and their clients and develops, writes and lobbies for relevant legislative change.

Beth has been named an Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Star in estate and trust litigation, the only Ohio attorney in this class, each year since 2014.  Beginning in 2013, she has been named an Ohio Super Lawyer.  In 2022, she was named Ohio Super Lawyer’s Lawyer of the Years for trust and estate litigation. 

Beth received her J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law, where she was an associate member and student articles editor of the University of Cincinnati Law Review.  She received her B.A. magna cum laude from Kenyon College, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Honors & Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America, Litigation - Trusts and Estates, 2020-2023

The Best Lawyers in America, Litigation - Trusts and Estates "Lawyer of the Year", 2023

Ohio State Bar Foundation 2017-2018 Community Service Award for Attorneys 40 & Under District 1

Ohio State Bar Foundation, Fellow (Class of 2018)

National Diversity Counsel Top 15 Business Women in Ohio Award 2018

Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars, General Litigation, 2013; Estate and Trust Litigation, 2014-2020

Ohio Super Lawyers, General Litigation, 2021-2023

Lawrence Maxwell Advocacy Prize, University of Cincinnati College of Law, 2002

Class of 1958 Merit Scholarship, University of Cincinnati College of Law, 2001

College of Law Honors Scholarship, University of Cincinnati College of Law, 2001

Distinguished Academic Scholarship, Kenyon College, 1997

Professional & Community Activities

Great Parks Foundation, Investment Committee member, 2013 to present

Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, Vestry Board member, 2015-2019; Junior Warden, 2022 to present

Ohio State Bar Association Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Section Council, Member, 2015 to present

Teaching/Speaking Engagements

“Top Ten Ohio Estate, Trust, and Probate Law Updates Coming in 2019,” March 2019, Dayton Bar Association Annual Probate Law Institute

“Ohio Omnibus Probate Bill 595 and Other Significant Developments,” February 2019, Cincinnati Bar Association Advanced Estate Planning Institute

"The Conflicts Conflict: Representing Fiduciaries (Not the Estate) after Cincinnati Bar Association v. Robertson," September 2017, Ohio State Bar Association: Marvin R. Pliskin Advanced Estate Planning Seminar

"Robertson and Conflicts of Interest in Trust and Estate Administration," August 2017, Ohio State Bar Association: All Ohio Forum

"No-Contest Contests," July 2017, American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education (ALI CLE) Representing Estate and Trust Beneficiaries and Fiduciaries Conference

"When the Gloves Come Off: Practical Tactics for Dealing with the Delinquent and Defending the Diligent Trustee," July 2017, American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education (ALI CLE) Representing Estate and Trust Beneficiaries and Fiduciaries Conference

"Will Contests: Direct and Cross, In Action," March 2017, Columbus Bar Association 34th Annual Advanced Estate Planning Institute

"Will and Trust Contests, Claims of Undue Influence," and "Armor for the Trustee," December 2016, Mahoning County Bar Association

"Conflicts of Interest: Trust and Estate Administration," October 2016, Warren County Bar Association

"Will Contests: Direct and Cross, In Action," July 2016, American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education (ALI-CLE) Representing Estate and Trust Beneficiaries and Fiduciaries Conference

"Basics of Estate Administration," June 2016, Ohio State Bar Association

"Estate Planning and Probate Law Update," April 2016, Ohio State Bar Association All-Ohio Legal Forum

"Fixing 'Broken' Trusts," April 2016, Dayton Bar Association Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Committee Monthly Meeting

"Newcomer v. National City Bank: Guidance for Ohio Trustees." May 2015, Clinton County Bar Association

"Releases and Their Challenges: A Panel Discussion of the Benefits, Limitations and Litigation of Trustee Releases," July 2014, American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education (ALI CLE) Representing Estate and Trust Beneficiaries and Fiduciaries Conference

"Fiduciary Litigation Update," May 2014, Ohio State Bar Association: 2014 Annual Convention

"Armor for the Trustee: Limitation of Liability Provisions and Releases of Trustee," March 2014, Dayton Bar Association Estate Planning and Probate Institute, Warren County Bar Association