Menu
Most six year old boys want to be firefighters, superheroes, or astronauts when they grow up, but when Joe Schroeder was that age, he knew he wanted to be a lawyer, and he didn’t need to look far for his inspiration. Joe’s father and uncle were both attorneys in his hometown of Ottawa, Ohio, and from a young age, he saw the positive impact they had on the lives of others, and wanted to do the same.
Joe spent the first several years of his legal career in a Cleveland law firm, litigating state-wide real estate matters. He enjoyed his work, but when he and his wife, Kim, found that they were expecting their first child, they decided to move back to Ottawa to raise their children in the small, close-knit community in which Joe himself grew up.
Joe’s experience working in different environments confirmed for him that attorneys in small towns are just as capable as those who practice in cities, and that they often have an advantage: attorneys in a small town usually know their clients well, and may work with them for years, or even decades. Those lasting relationships help an attorney look beyond an immediate problem or need to what will best serve a client’s long-term goals. Joe Schroeder believes that a focus on relationships is what sets his practice apart.
Through nearly 30 years of practicing law, Joe has gained experience in many diverse areas of the law. Although Joe enjoyed those experiences, many years ago he chose to limit his practice to estate planning and estate administration because of his passion for those areas of the practice and because of his genuine belief that those areas of practice provide him with the best opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of his clients.
Like his father and his uncle, he wanted to be able to offer his clients the highest quality legal service and to make a real difference for them and their families. Joe’s clients appreciate not only his legal knowledge, but his approachability, down-to-earth nature, and willingness to simply spend time on them and their concerns. Joe enjoys helping clients understand the legal concepts behind their options, so that they can make the best informed decisions possible.
Joe also enjoys contributing to the academic side of the practice of law. He has spent several years as a member of the Estate Planning Trust and Probate Law Committee, during which time he has served on a number of committees responsible for drafting and recommending legislative changes. He has been published multiple times in the esteemed Probate Law Journal of Ohio and he frequently lectures on several estate planning topics.
When not practicing law, Joe can be found spending time with his wife and four children, whose sports teams he enjoys coaching or supporting. He also enjoys supporting Ottawa-Glandorf High School athletics, and in particular, his beloved Ottawa-Glandorf football teams. Joe is also an active member of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Ottawa, where he is an usher, a eucharistic minister, and is on the Marriage Prep Team. An avid history buff, Joe spent 15 years participating in Civil War reenactments and studying Native American history, especially that of Northwest Ohio.
Practice Areas
- Estate Planning
- Trusts and Probate
- Medicaid Planning and Eligibility
- Guardianships
Education
- The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law, J.D. (1991)
- Bowling Green State University, B.A. (1988)
- Ottawa-Glandorf High School (1984)
Admissions to Practice
- Ohio
- United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio
Professional Memberships & Affiliations
- Ohio State Bar Association
- Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Committee of the OSBA
- Putnam County Bar Association
Publications and Speaking Engagements
- Abatement of Legacies: A Case Study. Probate Law Journal of Ohio, March/April 2021.
- Conflicts of Interest for Personal Representatives—A Closer Look. Probate Law Journal of Ohio, May/June 2012. Zimmerman vs. Zirpolo Trust, Dist. No. 5, 2012-Ohio-349.
- The CAUV Election: A Fourth Bite at the Estate Tax Apple. Probate Law Journal of Ohio, March/April 2011
