Who We Are
Compassionate Estate, Business, and Life Attorneys and Counselors
Our Team
Stephen K. Lehnardt
JD, LL.M. TAXATIONVA ACCREDITED (No. 10458)
Stephen has been practicing law for more than 20 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from Brigham Young University in 1992. In 1993, Stephen received a phone call from his father, Detlef G. Lehnardt, who asked if he would be willing change careers and work for his law firm. Stephen accepted and earned both his Doctorate of Jurisprudence and Master of Laws in Taxation degrees in 1996 from the University of Missouri—Kansas City School of Law. Later, Stephen joined Detlef’s law firm and they renamed it Lehnardt & Lehnardt, LLC.
Stephen experience spans personal clients from all walks and stages of life and business and commercial real estate clients located all over world with matters ranging from a simple power of attorney to the complex, multi-country business deals. Asset and tax protection strategies, business or estate succession planning, income and gift tax planning, elder law and more. No matter the challenge, Stephen has the unique ability to clarify complex problems and identify efficient solutions.
Stephen frequently speaks and conducts public seminars and workshops and provides professional continuing education to attorneys, CPAs insurance professionals, and elder care professionals on estate, tax, elder law and government benefit planning topics, as well as business planning topics.
Stephen is licensed to practice law in Missouri (1996), Kansas (2008), and Florida (2018) and an active member of Bar Associations for those states and the American Bar Association. He has been an Accredited Attorney with the VA for many years, and is admitted to practice before numerous courts, including the United States Tax Court. Stephen is a member or founding member of several national organizations, including Wealthcounsel, Eldercounsel, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Midwest Estate and Financial Planning Institute, and others, and has served on the Board of Directors for the National Advisors Trust Company, FSB.
Aaron J. McCarter
JD, LL.M. TAXATIONVA ACCREDITED (No. 22840)
Aaron received his Bachelors of Arts in both Political Science and English from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2005. After working for several years at Cerner Corporation, he felt called to go to law school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School where he earned his Doctorate in Jurisprudence in 2010, and then his Master of Laws in Taxation in 2011. While finishing both his JD and LL.M, he worked in H&R Block’s Kansas City corporate office as a tax research specialist and team leader. He is licensed to practice law in Missouri (2011) and Florida (2018) and is also a VA Accredited Attorney.
Aaron has several years of experience specializing in life planning issue for all types of clients. Whether setting up wills and trusts and probating estates or planning complex asset situations that require entities such as LLCs or Partnerships, Aaron guides clients with competence. In addition, Aaron is experienced in tax matters, including a special focus on tax issues for estates and gifts, corporate tax, and international tax.
Our Firm
Our History
In the late 1970s, Detlef G. Lehnardt left the New York City-based German-American law firm of Walter & Conston, in which he had earned partner status, to form his own firm. He continued to serve large U.S. and European-based corporations and private investors involved in U.S. business and commercial real estate interests. In 1990 he moved the firm’s main office from New York City to Kansas City, maintaining a satellite office in New York City.
In 1993, Detlef asked Stephen to join the firm as a legal assistant. Stephen worked full time for the firm while earning his law degree (J.D.) and his Master of Laws in Taxation. In 1996 the firm became known as Lehnardt & Lehnardt, LLC and Detlef and Stephen practiced together until Detlef retired in 2013.
In 2008, we formed The Veteran’s Law Firm, LLC, a subsidiary firm, to focus on reaching out to and serving the more than 15 Million wartime veterans eligible to receive a Veteran’s Pension. Since formation, The Veteran’s Law Firm has helped more than 2,000 Veteran families from 37 states successfully navigate the complex maze of VA rules and regulations to receive payment of earned pension and disability benefits. The Veteran’s Law Firm now serves more than 300 new Veteran families annual and growing.
Our clients nationwide benefit from our New York City experience,history, and competent service and enjoy our cost-effective Midwest pricing and personal values. We invite you to get to know us and discover how we can help you acquire and protect what matters most to you.