Ansley Chapman Cella

Ansley Chapman Cella, a partner in the firm’s Trusts and Estates group, has assisted closely-held business owners and high net worth individuals with estate planning matters for over twenty years. Ansley received her LL.M in Estate Planning and advises on tax and non-tax aspects of lifetime and post-mortem wealth transfers, business succession, asset protection, and charitable planning.

Prior to joining Smith Anderson, Ansley practiced trusts and estates law at a Raleigh law firm.

Recognition

• Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite, Tax and Estate Planning (2012, 2018, 2019, 2021-2024)
• Chambers and Partners: High Net Worth, Private Wealth Law (2023-2024)
• The Best Lawyers in America®
  • Trusts and Estates (2018-2025)
  • Tax Law (2022-2025)
  • Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law (2024-2025)
• Super Lawyers
  • North Carolina Super Lawyers (2021-2024)
  • North Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Star (2009-2013)
• North Carolina Lawyers Weekly “Best Lawyers in Raleigh,” Trusts and Estates (2017)
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Rated for Highest Level of Professional Excellence

Clerkships

• Law Clerk to the Honorable Paula H. Thomas, Chief Administrative Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, 15th Judicial Circuit

Education

• University of Miami School of Law, LL.M., Estate Planning, 2000
• University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1998 
  • Dean’s List
  • Phi Delta Phi
• Clemson University, B.A., History (Minor in Commerce Communications), 1994 

Bar & Court Admissions

Certifications

• North Carolina Bar Association (2001 to present)
  • Estate Planning, Probate, and Fiduciary Law Section
    • Section Council (2019-2022)
    • Membership Committee (2015-2018)
      • Chair (2016-2018)
      • Vice Chair (2015-2016)
    • Pro Bono Committee (2001-2006)
• Wake County Estate Planning Council, Secretary (2013-2014)
• White Memorial Presbyterian Church
  • Confirmation Mentor
  • Church School Council
  • Sunday School Teacher
• Chatham Hall Alumnae Council

• Draft wills, living wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, financial and health care powers of attorney, and living wills.
• Advise on revocable trust funding and non-probate beneficiary designations.
• Implement advanced estate planning techniques including generation-skipping dynasty trusts, life insurance trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, and charitable trusts.
• Transfer assets to family holding companies to centralize management and preserve multi-generational wealth.
• Assisted business owners and corporate executives with planning in advance of transfer or sale of ownership interests.
• Implement family charitable planning through use of private foundations, charitable remainder and lead trusts, and donor-advised funds.
• Prepare federal gift tax returns to report lifetime use of federal gift and generation-transfer tax exemptions.
• Assist fiduciaries with post-mortem estate and trust administration, including probate and non-probate asset transfer, trust funding, and estate tax return preparation.
• Resolve outdated irrevocable trust issues through termination, modification, or decanting.