About Patrick Nolan

Estate Planning & Asset Protection Attorney — Serving Kirksville and All of Missouri

Most families don’t need a salesman.
They need someone they can trust — someone who listens, understands, and knows how to protect the things that matter most.

That’s where I come in.

I’m Patrick Nolan, founder of the Nolan Law Firm. I help Missouri families prevent problems before they happen: avoiding probate, securing assets, planning for the unexpected, and making sure life stays manageable during life’s hardest seasons.

I don’t talk over people. I don’t play games. And I don’t believe in scaring folks into signing paperwork they don’t understand.
My job is simple: give you clarity, confidence, and a plan that actually works in real life.

⭐ Where I Started — and Why It Matters

My path to becoming an attorney wasn’t the straight, polished one you see in brochures.

I left high school at 17.
In the span of one week, everything changed:

  • I took the ASVAB and scored in the 98th percentile.

  • The next day, I took the SAT and scored a 1410.

  • By the end of the week, I earned my GED.

  • A few days later, I signed my enlistment papers and headed into the U.S. Army.

I didn’t grow up with advantages. I built my life through grit, service, and the decision to keep moving forward — even when the path wasn’t obvious.

⭐ From the Army to the Newsroom to the Courtroom

I served in the Gulf War. That experience shaped me: it taught me about pressure, responsibility, and how fast life can turn.

After the military, I spent more than a decade as an award-winning journalist and newspaper publisher, writing thousands of articles for Scripps-Howard, Gannett, USA Today affiliates, and Missouri papers.
Those years taught me how to:

  • cut through nonsense,

  • explain complicated things simply,

  • and see people as people — not problems.

I earned my B.S. in Journalism, my Master’s in Mass Communication, and finally my Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri School of Law.

Today, I use all of that experience — military, journalism, leadership, education — to help families protect their futures.

⭐ My Approach: Practical, Straightforward, Missouri-Real

Families hire me because I offer:

✔ Plain-English explanations

No jargon. No confusion. You’ll understand your plan.

✔ Missouri-specific strategies

I focus on the laws that actually matter to you: Missouri trusts, probate shortcuts, VA benefits, Medicaid/MO HealthNet rules, and asset protection tools that work here.

✔ Real-world experience

I’ve led soldiers, newsrooms, committees, and client families.
I know high stakes when I see them.

✔ Fixed-fee planning

No surprises. No unpredictable hourly billing.

✔ Follow-through

I help you fund and implement your plan — the part other firms skip.

✔ Judgment-free help

Families are complicated. Money is emotional. Aging is hard.
I get it, and nothing you say in my office shocks me.

⭐ Who I Serve

I help:

  • Families avoiding probate

  • Business owners needing asset protection

  • Parents planning for children and vulnerable beneficiaries

  • Retirees preparing for long-term care or Medicaid

  • Disabled veterans seeking information on VA benefits

  • Land and farm owners planning multi-generation transfers

  • Anyone who had a bad experience with another attorney and wants it done right

If it involves your family, your assets, or your peace of mind — I can help.

⭐ Service, Leadership & Community

Missouri is home. I don’t just work here — I serve here.

  • District Commissioner, Black Diamond District — Scouts BSA

  • Past President, Kirksville North Star Rotary Club

  • Past Board Member — Adair County YMCA

  • Past Board Member — Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce

  • Life Member — American Legion

  • Life Member — Disabled American Veterans

  • Kentucky Colonel — Commonwealth of Kentucky

I’ve spent my life in service: to my country, my community, and the families who trust me with their futures.

⭐ What You Can Expect When You Work With Me

You don’t just get a lawyer.

You get someone who:

  • has lived real life,

  • understands real problems,

  • and treats every client with respect and honesty.

Estate planning isn’t about documents — it’s about people.
It’s about protecting your life’s work and giving your family peace of mind.

⭐ Let’s Build Your Future with Confidence

If you’re ready to finally get your estate plan in order — or fix the one that isn’t serving you — I invite you to schedule a consultation.

Your peace of mind starts with a conversation.

Schedule a Consultation