Jennie S. Cerrati
Jennie S. Cerrati helps individuals, families, and business owners plan confidently for life's changes and opportunities. Her practice focuses on estate and wealth preservation planning, trust and estate administration, and tax matters. She guides clients through complex issues like gift and generation-skipping transfer tax planning, business succession strategies, lifetime giving, charitable planning, and prenuptial agreements - always with a thoughtful and practical approach.
Jennie also works closely with fiduciaries through every step of the probate and trust administration process. Her clients range from high-net-worth families planning for future generations to families navigating milestones like marriage, children, or growing businesses. With her background in civil litigation, real estate, and domestic relations, Jennie offers well-rounded, comprehensive advice tailored to each client's unique goals.
Active in the Hilton Head community, Jennie is a member of the Hilton Head Area Council of Estate & Financial Advisors (CEFA) and the Hilton Head Bar Association, and she previously served on the Board of the South Carolina Women Lawyers' Association. Jennie also lends her time to local organizations, including the School Improvement Councils for Hilton Head Middle School and Hilton Head High School.
Originally from Louisiana, Jennie lived in California for many years, where she earned her J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law and her B.S. from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is licensed to practice in South Carolina and California.
Jennie and her husband, Mike Cerrati, live on Hilton Head Island with their two boys, who keep them busy on the soccer fields most weekends.
Education
- J.D., Southwestern University School of Law, 2005
- B.S., University of California, Santa Barbara, 2000
Professional Associations
- Hilton Head Area Council of Estate & Financial Advisors, Inc. (CEFA)
- South Carolina Women Lawyers' Association (Past Board Member, Regional Representative)
- Hilton Head Bar Association
- American Bar Association
Honors & Awards
- Named Southern California Super Lawyers "Rising Star" (2008)
Community Involvement
- School Improvement Council, Hilton Head Island Middle School
- School Improvement Council, Hilton Head High School
- Past Member, Parent Executive Board, First Presbyterian Day School, Hilton Head Island
- Past Board Member and Officer, Sandbox Children's Museum
- Past Board Member, Lowcountry Legal Volunteers
- Past Member, School Improvement Council, Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts
Licensed In
- California
- South Carolina