Cory Howes

At LifeBinder, Cory Howes, Esq., pairs the mindset of a financial advisor with the precision of an estate attorney, helping us build our platform into a system families can actually use, no matter how complicated their estate planning may be.

A One-of-One Perspective

Cory Howes brings a rare combination to LifeBinder: formal legal training paired with real-world experience advising individuals and businesses on tax, investments, insurance, and employee benefits. That financial background shapes how he thinks about planning long before a document is ever drafted. As a LifeBinder partner, Cory understands that a plan is only as strong as the information behind it, and he applies that same thinking to how our platform organizes and protects what matters most to families and the professionals who serve them.

From Financial Advisor to Estate Planning Attorney

A native North Carolinian, Cory earned his Bachelor of Science in Business from Wake Forest University in 1999 and began his career as a financial advisor and employee benefits consultant. He spent his early years helping individuals and families with financial planning, insurance, and investments, while also helping companies design benefits programs and executive compensation plans. Working closely with attorneys throughout that period, Cory was drawn to the legal side of planning, which eventually led him back to school and into the practice of law.

Building a Career Focused on Prevention

Cory returned to school at the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond, graduating in 2008. After beginning his legal career at a litigation firm in Raleigh, he founded Howes Law, PLLC, concentrating on estate planning, probate, estate administration, and business planning.

In 2016, Howes Law merged with the Forrest Firm, a certified B corporation serving entrepreneurs and executives, where Cory led the trusts and estates practice. He later joined Strauss Attorneys, PLLC, where he now heads the Raleigh office.

Bringing Deep Expertise to LifeBinder

Cory's dual expertise in finance and law is exactly the kind of professional insight LifeBinder was built around. He’s spent his career helping people organize information spanning legal, financial, and insurance-related decisions, mirroring the structure LifeBinder provides for families and the advisors who guide them. This attorney- and advisor-informed perspective strengthens our execution system, ensuring it reflects the real complexity professionals manage every day rather than a simplified, one-dimensional view of planning.

Professional Involvement

Cory stays deeply engaged with the estate planning community beyond his work at LifeBinder. He’s a member of WealthCounsel, LLC, a national organization where estate and business planning attorneys share knowledge and experience. Cory also belongs to the North Carolina Bar Association, the Wake County Bar Association, and he serves on the Board of the North Carolina Forum of Estate Planning Attorneys. He also serves on the board of the Dementia Alliance of North Carolina as well as the RTP Federal Credit Union.

Bar Admissions

Cory maintains active licenses that support LifeBinder's collaborative approach to serving attorneys and families across state lines, with credentials in the following states:

North Carolina Bar Association
Virginia Bar Association

Education and Past Experience

Cory's academic and professional background includes study and hands-on experience at the following institutions:

University of Richmond, The T.C. Williams School of Law, 2008
Wake Forest University, 1999
Past experience with Forrest Firm and Howes Law

Outside the Office

Cory is married to his wife, Lindsay, and together they’re raising twins, Caleb and Harper. That commitment to family shapes how he approaches his work, since he understands firsthand what is at stake when life's most important information is not organized and accessible. When he’s not working, Cory can usually be found playing basketball or golf, camping with his family, or skiing and snowboarding once winter arrives.