ATTORNEYS
JAMES G. BLASE
With 44 years of experience in the estate, tax, asset protection and succession planning areas, Jim Blase is principal of the law firm. Jim is a native of St. Louis, and graduated with honors from St. Louis University High School in 1975. He owns a CPA Certificate from the State of Missouri, which he earned upon graduating with honors from John Carroll University in 1978, with B.S. degrees in Accounting and Finance. Jim also graduated with honors from Notre Dame Law School in 1981, where he served as Managing Editor on the Notre Dame Law Review. He then earned an LLM in Taxation degree from the New York University Graduate School of Law in 1982, where he served as Graduate Editor on the Tax Law Review.
Jim spent the first portion of his legal career as an associate and partner in the estate planning and administration department of what is now the downtown Thompson Coburn law firm, and as partner and chair of the trusts and estates department of what is now the Armstrong Teasdale law firm in Clayton. In 1999, Jim formed his own law firm in St. Louis County, in an effort to bring the same or greater level of expertise and service to his clients, but at substantially lower billing rates.
Jim has also taught in the Villanova University School of Law Graduate Tax Program and as an adjunct professor at the St. Louis University School of Law, where he has taught courses in estate planning and wills and trusts. He is a frequent author and lecturer on a wide variety of estate planning subjects, and has authored approximately 100 books, articles and chapters for various professional and Missouri continuing legal education publications. Jim's most recent professional book is titled "Tax Planning for Retirement Savings: 15 Strategies for Saving Income and Estate Taxes."
In 2026 Jim celebrates his 32nd straight year of being rated "A.V. Preeminent" by Martindale-Hubbell® Law. A.V. Preeminent is the highest rating given for legal ability and ethics, and is listed in "Most Honored Attorneys - Top 1%." He was also honored as a "2026 Top Estate Planning Provider" by the St. Louis Small Business Monthly.
Jim also has an avid interest in early 20th century history. In 2004 he produced the 4-hour video, The 1904 World's Fair Reconstructed. He is also the author of six books on Theodore Roosevelt, including his 2025 book, "Theodore Roosevelt's Brotherhood of America: A Daily Journal of the President's Nationwide Travels," which was critically acclaimed by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch." Jim is also the author of two short volumes titled "Remembering the St. Louis World's Fair: A 4-Mile Tour Via Forest Park's Walking Paths," and "St. Jacinta of Fatima: The Good Shepherdess."
Jim and his wife, Donna, have been married for 43 years, and enjoy volunteering together. They have four children and three grandchildren.
RYAN G. POLLEY
Ryan is of counsel with Blase & Associates, and has spent 17 years with the firm. He primarily assists clients on all stages of estate planning process and provides advice on tax planning, Medicaid planning and asset protection planning in a variety of factual scenarios. He also specializes in handling both simple and complex trust and probate administration matters for clients in the most efficient manner possible. Ryan is also well-versed in the preparation of fiduciary income tax returns, gift tax returns and estate tax returns. Ryan received his J.D. in 2008 from Saint Louis University School of Law with a Tax Concentration and is a member of the Missouri Bar. He graduated summa cum laude from Florida State University in 2005 with a dual major Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Psychology. He currently lives in St. Peters with his wife and three children.
