Trusts & Estates

Estate Planning

People draft estate plans to detail the management and distribution of their assets when they die, or are otherwise no longer capable of doing so. We believe that every client has a critical need for a comprehensive, thoughtful estate plan. Our Trusts & Estates Practice Group is not a group of part-time estate planners; we have devoted much of our careers to assisting clients in the development and implementation of their individual estate plans.  From the simplest to the most sophisticated of plans, our attorneys start by spending the time necessary to listen to our clients, allowing us to understand their concerns and objectives.  We then work closely with each client to develop a strategy to meet their needs and desires. Only then will the plan be documented through the careful preparation of the necessary documents, such as wills, powers of attorney and trust agreements. We take the time to review these documents with clients, explaining every important detail, to ensure that they accurately reflect your wishes.

Every plan, no matter how well conceived, must be periodically reviewed and updated to address changed circumstances. We stand ready to help ensure that your plan remains up-to-date.

Perhaps the most complex estate plans involve family-owned businesses. Working collaboratively with the other professionals you already have relationships with, we help you structure and implement plans to effectively transition ownership, control and management from one generation to the next.

Estate Administration

We also assist in the administration of estates. We understand that coping with the loss of a loved one is never easy. Using our many years of experience, we provide professional and efficient estate administration services, lessening your concerns and allowing you to focus on the rest of your family life. Our mission is to guide you through the process, ensuring that you perform all duties and responsibilities that come with serving as the personal representative.

Other Services

In addition to representing personal representatives in the administration of estates, we assist other fiduciaries, such as trustees, guardians and agents under powers of attorney, in fulfilling their responsibilities as a fiduciary. Our mission is to provide the information and advice necessary to allow our clients to make informed decisions and meet their duties.

When the need arises, we call on the substantial resources of the firm to represent clients in a range of trusts and estates litigation such as will contests, surcharge actions and contested guardianship proceedings. Trust and estate litigation is among the most complicated and challenging types of litigation. It requires a mastery of pretrial and trial work paired with a thorough understanding of fiduciary law. We employ a team of litigators and other professionals with a specialty in trust and estate matters. These litigators team with members of the Trusts & Estates Practice Group to provide our clients with highly effective courtroom representation.