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Private Client Trusts & Estates SLW provides complete services for probate, estate settlement and trust administration. The estate settlement process is often complex and tedious but also extraordinarily important. We help to file all necessary papers with the probate courts to allow wills and appoint estate fiduciaries; inventory and account for assets; deal with creditors; secure the court’s approval of accountings; file appropriate tax returns; and bring estates to a close in a timely and cost-effective manner. Advice on post-death planning techniques is another critical aspect of our work in order to help our clients minimize estate tax obligations and maximize the benefits to the family members. Throughout these processes, we maintain regular contact with our clients to provide needed advice and address any personal or sensitive issues during what is frequently a difficult and trying period. Similarly, we regularly assist clients in trust administration, either by providing counsel or by actually serving as a trustee or other fiduciary by appointment of our clients. Trusts present unique tax, business, family and personal issues, and each type of trust can present its own set of particular benefits and challenges. Our group utilizes its extensive background, knowledge and skill in this area to help clients — including fiduciaries and beneficiaries — to learn about, evaluate and balance the financial, tax and personal considerations. We regularly counsel clients in unfortunate cases of estate or trust disputes. Where litigation (or mediation or arbitration) is required or has otherwise commenced, our team of attorneys (including our trial attorneys) has the sophisticated experience to expertly represent our client’s interests throughout the process. This experience extends to a wide range of areas, such as contests of wills and trusts; allegations of undue influence or incapacity; disagreements over the suitability or conduct of proposed or existing fiduciaries; partitions of property; reformations of will and trust documents; instituting actions for fiduciary appointment or removal; and intra-family conflicts.
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Contacts Trusts & Estates David M. Lipshutz Stephen N. Wilchins Don J.J. Cordell
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