Practice Areas

Estate Planning:

Whether your net worth is large or small, almost everyone can benefit from some estate planning. Estate planning involves much more than just leaving written instructions stating who gets your property after you die. A well drafted estate plan allows you to control who makes your medical decisions, who manages your money during a period of incapacity, who takes care of your minor children and their money, and much more.

I offer custom drafted estate plans tailored to your individual needs and desires, often on a flat fee basis.

Probate and Trust Estate Administration:

The first thing many people think after being informed that they are an Administrator, Executor, or Trustee is "What Now?" I can provide the answer to that question and guide you through the process of administration.

Administration of a decedent's estate need not be a complex, drawn out process. In fact, it is very straight forward. But, the path to an estate's final settlement contains pitfalls for the inexperienced. Pitfalls which cause delays, increased costs, and potential personal liability for the person in charge.

My ten years of experience will provide you with the tools to make your administration as quick and painless as possible.

For a sample, check out my "Ten Quick Tips for Administrators".

Probate and Trust Litigation:

Litigation in general is an unpleasant, costly, and time consuming process.  Litigation involving estates and trusts contains an element missing from a contract or real estate case, personal relationships spanning decades who recently lost a loved one. This can cement the ties that bind a family together or drive an iron wedge between them.

In ten years of assisting administrators and beneficiaries I have found that, more likely than not, litigation is driven by family conflicts, misunderstandings, a lack of information about the process, or faulty or contradictory estate planning documents.

My litigation philosophy is to gather as much information as possible. Analyze the dispute from a neutral position. Then present my clients with the various options for resolution. More often than not, educating the parties (or their attorney) as to the real issues provides meaningful resolution short of litigation.