The Trusts & Estates Group provides the following services for its clients:

Contingency-Plan Documents.
We evaluate your individual situation. After you understand the options and our recommendations, we draft contingency documents such as Wills, Living Trusts, Durable Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directives, and other documents to determine the management and disposition of your affairs in the event of disability or death.

Lifetime Personal Planning.
We analyze additional planning options available to you. If appropriate, we assist you in setting up family partnerships, lifetime trusts, charitable gifts, and other arrangements to suit your personality and financial situation. Many goals are addressed in this work, including coherent management of assets, protection from creditors, and reduction of taxes.

Estate & Trusts Administration.
In the event of a death, we assist the designated personal representative or trustee in carrying out his or her duties, inventorying the assets, meeting the tax and other legal requirements, and distributing the assets in accordance with governing documents. We also assist trustees with decisions and provide counsel regarding the law and the ongoing administration of trusts.

Estate/Trust Disputes.
We resolve issues related to estate and trust disputes. For instance, we litigate will contests. We also resolve issues concerning will and trust interpretation and administration through agreement, mediation, or court proceedings.

Settlement Issues for Minors and Disabled Persons.
We advise clients of our personal injury group or other attorneys in evaluating and implementing options for handling funds of a disabled or minor person received as a result of a personal injury settlement. For example, we draft settlement trusts and special needs trusts.

Guardianship.
We assist with all aspects of resolving incapacity or disability issues, as well as the administration of guardianships.

Mediation and Arbitration Services.
With the strength of our expertise in the above-described areas, we also provide mediation and arbitration services related to trusts, estates, and guardianships.