Trusts & Estates

We assist individuals and families in the planning, creation, and administration of trusts, estates, and nonprofit vehicles. Our aim is to listen, understand, and to bring practical solutions to complex situations, and help clients to achieve their estate planning and philanthropic goals.

We often work with family offices and generations of the same family to provide continuity through plans that emphasize and preserve family values while promoting tax efficiency and simplicity.

We also represent corporate and individual fiduciaries (trustees, personal representatives/executors, etc.) in the administration of trusts and estates.

Planning & Administration

We provide a variety of services for our clients depending on their estate planning needs and objectives. Among the services we provide are:

Drafting wills, trusts, medical powers of attorney, living wills, and financial powers of attorney.
Preparing and negotiating marital agreements (prenups) and cohabitation agreements.
Drafting and implementing tax planning strategies, often through the use of various irrevocable trusts. We have substantial experience in drafting and advising on the use of tools such as SLATs, GRATs, intentionally defective grantor trusts, charitable trusts, family limited partnerships, and other advanced tax planning tools.
Advising on trust administration, including trust modifications using decanting instruments and nonjudicial settlement agreements.
Advising on related gift, estate, and income tax matters.
Business succession planning and implementation.
Advising personal representatives and trustees during administration and assisting in the administration process, including probate.

Trusts & Estates Litigation

When disputes arise during the estate or trust administration process, our litigators work in close connection with our estate planning attorneys to ensure that our client’s interests are protected. Our litigators take a holistic approach that balances the economic, emotional, and familial considerations that are all at play in trusts and estates litigation.

In addition to estate and trust disputes, our litigators also have substantial experience in connection with guardianships and conservatorships.