Those who take the time to prepare a thoughtful estate plan can protect beneficiaries and assets down the road while cutting down on future disputes. Unfortunately, circumstances may change, or family conflicts may emerge. When that happens, the parties need experienced estate litigation lawyers to help resolve the dispute and carry out the intent of the grantor or decedent.
What is Estate Litigation?
Estate litigation is not the same as estate planning; the lawyer who drafts the will or trust is not the best choice to litigate a dispute over a will or trust he or she drafted. Executors, beneficiaries, and other individuals who have questions about whether an estate plan was created or executed properly should speak with an experienced estate litigation lawyer who can give informed advice on both the underlying estate planning and the potential legal issues that may arise.
At Pierro, Connor & Strauss, LLC, we pair our Estate Planning practitioners with seasoned litigators to provide comprehensive counsel for the most effective estate dispute resolution.
Special skills of the estate litigation attorney
Estate litigation raises complex questions that require a unique mix of legal skills to resolve. Estate litigation lawyers must have a thorough understanding of the estate planning process as well as the impact such will ultimately have when the wishes of the grantor or decedent are administered.
Practitioners must also be strong civil litigators to represent their clients in alternative dispute resolution and in court. Disputes frequently arise among heirs and beneficiaries around issues of will or trust contests, creditor claims, breaches of fiduciary duty, tax liability, and beneficiary and spousal rights to inherit under the law.
An experienced estate litigation firm can help reduce the delays and costs incurred in reaching a typical legal resolution. The estate litigation lawyers of Pierro, Connor & Strauss are among New York’s most qualified to expose the relevant issues in your legal conflict, provide an open and honest channel of communication, weigh the risks of litigation relative to alternative dispute resolution, and ensure that our clients have the information they need to play an active role in their case.
