Our estate planning lawyers help clients identify estate planning objectives, assess family needs, consider business disposition and succession, and determine long-term financial goals. Once these matters have been decided and organized, we assist in helping clients achieve their goals through comprehensive estate planning, including gift plans, wills, trusts, living wills and powers of attorneys, healthcare directives, and other legal documents designed to protect assets before death, and effectuate tax-advantaged transfers (where possible) after death in accordance with our clients’ wishes.
Assisting Representatives with Probate and Estate Administration
Generally, a person named as a personal representative has never acted in that capacity. We help personal representatives understand their fiduciary duties, prepare necessary court filings, and assist in transferring assets including real and personal property.
We make sure we are available to counsel our clients through this process, answer questions, and provide guidance throughout the administration of the estate. If you are serving as an estate administrator, you will likely have many questions. How should specific assets be divided among surviving children if no specific provision has been included in a will or trust? How should real property be dealt with if it is left to several surviving children? What happens if a beneficiary contests the way an estate is being administered?
If you are an estate administrator, we can assist you with these and any other questions that you have. We rely on decades of experience to provide solutions to issues, while helping to protect you, as an administrator, from potential liability arising from your service.
Will Contests and Estate Disputes
We represent estate administrators, beneficiaries, and other interested parties in all kinds of estate disputes. We help clients protect their interests and seek their desired outcome. We are experienced in negotiating estate dispute claims and work towards a negotiated settlement for our clients whenever possible. We additionally represent clients in mediation, arbitration, and at trial.
Contact Us with Your Probate or Estate Administration Matter
Primary Practice Contacts:
Salt Lake City Office:
John E. Gates
M.David Steffensen
St George Office:
Scott Awerkamp
