The Case of the Disappearing Trust
In California, trustees have a fiduciary duty to act impartially and in the interest of all beneficiaries. But what happens when a trustee uses trust funds to finance litigation that benefits only certain beneficiaries—or...more
On May 21, 2025, David Johnson gave his presentation “Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow: Issues Arising From Trust Termination and Trustee Succession In Texas,” to the North Texas Estate Planning Council. This presentation...more
As the landscape of HNW disputes remains increasingly complex — with cross-border disputes, challenges with tracing and valuating digital assets, contentious trusts, and privacy concerns playing larger roles — ACI's Inaugural...more
In a groundbreaking decision that could reshape the landscape of California estate law, the Court of Appeal in the Second District Division Four has ruled in favor of trustee David Henry Simon, affirming his right to seek a...more
A question for you: do you have an estate plan? Of course you do, everyone needs an estate plan. Second question: who is(are) the beneficiary(ies) of your estate plan? Someone you love and trust, I presume. Perhaps a spouse,...more
When hostilities break out between individual co-trustees, incumbent trust counsel faces a representation conundrum. In §8.8 of Loring and Rounds: A Trustee’s Handbook (2025), see appendix below, we grapple with the...more
How often should you review your trust and estate plan? Is there a regular cycle to these reviews, or should they be driven by significant events in your life or the lives of your beneficiaries and executor or trustee? How...more
Yes, depending on the nature of the crime and if convicted. In re Donald F. Clark Trust, Court of Appeals January 16, 2025 (unpublished). This appeal involved the probate court's winddown of the Donald F. Clark Trust....more
You likely have created revocable or irrevocable trusts, or a few of both, in your estate plan. Ideally, these have been properly drafted with plenty of flexibility so that they can continue to meet your wealth planning goals...more
When an individual passes away, their assets must be distributed to their named heirs or beneficiaries. The beneficiaries may be designated as a co-owner or a beneficiary, or the assets will pass to the estate to be...more
Estate planning is an essential process which can ensure that your wealth is distributed appropriately after you pass. Every estate planning attorney’s goal is to assist clients to protect their assets, instead of allowing...more
In its recent decision in Ingram v Kulynych Estate, the Court of Appeal for Ontario clarified the timeline for bringing equitable trust claims against estates, concluding that such claims are subject to the two-year...more
Equity’s maxims have many jurisprudential functions, one critical function being to sinew the equitable principles that regulate the law of trusts. A court that is saddled with sorting out the rights, duties and obligations...more
On November 6, 2023, the Minnesota Court of Appeals issued its opinion in In the Matter of the Trust Agreement of Genevieve M. Rossow. Among other topics, the court’s opinion addressed whether a trust beneficiary’s power to...more
This update will address the following issues: whether a party has a right to jury trial in trust modification and other similar actions, what are the standards for pretrial receivership and injunctive relief in trust...more
In the last alert, we reviewed the responsibilities of an executor. In this next introductory review, we will discuss the role of a trustee. Before we define the role of a trustee, we must explain the definition of a...more
Maybe a friend or a relative has recently passed away and you just received a communication informing you that you have been named as a trustee. You have no idea what this role entails, and you feel overwhelmed having no...more
2022 saw a number of changes to legislation affecting trust and estate planning and administration, including some revisions to tax guidelines. In this webinar, Whitney O’Reilly will recap key updates from the previous year,...more
Losing a family member or friend is a difficult situation for everyone. In 1969, the Swiss-American psychiatrist Elizabeth Kübler-Ross wrote in her book “On Death and Dying,” that grief could be divided into five stages:...more
On May 23, 2022, the Superior Court of Pennsylvania held that the fiduciary exception to the attorney-client privilege and attorney work product doctrine is consistent with Pennsylvania law. This ruling was highly anticipated...more
Join us for an interactive two-day webinar that will focus on the multifaceted issues impacting fiduciaries and beneficiaries. We’ll highlight hot topics in the administration of trusts and estates, and we’ll discuss how to...more
No contest clauses generally are not enforceable against beneficiaries of California trusts when there is “probable cause” to challenge the trust instrument. Yet the probable cause safe harbor may disappear if the contest...more
Occasionally, you may receive conflicting advice from two people – both people you trust, both skilled in their fields. How do you decide what to do?...more
Lowenstein Sandler lawyer Joseph Romano and investment advisor Julie Jackson discuss creating, managing, and investing trusts, plus how to keep a child with a trust from turning into a trust fund baby. Speakers: Warren...more