Wills, Trusts, Estates and Guardianships
The Wills, Trusts, Estates and Guardianships Department is uniquely qualified to handle any legal matter in the above areas. Using our years of collective experience, our attorney and paraprofessional personnel are able to efficiently and economically assist clients in the most routine as well as the most complex matters within these areas of the law. Described below are important details about our work.
Estate, Trust and Elder Law Planning
Using the latest in legal techniques, our clients are fully advised regarding both pre-death and post-death estate planning. Each client is afforded an estate plan tailored to their individual circumstances, including all relevant tax considerations. Emphasis is placed on maximizing the client’s personal goals and objectives. Legal issues which are unique to our elderly clients are given special consideration. Our departmental team, along with the Firm’s in house CPA, is available for consultation on important income and transfer tax issues.
Estate and Trust Administration
We have successfully handled thousands of administrative court proceedings in these areas. With its team of talented paraprofessionals, the post-death administration of estates and trusts are advanced with constant communication with the client at a reasonable cost. The Department's experience in this area extends across a broad spectrum of asset sizes, family dynamics and mixes of assets. Corporate as well as individual fiduciaries are represented. A full range of tax services is available, including, but not limited to, planning and return preparation.
Guardianship Administration
We have a strong track record of experience in terms of representing clients in connection with incapacity and guardianship proceedings. Our representation extends to individuals, professional guardians, corporate, and nonprofit corporate guardians. The extensive use of experienced paraprofessionals allows for both the timely and economic delivery of our services. We represent guardians of both minors and the elderly. Family members may also be represented in connection with these proceedings. Both accounting and tax matters can be handled ‘in-house”.
Estates, Trusts and Guardianship Litigation
We have successfully navigated clients through hundreds of litigated matters at both the trial court and appellate levels. Our trial team and appellate team handle all aspects of trust, estate and guardianship litigation as well as complex and disputed administration, including but not limited to:
Will and trust contests
- Will and trust construction proceedings
- Breach of fiduciary duty claims—defense and prosecution
- Accounting litigation
- Fiduciary surcharge and removal litigation
- Trust modification, reformation and termination
- Challenges to powers of attorney and related documents
- Guardianship litigation and incapacity proceedings
- Compensation disputes
- Expert witness testimony
All facets of such litigation can be handled by the Department, including litigation with the Internal Revenue Service.
We represent both fiduciaries and beneficiaries in these controversies, including corporate fiduciaries and professional guardians.
Overall, our teams can handle any litigated estate, trust or guardianship matter from its inception through any appellate proceedings.
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Partner
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Phone: (561) 832-5900
Brian O’Connell leads the Estate Planning, Probate and Guardianship Department of the firm, which specializes in handling litigation involving estate, trust and guardianship matters for both fiduciaries and beneficiaries. During his over thirty year career, Mr. O’Connell has ... |
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Partner
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Phone: (561) 832-5900
Ron Crescenzo graduated magna cum laude with a degree in business administration from Monmouth University in New Jersey in 1988. He attained his Juris Doctor degree in 1991, summa cum laude, from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, where he graduated in the top two percent ... |
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Associate
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Phone: (561) 832-5900
Ashley Nicole Crispin is an attorney in the probate, trust and guardianship department. She concentrates her practice in litigation arising from estate planning & probate, trust and guardianship contests. In 2003, Mrs. Crispin received her undergraduate degree from the University of ... |
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Partner
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Phone: (561) 832-5900
A West Palm Beach native, Phil O'Connell focuses his practice in real estate, estate planning and probate, and has a long record of service to the community. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of Hospice of Palm Beach County, Inc. since 1985.
Mr. O'Connell served for seven ... |
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