Best Lawyers in America for Litigation - Trusts and Estates
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Alan Freer is a member of the firm’s management committee, where he focuses his practice primarily on trust and estate litigation. Alan also handles all aspects of trust and estate administration, and routinely represents beneficiaries and fiduciaries in contested matters. He has substantial experience in challenging and defending the validity of estate planning documents, including wills, codicils, trusts and amendments. Alan routinely prosecutes and defends claims for breach of fiduci...
Estate Planning and Estate Trust Administration Jeffrey M. Folkman is experienced in all phases of estate and charitable planning for individuals and families, including those where family-owned businesses are involved. Plans range from the modest in size to the very large and sophisticated. He works extensively with corporate trustees, financial planners, insurance agents, accountants and consultants. Jeffrey is also experienced in the administration of trusts and estates. Corporate and Entr...
Mr. Van Dusen concentrates his practice exclusively in litigation and alternative dispute resolution with a focus on insurance, commercial disputes, health care, class actions, and personal injury defense, including arbitration hearings, bench trials, jury trial, and appeals. His diverse litigation experience includes: Defense of catastrophic personal injury claims, including matters involving product liability, premises liability, automobile negligence, and intentional misconduct claims; Rep...
Andrew pairs his experience in tax and estate law with a focus on client responsiveness to help families and businesses structure plans for their valuable assets. He works with clients on an array of estate planning matters, including wealth transfer planning, asset protection planning, and closely-held business succession planning. He frequently assists clients with trust and estate administration. He often advises clients on modifying irrevocable trusts. Additionally, he represents clients ...
Kimberly Civins has worked with wealthy individuals, families, executors and trustees for over 20 years and utilizes that expertise to assist clients with accomplishing their goals for wealth structuring and transfers. Kim concentrates her practice in: Estate planning Estate administration Trusts Tax exempt entities (including public charities and private foundations) Transfer tax (estate, gift and generation skipping transfer taxes and IRS audits) Business succession planning Federal and sta...
Stephen J. Pagano is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. Stephen J., who practices law in Madison, New Jersey, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephen J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jerome Elwell is a litigator with extensive experience in complex civil and commercial litigation, including plaintiff’s personal injury and trust and estate litigation. The Best Lawyers ® and Super Lawyers honoree devotes a significant portion of his practice to probate and estate litigation, including contested guardianship and conservatorship matters, will and trust contests, disputed estate administrations and elder abuse violations. He received his B.S. in general business and ...
Michael P. Kaelin is a Principal in Cummings & Lockwood's Litigation Group, and Family Office and Closely Held Business Group. Mike represents individuals, fiduciaries and businesses in commercial, employment, employee benefits, probate, trusts and estates, conservatorship, guardianship, and investment disputes, including wrongful discharge and discrimination claims, will contests, fiduciary removal proceedings, contested accountings, fee disputes, construction proceedings, undue influenc...
Rose Sher is a partner in the Tax Practice Group and a member of the trust and estates team. Rose is a board-certified estate planning and administration specialist, as certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization. She advises clients on all aspects of wills, trusts, estate and gift tax planning, asset valuations, business succession planning, and estate administration. Rose represents a broad range of high-net-worth individuals and families. She understands the unique goals and n...
David West represents banks, trust departments, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and individuals in disputes involving trusts and estates, banking matters, business conflicts, and property-related litigation. Based in San Antonio, Texas, he focuses his practice on Litigation - Banking and Finance , Litigation - Trusts and Estates , Commercial Litigation , and Non-Profits at Caldwell Clark Fanucchi & Finlayson PLLC . Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specia...
Steve focuses his practice in the areas of business and complex litigation, construction law, patent and trademark litigation, employment litigation, probate litigation, dispute resolution and appeals. He has 43 years of experience in more than 60 trials (both jury and non-jury). Among his accomplishments, Steve was listed in the 2004-21 editions of "Ohio Super Lawyers" by Law & Politics magazine; in 2009 and 2017, Steve earned the distinction of being listed one of the Top 100 Super Lawy...
Crystal K. Rose is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Real Estate and Litigation - Trusts and Estates. Crystal K., who practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Crystal K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Anita S. Rosenbloom concentrates in the areas of estate planning, business succession planning and estate and trust administration and litigation. She has particular expertise concerning estate, gift, generation-skipping and fiduciary income taxes and the use of life insurance and other trust vehicles in estate plans to reduce tax liability. Since joining Stroock in 1980, Ms. Rosenbloom has represented individuals, corporations, closely held businesses and other entities in transactions invol...
E. Andrew Cole is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation - Construction and Litigation - Trusts and Estates. E. Andrew, who practices law in Rockville, Maryland, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which E. Andrew is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.