Shapiro Croland represents individuals and financial institutions in matters involving administration of an estate or disposition of a trust. Under New Jersey law these types of appointments where one is named as either an executor, exectrix, administrator, adminstratrix or trustee create a fiduciary relationship with the beneficiaries of an estate or trust. In these situations the fiduciary has an obligation to act promptly and with diligence in managing the estate or trust, which often includes liquidating assets and making distributions to beneficiaries.
An estate or trust fiduciary is entitled to the benefit of legal counsel to help navigate the complex laws of estates and trusts. For 27 years the New Jersey attorneys at Shapiro Croland have been assisting fiduciaries in administering trusts and estates. Our trusts and estates' attorneys draw upon the extensive experience in bankruptcy, contracts, civil litigation, business law, and real estate so that clients can receive specialized expertise where necessary and without having to hire a second law firm.
The types of matters where our New Jersey law firm represents estate and trust fiduciaries generally include:
- Accounting Actions: Defending actions to compel an accounting of estate or trust assets.
- Bankruptcy Proceedings: Representing fidiciaries as creditors in bankruptcy cases filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey.
- Fraudulent Transfer Actions: Representing fiduciaries in lawsuits to recover estate assets fraudlently transferred to family members or other third parties.
- Real estate and Foreclosure: Representing fiduciaries in the sale and foreclosure of residential and commercial real estate in New Jersey.
- Surrogate’s Court and Probate Court proceedings and litigation: Representation of fiduciaries in estate litigation or mediation and contested probate and trust proceedings in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Probate Part.
- Removal of Fiduciaries: Defending actions filed by beneficiaries seeking to remove a fiduciary for cause.
- Will Contests: Defending actions challenging the validity of a will or trust. The grounds to bring a will contest include undue influence, insufficient capacity to execute a will, failure to follow the formal requirements necessary to create a will, deception, fraud, power of attorney abuse, or a conflict of interest.
At Shapiro Croland our experienced New Jersey probate litigation lawyers can guide you through these sensitive situations. Serving Northern, Central and parts of Southern New Jersey.
Call us today at 201-870-4938 or complete our online contact form.