Trusts & Estates

A tale of love, loss and conservatorships in the Golden Age of Hollywood

Britney Spears' legal battle over the conservatorship that put her under the control of her father brought international attention to the conservatorship system. But many other rich and famous people have—appropriately or not—also found themselves in the grips of a system that is much more easy to enter than to leave.

Sep 8, 2021 9:07 AM CDT

Probate lawyers are taking steps to secure LGBTQ+ families’ rights in case Supreme Court limits them

Family law could look very different in the near future, especially for nontraditional families, who are concerned that their protections may not be as secure. This is why many estate planners are advising that these clients create and make changes to their legal documents stat.

Aug 1, 2021 1:20 AM CDT

How one bankruptcy software company had a banner year despite filings hitting a low

When COVID-19 began hitting the United States hard last year, Janine Sickmeyer was among those in the bankruptcy world who thought that there would be a tsunami of cases. But contrary to the prognostications of many, the influx never materialized.

Jul 21, 2021 9:04 AM CDT

Britney Spears succeeds in move to hire own lawyer in conservatorship case

Britney Spears has won the right to hire her own lawyer after accusing her father of “conservatorship abuse.”

Jul 15, 2021 9:40 AM CDT

Former elder law attorney pleads guilty to fraud, could face 30-year sentence

A former elder law attorney from Lynchburg, Virginia, pleaded guilty on Friday to wire fraud and making false statements.

Jul 12, 2021 1:35 PM CDT

Legal malpractice payouts are the highest on record, insurance broker reports

Payouts for legal malpractice claims are at an all-time high, according to a new survey by insurance broker Ames & Gough. Ames & Gough surveyed 11 leading legal malpractice insurers about claims paid from 2019 to the middle of 2020.

May 18, 2021 8:57 AM CDT

Top state court deadlocks on fiduciary exception to attorney-client privilege in K&L Gates case

A deadlocked Pennsylvania Supreme Court was unable to decide last week whether trust beneficiaries are entitled to legal billing statements and other lawyer communications with the trustee under a fiduciary exemption to attorney-client privilege.

Apr 14, 2021 3:00 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Judge orders negotiation on ‘race-norming’ claim in NFL case; judiciary considers amicus disclosure

Judge tosses challenge to ‘race-norming’ in dementia tests U.S. District Judge Anita Brody of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has dismissed a lawsuit challenging “race-norming” in dementia tests used to determine which retired NFL players qualify for compensation in a concussion settlement. Brody said the league and the class counsel…

Mar 9, 2021 3:03 PM CST

How Jim Crow-era laws still tear families from their homes

Heirs’ property is considered a vestige of the Jim Crow South, where unsophisticated property owners without the means or ability to hire a lawyer—or with a justifiable distrust of the courts—divvied up their assets informally, creating “interests” for descendants.

Feb 1, 2021 3:30 AM CST

Suspension imposed after appeals judge is accused of making himself a beneficiary of ex-client’s will

The Georgia Supreme Court has suspended a state appeals judge with pay during an ethics investigation.

Jan 6, 2021 12:07 PM CST

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, legal services providers find creative ways to serve older adults

Many legal services providers have worked in the past year to change how they reach and assist their clients, particularly those who are older and at higher risk for developing more severe cases of COVID-19. While some created or expanded their partnerships with community organizations, others moved their services online or outdoors.

Jan 4, 2021 2:12 PM CST

5 ways to do more pro bono in 2021

For attorneys who want to do more pro bono in 2021, here are five ways to get involved.

Dec 21, 2020 1:52 PM CST

Sanctions upheld for lawyer who included an original haiku in filing and cited Bugs Bunny

A federal appeals court has upheld sanctions imposed on a lawyer who filed “lengthy and superfluous filings” in a dispute with his brother, including a brief that was “littered with exclamation points and rants.”

Dec 16, 2020 11:39 AM CST

Years of service: Mark Daniel Maloney reflects on journey with Rotary International

“It is an opportunity to connect while you are doing good in the world,” says Mark Daniel Maloney, a member of Blackburn, Maloney and Schuppert and now the immediate past president of Rotary International. “It is wonderful to be a volunteer, but you go in and you perform the service, and you leave.”

Nov 24, 2020 9:02 AM CST

Lawyer accused of spitting on protester, shoving another and kneeing officer in groin

A Wisconsin lawyer was arrested twice over the weekend for allegedly spitting on a protester, shoving another and kneeing a police officer in the groin.

Jun 8, 2020 11:21 AM CDT