DESCRIPTION
Drafting Client Engagement Letters in Trust and Estate Planning
Client engagement letters are the foundation of a successful representation in trust and estate planning, administration or fiduciary litigation. It’s where expectations are set – about fees, timelines, and who you are representing. Difficult issues involving conflicts of interests and decision-making can also be framed and addressed. These letters clarify goals and substantially reduce the risk of later dispute. This program will provide you a practical guide to using client engagement letters to provide the foundation of a successful relationship in trust and estate planning, administration and litigation.
- Most important elements of successful client engagement letter
- Spousal representations – joint representation or separate, and practical difficulties of each
- Representing multiple generations of a family – who is in charge?
- Lawyer as fiduciary – what must you do if you’re the trustee
- How to handle extant or developing client incapacity
- Ongoing communication and billing issues
- Providing for withdrawal from an engagement – when and how
SPEAKER:
Daniel L. Daniels is a partner in the Greenwich, Connecticut office of Wiggin and Dana, LLP, where his practice focuses on representing business owners, corporate executives and other wealthy individuals and their families. A Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, he is listed in “The Best Lawyers in America,” and has been named by “Worth” magazine as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in the United States representing affluent individuals. Mr. Daniels is co-author of a monthly column in “Trusts and Estates” magazine. Mr. Daniels received his A.B., summa cum laude, from Dartmouth College and received his J.D., with honors, from Harvard Law School.
Disclaimer: All views or opinions expressed by any presenter during the course of this CLE is that of the presenter alone and not an opinion of the Oklahoma Bar Association, the employers, or affiliates of the presenters unless specifically stated. Additionally, any materials, including the legal research, are the product of the individual contributor, not the Oklahoma Bar Association. The Oklahoma Bar Association makes no warranty, express or implied, relating to the accuracy or content of these materials.