Top best Guardianship Lawyers Near me in ZIP 98104

Sheila Ridgway has extensive experience in the litigation of trust, probate and guardianship matters. For more than 20 years, Ms. Ridgway has lead clients through complex challenges in the care of elderly family members and their estates.. Ms. Ridgway is a recognized leader in the state of Washington in the practice area, serving on a special committee to guide legislators in updating TEDRA, Washington's law governing trust and estate dispute resolution. Ms. Ridgway frequently participates in educational programs for lawyers practicing in the field.

Sean D Hyde’s practice focuses on the legal needs of individuals with disabilities and their families. He specializes in Guardianship/Conservatorship law and regularly serves as Court Visitor and appointed counsel in Guardianship/Conservatorship cases. He provides candid and tailored advice to each client’s unique circumstances and is mindful of multiple kinds of resolution. Sean’s practice extends to Estate Planning, Probate, and Trust Administration.. Sean received his Juris Doctor from the University of Washington School of Law in 2021 and graduated from University of Idaho with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, double majoring in Philosophy and History, and Bachelor of Science Degree, majoring in Political Science and minoring in Religious Studies, in 2018. After passing the bar and being admitted to practice law in 2021, Sean started his disability focused practice at Jones & Ibrahim, PLLC, and then became an associate of Brothers Henderson Durkin, P.S. in May of 2025.. Sean was born and raised in Southern Idaho but cannot see himself ever leaving the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. When not at work, Sean will likely be found outdoors on the water, on the slopes, or pursuing his latest hobby.

Richard Furman joined Aiken, St. Louis & Siljeg, P.S. in 2007 after nearly 7 years with Hertog & Coster, PLLC. Richard's practice includes trust and estate administration and litigation and civil litigation, including all aspects of motions practice, trials, and appeals of guardianships, trusts, probates, will contests, powers of attorney, vulnerable adult proceedings, and general civil litigation. He is frequently appointed by courts to serve as guardian ad litem, guardian, probate administrator, and special master in guardianship, probate, and trust matters. Prior to entering private practice, Richard served as the first Guardianship and Probate Facilitator for the King County Superior Court.

My practice is limited to estate administration and related estate litigation.  I accept appointments as a professional fiduciary for difficult estates or when the previous fiduciaries have been disqualified during the course of litigation within the estate.  I also serve as an expert witness in fiduciary litigation.

Ms. Hurt was admitted to practice in the State of Washington in 2013. She earned her Juris Doctor Cum Laude from Seattle University School of Law in 2013 and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from the University of Washington in 2010.. As an associate with Brothers & Henderson, P.S., Ms. Hurt’s practice focuses on the areas of developmental disability law including: capacity; estate and trust planning; trust administration; establishment of and reporting on guardianship; benefits management and advocacy; independent living; and special education.. Ms. Hurt grew up in the disability community. From a young age when her brother was diagnosed with Autism she honed her advocacy skills on behalf of her brother and their friends from the playground to the classroom to school board meetings and now with the Social Security Administration and the Courthouse. She attended the Experimental Education Unit (EEU) with her brother as students in the preschool classroom and later returned in 2006 to be a teacher’s assistant. She understands first-hand the struggles and needs of families impacted by disabilities. She pursued a profession in law to meet some of the more complex and lesser understood needs of these families.. Ms. Hurt has had the good fortune to work with and learn from the two foremost authorities on disability law in Washington State. During law school, Ms. Hurt began her practice of disability law as an intern with attorney and disability advocate Larry Jones. She worked with Larry Jones until his retirement in 2013. She then began working with Brothers & Henderson, P.S. and continues to hone her advocacy skills through presentations and client representation.. In her spare time, Ms. Hurt hikes, camps, and runs ½ marathons with her friends and large extended family. She also coaches skiing with the Ski Hawks Special Olympics ski racing team and in the off-season, is an active member of the board of directors. She volunteers with her dad as an assistant coach for Special Olympic bowling, basketball, and track and field. Ms. Hurt also serves on the Board for the Arc of Washington.

Mary Anne Vance focuses her practice on estate planning, trusts and probate. She is the co-author of the Probate and Estate Planning Chapters of the "Washington Civil Practice Deskbook". She chairs and speaks at legal seminars sponsored by the Washington State and King County Bar Associations. She was voted "Super Lawyer" by Washington Law and Politics Magazine and voted one of Seattle's Top Attorneys by Seattle Magazine.

Karl Flaccus’s practice focuses on estate planning, trusts, probate, and litigation involving wills, probates, and guardianships. He has guided thousands of families in successfully structuring important personal documents and plans, and the successful resolution of trust and estate conflicts.. Karl has an extensive background in the legal field predating his 2023 merger with Brothers & Henderson. Before attending law school, he practiced tax accounting and representing clients in audits before the IRS for 11 years in Alaska. During law school, he interned with Judge Hugh Bownes of the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston, and clerked for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Concord, New Hampshire. After receiving his Juris Doctor, he clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Rothstein, and for Judges Marshall Forrest and Jack Scholfield of Division I of the Washington State Court of Appeals. In 1994, he opened his own private law practice in Seattle, Flaccus Law, where he served thousands of clients in the successful structuring of important personal documents and plans. He understands the heavy emotional and financial costs of litigation for his clients.. Beginning in the late 1990’s, Karl ran a free monthly legal clinic at the Shoreline Senior Center for almost 20 years, where he offered pro bono legal advice to hundreds of seniors and their family members. Outside of work, Karl enjoys a myriad of outdoor activities. During his time in Alaska, he kayaked thousands of river miles and built two cabins outside of Fairbanks. He has run a number of marathons, including the Boston Marathon. Nowadays, he likes to ski, hike, and spend time with his family. The Flaccus family also spends a lot of cabin time in the Cascades throughout all the seasons.

Eric Brunstrom focuses his practice on trust, probate, fiduciary, and guardianship litigation and administration as well as matters brought under TEDRA and the vulnerable adult statute. Prior to joining Aiken St. Louis & Siljeg, P.S. in 2016, Eric was a partner at Reed, Longyear, Malnati and Ahrens, PLLC and Tarutis & Brunstrom, PS.. He currently serves as a Pro-Tempore Ex Parte Commissioner for the King County Superior Court. He also serves as a Guardian ad Litem for Probate, Litigation, and Settlement matters for the King County Superior Court. He was the 2016/2017 Chair of the Guardianship and Elder Law Section GELS of the KCBA and is a current Program Co-Chair. He is an Outreach Co-chair for the WSBA Elder Law Section and a member of the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law section of the KCBA. He served as a Vice-Chair on the Task Force on Substance Use Disorders & Mental Health of the Health Law Section of the ABA and as a Co-Chair of the Professional Licensure Subsection of the WSBA Health Law Section. He is admitted to practice in Washington, the Western District of Washington, and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Christopher M. Henderson serves as a partner at Brothers Henderson Durkin, P.S., drawing on a multifaceted background in law, technology, and disability advocacy. His practice includes estate and end-of-life planning, special needs trusts, guardianships, and advising on public benefits and special education matters. He also handles disputes in these areas.Before practicing law, Chris was a software developer and later a CTO, using technology to address accessibility issues. He later joined the Seattle office of a global law firm, advising tech startups on transactions and corporate matters, often acting as outside general counsel.During law school, Chris served as symposium editor for the Washington Law Review. In that role, he worked with the late Professor Paul Miller to organize a symposium on international disability rights, resulting in a published edition that explored legal strategies for change in Asia.Outside the office, Chris enjoys life on Vashon Island with his wife, their three children, and their dog.

After being in private practice for 6.5 years, Lisa W. Gafken has returned to the Washington Attorney General's Office, where she began her career in 2001. Her initial assignment with the AGO was with the Utilities and Transportation Commission Division, where she spent four years representing Commission Staff in rate proceedings, telecom proceedings, and compliance proceedings.  In addition, Ms. Gafken represented the Commission in court proceedings to enforce Commission orders. She left the AGO in 2005 to enter private practice.  During her time in private practice, Ms. Gafken focused on litigating trust and estate matters under TEDRA, protecting vulnerable adults under Chapter 74.34 RCW, and representing clients in both contested and uncontested probate and guardianship matters. She began as an associate attorney, and then opened a law firm with a partner.. Ms. Gafken returned to the AGO in April 2012, and now serves as an Assistant Attorney General in the Public Counsel Section, where she represents customers of investor-owned utilities in proceedings before the Utilities and Transportation Commission.. She is a member of the Washington State Bar Association.  Ms. Gafken served as a board member of MAMA Seattle, the Mother Attorneys Mentoring Association of Seattle, from 2008 to 2014. In addition, she was a founding member of the Lawyers Fostering Independence team, a group of lawyers offering legal assistance to foster children aging out of the foster care system, and she served as a board member for a nonprofit child care center.. Ms. Gafken obtained her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Politics and Government (political science) from the University of Puget Sound.  She graduated cum laude from Seattle University School of Law in 2001.

Experienced Guardianship attorney serving clients in Seattle and surrounding areas.

Experienced Guardianship attorney serving clients in Seattle and surrounding areas.

Experienced Guardianship attorney serving clients in Seattle and surrounding areas.

Experienced Guardianship attorney serving clients in Seattle and surrounding areas.