Top best Trusts Lawyers in Seattle | 105 available

Walter is an associate in Dorsey's Tax, Trusts and Estates practice group. His practice focuses on all aspects of wealth management, including implementing practical and tax efficient estate plans, business succession planning, nonprofit organizations, and assisting executors and trustees in fulfilling their duties.

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Since 2014, Katrina B. Durkin has been with Brothers Henderson Durkin, P.S., where she became a shareholder in 2021. She holds a degree from the University of Washington and earned her law degree from Seattle University. Her legal practice includes guardianships, conservatorships, trust and estate planning, administration, litigation, and settlement planning. She frequently represents individuals, families, and professionals in disability and elder law matters, and also serves in various court-appointed roles such as guardian ad litem and appointed counsel.Katrina is a member of multiple professional associations, including the Washington State Bar Association, King County Bar Association, Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Washington Association for Justice, and the Academy of Special Needs Planners. She volunteers her time with the KCBA’s Neighborhood Elder Law Clinic and is involved with the Guardianship and Elder Law Section board. Outside of her legal work, Katrina spends time with her husband and two sons, enjoying skiing in the winter and boating in the San Juan Islands during the summer.

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.

Richard P. Matthews, a principal, joined Carney Badley Spellman, P.S. in May 2003. Before joining the firm, Mr. Matthews was a partner and chair of the Real Estate Practice Group in the Seattle office of Holland & Knight. He serves a broad range of corporate and individual clients, and local private businesses. He has represented national and local clients in projects involving business growth, reorganization, divestiture and acquisition. He has worked closely with owners and developers with respect to their real estate acquisition, leasing, mortgage financing, and property disposition. In addition, Mr. Matthews has handled numerous private placements and offerings for companies. He also has worked closely with company management to formulate and foster personal and corporate objectives.. Mr. Matthews has practiced law in the Seattle area since 1973. His areas of practice are real estate and land development law; business planning and counseling, including mergers and acquisitions; health law; and securities and corporate finance. He also enjoys working with individuals in addressing their estate and financial planning needs.. Mr. Matthews has served on or chaired several local and state bar committees. He is a frequent speaker on real estate and health law, as well as corporation, business, and estate planning topics. He has been a speaker-instructor for the Washington State Bar Association, the Seattle-King County Board of Realtors, the The Washington Mortgage Lenders Association, the National Business Institute, the University of Washington Medical School Residency Program, UBS Paine Webber Wealth Preservation Attorney Network and the Washington State Bar Association Skills Training Institute.. Mr. Matthews is a past board member as well as committee chair of various committees of the Rainier Club; the past President and a Paul Harris Fellow of the Shoreline Rotary Club; past President and board member of the United Church of Christ Northwest Regional Housing Council; a member of the Inglewood Golf Club; a trustee of the Shoreline Community College Foundation; a founding board member and officer of Forward Shoreline (a local economic development group) and is an active member of Calvin Presbyterian Church.. Mr. Matthews has been recognized by Seattle Metropolitan Magazine as being among the top lawyers in King County in Business and Commercial law.

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.

Paul has been practicing law since 2003. His practice focuses on estate and tax planning, real estate and business transactions and complex litigation.. Paul is experienced in all aspects of estate and succession planning, including corporate and business transactions. He counsels individual clients in the planning, structuring and drafting of wills and living trusts and advises business owners, family partnerships and LLCs on estate-related issues including fiduciary and trustee liability, charitable trusts, trust and estate administration, life insurance planning, and post-death tax planning. Paul’s work has included the handling of tax controversies and IRS estate and gift tax audits. He is also an experienced commercial litigator.

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.

My goal is to ensure your story is told and your family is protected in the long run. As an estate planning attorney, my passion is to assist you in successfully navigating the inevitable while also being prepared for the unexpected. I hope to clear up any complexity and provide you with a meaningful plan that will carry out your wishes while telling your story.. I take pride in providing quality work, clear and quick communication, and detail oriented services. My practice includes counseling clients on a variety of trusts and estate matters, including estate and tax planning, estate and trust settlement, and community property agreements. I also enjoy assisting clients with charitable planning from advising tax-exempt organizations on formation, application for exemption, compliance with federal and state tax exemption laws, and also with individual planned giving.. I graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in Economics and then received my J.D. from Seattle University School of Law graduating cum laude. I was an editor of the Seattle University Law Review and a member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Board. Currently, I am pursuing my Executive LLM degree in Taxation at New York University.

Mike counsels clients on ERISA and tax matters and leads the litigation practice area at Song Mondress, including acting as counsel in complex class action ERISA cases. His role in the firm's counseling practice includes trust and fiduciary prudence and loyalty analysis regarding private and governmental plans, plan design to comply with ERISA and tax qualification requirements, benefit appeals, procedural prudence, and resolving subrogation issues for self-funded health plans. He also advises clients on federal legislation issues such as COBRA, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.. Mike has spoken at continuing education seminars for attorneys, plan trustees, and other plan professionals, and has served as an arbitrator in ERISA claim litigation.

Michael J. Longyear represents clients in issues regarding Trust and Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Administration, Guardianship, and Elder Law and related real estate and business matters. He serves as guardian of the estate, trustee, and estate administrator in routine and complex or contested matters. Mr. Longyear is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Seattle.. Mr. Longyear currently serves on the Washington Supreme Court Certified Professional Guardian Board. He is a past Co-Chair of the King County Settlement Guardian ad Litem (SPR 98.16W) Training Program. He is also a Past-Chair of the King County Bar Association Guardianship and Elder Law Section, and is a Past Co-Chair of the Title 11.88 Mandatory Guardian ad Litem Training Program.. Mr. Longyear is Past-Chair of the Elder Law Section of the Washington State Bar Association and has served on the Legislative Committee. He is the current treasurer. He also belongs to the Real Property, Probate and Trust Sections of the WSBA.. Mr. Longyear earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh and has a Bachelor's Degree from Eisenhower College. He also holds an M.A.T. from Colgate University. He was admitted to the Maryland State Bar in 1984 and the Washington State Bar in 1989.. Mr. Longyear has been recognized each year as a Washington Super Lawyer from 2001-2010 by Washington Law & Politics magazine. He was also named Seattle Best Lawyer in 2001.

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.

Marcia chairs Graham & Dunn's Wealth Management Team and is a former member of the firm’s Board of Directors. She has over 25 years of experience counseling individuals about wealth transfer and succession planning, including estate planning and administration, probate, trusts and related tax matters.. Marcia is a frequent speaker at professional and community conferences about estate planning and administration. She was the chair of the 51st Annual Estate Planning Seminar in 2006, and she chaired the WSBA task force on the 2005 Washington Uniform Estate Tax Apportionment Act.

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.

Jacqueline Yust is an attorney at law for Landmark Legal Services, PLLC, in Seattle, WA. Jacqueline focuses her practice on special needs trusts, guardianship, and family law matters in King and Snohomish Counties.. Jacqueline began her practice in family law and special needs planning following her work in the non-profit world where she dedicated her time to serving underrepresented communities. Jacqueline believes all indiviudals have the right to just and equal treatment under the law despite their race, ethnicity, gender, age, national origin, religion, ability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, educaiton, marital status, language, and physical appareance. As such, she offers low bono legal services to qualifiying clients as part of her practice.. Jacqueline is a member of the Washington Association for Justice, and is a King County volunteer attorney for the QLaw LGBTQ neighborhood legal clinic and the Spanish-speaking neighborhood legal clinic.

I have more than 25 years of experience in the legal profession. I enjoy helping individuals and families find the peace of mind that comes from having an estate plan in place. Our boutique law firm in the Ballard neighborhood offers our clients personal attention, flexibility, and reasonable rates. I am happy to arrange meetings that work with your schedule, including evenings and early mornings. I also make housecalls. More information is available on our website at .

I was born and raised in Seattle, attending Roosevelt High School. During the summers I had a number of jobs including a ride operator ("carny") at the Seattle center and a warehouse worker at Safeway. Following high school, I left Seattle for Los Angeles where I attended UCLA as an undergraduate from where I graduated early as an economics and political science major and left to travel.  I was accepted into Boston University Law School and worked in Washington DC for two summers; the first for the Peace Corp in an administrative capacity evaluating recruiting techniques for high demand skills, and the second for the Federal Power Commission on a special home energy conservation program.  My time in Washington DC coincided with Watergate and Nixon's resignation and was quite exciting.  Following law school I returned to Seattle and after passing the bar, cut my teeth on the construction litigation surrounding the Kingdome.  After three and a half years I took leave of the practice of law and traveled for one year around the world with my wife.  I have been engaged in the active practice of law since my return.  Following my return, my wife and I raised two great kids who are now young adults.   I continue to be interested in travel and have enjoyed a number of adventures.  I enjoy many sports including skiing.  I collect wine.  I continue to enjoy the practice of law and my clients.

I have been practicing law in Seattle since graduating with honors from Seattle University School of Law in 1998.  My practice focuses primarily on estate and tax planning, probate, trust and estate litigation, trust administration, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, domestic partnership agreements and succession planning and business transactions.  I also co-founded and partnered a local tax, business and estate planning firm in Seattle.. Over the years, I have represented a wide range of trust, estate and probate clients, working to assist them in their personal and tax planning needs.  Additionally, I have represented beneficiaries, personal representatives and trustees in estate litigation, both in defending fiduciaries and in bringing actions against fiduciaries.. As a member of the editorial board for the Real Property, Probate and Trust section of the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA), I have written articles and presented materials on topics ranging from tax filing to nontraditional family estate planning.  I am a member of the Estate Planning Council of Seattle and a member of the Tax Section fo the WSBA.. Prior to attending law school, I spent over eight years as a stockborker, regional sales manager and vice-president of a local brokerage firm.  My background gives me an understanding in financial and economic issues, as well as hands-on experience in dealing with the personal planning needs of individual clients.

I am a member of Lane Powell's Trusts and Estates group. I focus my practice exclusively on estate and tax planning for closely-held businesses and business succession planning. I work on all types of business entities and owners in connection with operating agreements, reorganizations, and income tax issues.

For over 30 years, Matt Menzer has been a trusted advocate for individuals and families facing medical malpractice, serious personal injury, and wrongful death cases. As the founder of Menzer Law, he has built a firm known for strategic legal advocacy, individual attention, and a results-driven approach to achieving the best possible outcomes.. A graduate of Brown University and UC Berkeley School of Law, Matt honed his expertise through two federal judicial clerkships before launching a distinguished career in complex litigation. He is experienced in all phases of the legal process, from case investigation and discovery to settlement negotiations and trial. He is also one of a handful of attorneys in the U.S. authorized to represent vaccine injury victims in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.. Since founding Menzer Law in 2002, Matt has remained committed to quality over quantity, deliberately limiting his caseload to provide focused, strategic representation. Attorneys JohnDavid Toren and Brady Douglas, both multi-year Super Lawyers Rising Stars, work alongside him, reinforcing the firm’s reputation for excellence in medical malpractice and personal injury law.. Matt’s legal achievements include an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, a 10.0 Superb Rating on Avvo, and recognition as one of Seattle’s Best Wrongful Death Lawyers by Forbes Advisor. He has been selected for The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and is one of only a few attorneys nationwide recognized as a Super Lawyer in both Washington and Hawaii. He is also a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum and has been named a Top Lawyer by Seattle Metropolitan Magazine.. Matt primarily practices in Washington, handling select cases in Hawaii. Licensed in Washington, Hawaii, and California, he remains dedicated to fighting for justice and securing financial recovery for those impacted by negligence.

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.

Drawing on her thirty plus years’ experience as a practicing attorney, Ann advises clients regarding potential claims and disputes. She guides trustees, executors, and other fiduciaries who are dealing with difficult situations, such as murky trust documents and wills and challenging beneficiaries. She helps clients understand their duties and complete the administration process, seeking judicial rulings as necessary. Ann also represents beneficiaries, including individuals and charities, who seek or need assistance in protecting their rightful shares of trust and probate assets.. Over the years, Ann has brought and defended many will and trust contests and actions under Washington’s Trust and Estate Dispute Resolution Act.. As well as working with professional fiduciaries, Ann works with clients who have little or no experience with legal disputes. She helps clients understand their rights and duties, looks for cost-effective solutions, uses mediation when appropriate, and takes matters to hearing or trial. Ann brings an assertive, thoughtful, and experienced approach to this emotionally-charged area of litigation.. In addition, Ann assists clients with designing and implementing comprehensive plans to reduce state and federal estate, gift, generation-skipping transfer tax and the orderly transition of assets between generations. Ann also handles all aspects of probate and estate administration.. Ann is ranked in Chambers High Net Worth Guide as a Band 1 practitioner for Private Wealth Disputes - Washington.

Brady H. Somers is an attorney practicing in Seattle, Washington.

An experienced estate planning and probate attorney, Kristina’s practice involves analyzing, preparing, and helping clients implement estate plans.  She also counsels clients on charitable giving, prenuptial agreements, estate and gift tax issues, estate and trust administration, and guardianships.  She represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in negotiating settlements of trusts and estates, as well as preparing and filing gift and estate tax returns. Prior to establishing her own law firm, Kristina was a member in theSeattle office of Williams, Kastner & Gibbs PLLC.  Kristina’s work history includes her role as the Assistant Dean of Development and Community Relations for the University of Washington School of Law and the Executive Director of the Washington Law School Foundation.. Affiliations: Kristina is a member of the Washington State Bar Association, the Estate Planning Council of Seattle, and Washington Women in Tax.  She is also a member of and past-chair of the University of Washington Estate Planning Advisory Committee, and serves on the Estate Planning Council of Seattle Executive Committee.  She is a past member of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Planned Giving Board and the Editorial Board of the Washington State Bar Association Real Property Probate & Trust Newsletter, and past-president of the Financial Planning Association of Puget Sound. Kristina was recognized as a Super Lawyer for the years 2001 through 2014 by Washington Law & Politics magazine.  Kristina has also been recognized by Seattle Magazine as one of the best estate planning lawyers inSeattle.. Education:. Kristina received her J.D. from theUniversity ofWashington in 1990 and her B.A. from theUniversity ofMontana in 1986.. This link tells my "personal" story regarding surviving cancer and raising two small children.  #axzz21g1sr3sV

Alison is an experienced trust and estate attorney who focuses her practice in trust and estate litigation. With a legal career spanning over 20 years and a background in tax, Alison brings a unique perspective to her practice that enables her to navigate the complexities that arise in matters where personal and financial issues are deeply intertwined.. Alison is known for her strategic, compassionate advocacy, and she has successfully represented clients in a wide range of trust and estate disputes, including will contests, breach of fiduciary duty claims, financial exploitation, and other matters brought under the Trust and Estate Dispute Resolution Act (TEDRA) and the Vulnerable Adult Protection Act. Her dedicated approach to her client’s needs is matched by her fierce representation in court, ensuring that her client’s interests are fully protected. Alison also appreciates the value of avoiding litigation where appropriate. A key component of her practice is to advise and represent clients who seek alternatives to litigation, such as mediation, and she strives to find creative solutions to help her clients achieve their goals while minimizing the emotional and financial toll of the legal process.. Alison received her Juris Doctorate degree in 2002 from American University, where she graduated magna cum laude. After spending the first decade of her legal career practicing criminal defense at Society of Counsel Representing Accused Persons in Seattle, Washington, she earned her LL.M. in taxation from the University of Washington School of Law. Since 2013, Alison has focused her work solely in the area of trusts and estates.. Outside of her legal practice, Alison is an active member of the Seattle community. She is a past president and past board member of the QLAW Association and is a contributing editor to the Real Property Probate and Trust Newsletter published by WSBA. She also speaks regularly on trust and estate topics at legal conferences and continuing legal education seminars.Alison was born and raised in Oklahoma and is proud to be an enrolled member of the Osage Nation.