Probate and Trust Administration

The firm represents and advises both individual and fiduciary clients in all areas of trust and estate administration including the funding and administration of trusts, probate proceedings, termination of trusts and estates and asset distribution, and preparation of federal estate tax returns.

Conservatorships and Guardianships

Goodwin Brown advises and represents clients in both conservatorship and guardianship proceedings, including conservatorships of the person or estate of incapacitated adults, and guardianships of minors' estates.

Probate and Trust Litigation

Goodwin Brown handles all aspects of probate and trust litigation, including the defense and prosecution of will and trust contests, creditors’ claims, disputes regarding the interpretation of wills and trusts and entitlement to distributions from trusts and estates, controversies surrounding fiduciary conduct and accountings, and claims of financial elder abuse. 

Private Mediations

To settle a trust or probate litigation case, you need to know how to litigate successfully a trust or probate case. Partners James J. Brown and Gina D. Stein are highly sought after mediators who routinely conduct private mediations at the request of other trust and probate litigators. Mr. Brown mediates cases at the Goodwin Brown offices, and Mrs. Stein mediates cases for the West Coast Resolution Group, a division of the National Conflict Resolution Center. In addition to mediating disputes, Mr.Brown and Mrs. Stein also serve as Arbitrators and Discovery Referees.

Estate Planning

Goodwin Brown offers a full range of estate planning services, which includes counseling and advising clients in the following areas: planning for minimization of death taxes, utilization of revocable and irrevocable trusts,  pre-death and post-death management of estates, qualified personal residence trusts, retirement planning, durable powers of attorney, and health care directives.