Estate planning is a very personal matter. It takes keen foresight to secure the preservation, and ensure the desired disposition, of assets accumulated over a lifetime. Dentons’ Trusts, Estates and Wealth Preservation team has helped high net worth (HNW) and ultra-high net worth (UHNW) individuals and family offices, as well as individuals of moderate means, prepare for their future health care and financial needs, as well as the future needs of their family members and other beneficiaries.

Our experience includes trust and estate planning and administration, business succession planning, fiduciary accounting issues, will contests, contested accountings, guardianship matters, charitable planning, and estate- and trust-related litigation.

We also provide services at the intersection of asset protection and family law, including: valuation and protection of heritage assets; pre- and post-marital, civil partnership, anti-palimony, cohabitation and other domestic agreements; divorce (alimony, division of marital estate, and child support, custody and parent-time issues); paternity suits; guardianship and conservatorships; qualified domestic relation orders; and protective orders and stalking injunctions.

Family dynamics, particularly situations involving “modern” families or complicated family trees, require carefully considered, detailed estate plans that minimize the chance of fighting among heirs. While a standard last will & testament may be sufficient for some, our lawyers recognize that for most others, additional planning documents and mediation clauses may be needed to avoid future costly confrontations. When disputes arise, we have achieved successful resolution of highly emotional and contentious conflicts by giving full consideration to divergent views, differences of opinion, and conflicting needs and interests. And when litigation is unavoidable, we have successfully prosecuted or defended challenges to the validity or dispositive provisions of a trust or will, or actions against an executor, administrator or trustee. 

Key service areas

• Business succession planning
• Conservatorships and guardianships
• Dealing with the IRS and state taxing authorities and tax litigation
• Divorce, including division of property, and spousal and child support
• Estate and fiduciary litigation
• Estate and income tax planning
• Estate and trust administration
• Estate and trust planning, including revocable living, irrevocable and charitable trusts
• Federal estate, gift and fiduciary income tax minimization
• Fiduciary accounting and contested accountings
• Living wills and durable powers of attorney
• Long-term care and special needs planning
• Nonprofits’ current- and deferred-giving programs
• Planning for couples (married, unmarried, civil union, cohabiting and same-sex)
• Pre-nuptial, post-nuptial and other domestic contracts and enforcement
• Representation of banks and trust companies
• Representation of executors, administrators, personal representatives and trustees
• Solving estate- and trust-related problems
• Trust- and estate-related litigation, will contests and other issues

Recognition

J. Winston Busby elected a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)

October 15, 2024

The Firm is proud to announce that J. Winston Busby has been elected a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (“ACTEC”).

Dentons recognized among “Best Law Firms” by U.S. News – Best Lawyers in 2024 rankings

November 2, 2023

Dentons earned 398 rankings in the annual U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” survey, affirming the Firm’s commitment to professional excellence and unwavering dedication to its clients.

Wills, Trusts, and Probate Department Recognized Globally

August 31, 2020

United States: Davis Brown Wills, Trusts and Probate Department was recognized by Chambers High Net Worth Guide in the area of Private Wealth Law.

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Insights

Estate Planning with Promissory Notes: Details Matter.

March 13, 2025

United States: The United States Tax Court recently issued an important order involving the use of promissory notes in estate planning. Est. of Galli v. Comm'r, T.C., No. 7003-20 and 7005-20, illustrates that, in the context of loans in estate planning, the devil is always in the details.

Kentucky Supreme Court Addresses Time Limit On Lawsuits Filed By Estate Representatives

March 13, 2025

Estates sometimes inherit claims against third parties from their decedent that could have been filed before death, but were not filed by the decedent during lifetime. A Kentucky statute imposing a time limit on how long such claims can be filed after the decedent's death was recently interpreted by the Kentucky Supreme Court.

Kentucky's New Narrower Inheritance Tax Statute On Powers Of Appointment

December 3, 2024

The Kentucky Legislature has reduced the scope of the Kentucky statute governing the inheritance taxation of trust property subject to a power of appointment. Only general powers of appointment will be subject to Kentucky inheritance tax now. No longer will the more limited special powers of appointment be subject to this tax.

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News and Events

Recent Press Releases

Dentons identifies critical risk areas in annual family office survey report

May 13, 2024

Dentons, the world’s largest global law firm and wealth management industry leader serving the international family office and family wealth industry, has launched The Evolving Risk Landscape for Family Offices - Survey Report (http://www.dentons.com/familyofficerisksurvey).

Dentons elevates 27 partners across US Region

February 23, 2024

Dentons is excited to announce the promotion of 27 lawyers to partner/shareholder and one to counsel across 16 offices in the Firm’s US Region.

Dentons shortlisted in 26 categories in the Women in Business Law Americas Awards 2022

April 26, 2022

Dentons has been shortlisted in a total of 26 categories by Euromoney in the Women in Business Law Americas Awards 2022.

View all press releases for Trusts Estates and Wealth Preservation in the United States