Estate Planning, Wills and Probate Overview

We focus on the individual needs of our clients, emphasizing personalized planning rather than standardized packages.


While this area of law does require a thorough knowledge of state and federal tax codes, the estate and trust attorney is also a family counselor. For example, we strive to help our clients accomplish their goals whether it is transferring wealth between generations, caring for an incapacitated person with the least disruption to the family unit, the transfer of a family-owned business from one generation to the next, or providing for charitable giving. Our goal is to assist you in accomplishing your goals.

Lifetime Estate Planning:

We have extensive experience in the implementation of planning tools such as living trusts, irrevocable gift trusts, generation-skipping, life insurance, grantor-retained income trusts, and education or care funds for children, grandchildren and incapacitated family members. We are quite knowledgeable about living trusts, which have become an important planning tool for many people. We will assist you with the estate planning tool which best meets your needs.

Personal Planning and Guardianship:

We frequently advise clients of the need and use of durable powers of attorneys, powers of attorney for health care and health care directives (also known as living wills). We can prepare the necessary documentation needed for your use.


When an individual's situation requires a formal court guardianship, we counsel the appropriate parties on the legal issues involved. We prepare documentation commencing the guardianship and assist with the ongoing administration and termination of the guardianship.

Marital property rights often affect estate planning. We have considerable experience in the negotiations and preparation of premarital and post-marital property agreements to identify separate and community property.

Probate Administration of Estates

We offer all legal and administrative services and an experienced staff to handle the probate action. Services include preparation and filing of the will and documents to commence the probate and administration of the probate estate. We also prepare the necessary death tax returns and documents to pay creditor's claims and expenses, transfer assets, and close the probate administration. If special issues arise, the depth of our experience enables us to advise clients or refer them to a Certified Public Accountant or other professional. Often, we are able to distribute the entire estate without the need for a probate or extensive costs under Washington law

Estate and Trust Litigation:

Our firm has substantial experience in litigation representing all types of clients. We have developed a specialty in all forms of litigation affecting estates. We represent individuals in a number of contested matters involving estates such as creditor's rights.

Estate Planning, Wills and Probate Attorneys

James A. Connolly

Please contact us if you are in need of, or have questions regarding Estate Planning, Wills and Probate.