Probate

Probate is the process where a person’s Last Will and Testament is approved by the Surrogate Court. It proves to any party or organization involved in a person’s estate (banks, government, real estate agents) that the will has gone through scrutiny and due process, and legally appoints the right person to handle marshalling the estate assets and distributing them to the legal heirs in accordance with the decedent’s stated wishes.

Whether you have been named as executor in a will or appointed by the Probate Court in the absence of a will, the lawyers at can walk you through all duties connected to closing the estate.

Named Executors

Executors often fall into one of two categories. Those who are ready and able to serve but would appreciate collaborating with a lawyer for guidance and input, and those who are simply too overwhelmed, too distraught, too distant – or they simply aren’t able to effectively serve as Executor. The lawyers at stand ready to help the Executor, to whatever extent necessary, to make the probate process simple and efficient.

It is best to have a lawyer involved from the very early stages to make sure the process goes smoothly, especially to answer frequently asked questions like:

• Those left unnamed in the will question the way it was drafted
• Beneficiaries question the amount they are left
• Out-of-state persons wonder whether they will be included in the process
• Siblings disagree as to their parent’s intent

Call at 716-633-4030

Challenging Probate

If, on the other hand, you feel there is cause for Challenging Probate, either its Executor or the actions taken by the Executor, have the experience to help. Having been on either side of hundreds of cases involving a challenge to Probate, there’s little they haven’t seen in regard to these matters.

Help For Those Out Of Town

We realize that it can be incredibly frustrating for out of town relatives to manage the execution of an estate. Real life problems like flooded basements on holiday weekends, cut-off utilities and squabbles amongst relatives add another layer of difficulty to an already often confusing and unwelcomed task. At , what distinguishes us from other firms is our willingness to go the extra mile for every client – especially those who are out of town. The next best substitute for seeing with your own eyes the status of real property or hearing with your own ears the complaints of others involved in the will, is having someone whom you trust effectively handling the situation on your behalf.