Seattle Fiduciary Services

Experienced and Trustworthy Fiduciary Services in Seattle

At the Seattle law office of Ridgway Law Group, P.S., we provide services to clients as legal counsel, and our leading attorney Sheila Ridgway provides services as a professional fiduciary. Our fiduciary services include serving as a trustee, as an estate executor or as a personal representative in matters concerning trust or estate administration or litigation.

Our principal attorney can also serve as a special master to the court in legal matters involving protracted estate and trust litigation, and we have the resources, experience and background to make sure that the trust or estate will be accurately administered.

As our leading attorney, Sheila Ridgway's focus in handling trust and estate litigation matters gives her the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively act as an appointed personal representative in these situations. Ms. Ridgway is a member of the TEDRA subcommittee of the real property and probate section of the state bar, and is highly familiar with the TEDRA framework.

Judges and Fiduciaries

Increasingly, judges are appointing attorneys to serve as a trustee of a trust or a personal representative of an estate that is in a dispute. This attorney serves as an independent administrator of the trust or an estate while the dispute is being resolved.

There are also occasions when the court has ordered that an independent, neutral party be appointed to serve as a fiduciary to an estate or a trust, when there are questions about violation of the trust or malfeasance or other legal challenges to the estate or trust.

Special Master and the Role Attorneys Play

Special masters are considered trustworthy and knowledgeable in the area of the law in which they are serving as special master. They are appointed by a judge; or a judge has directed a client's attorneys to appoint a special master to resolve and manage issues with discovery, financial records, hidden assets and other problems.

Judges in Washington courtrooms are frequently deciding to appoint or direct attorneys to delegate a special master to speed the resolution of potentially protracted legal disputes, decrease court costs for all involved parties, enforce and manage issues such as timely discovery, and foster more effective communication. Attorney Ridgway is available to serve as a special master, and the fact that she practices probate litigation makes her a qualified candidate for this position.

Trust Administration in Seattle

Our firm also provides services as neutral appointed trustee in litigation matters and we have been called upon by other attorneys to serve as a fiduciary as well as being appointed by a judge to serve as a trustee.

As the neutral trustee (or administrator), we make certain that the trust is being ethically and effectively administered according to the terms of the trust. If there are underlying issues or legal conflicts, we work to ensure that those issues are resolved.