Estates, Trusts, Probate & Fiduciary Litigation

Whether it’s a sudden death or a last-minute and unexpected change, oftentimes disputes over estates and trusts spring up suddenly—frequently during a profoundly emotional time for all parties.  

Led by Partner Edward P. Parent, Silverman Thompson’s fiduciary litigation practice is foremost in Maryland at handling disputes over estates and trusts. Mr. Parent and his team have extensive experience guiding clients through this sudden and frequently overwhelming and confusing process with ease.  

Mr. Parent has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and other peer-reviewed publications for his extensive trial, appellate, and arbitration experience. But what sets him apart from his peers is his client-attested communication, empathy, and human approach to estate, trust, probate, and fiduciary cases.  

This unique blend of experience offers our clients innovative strategic approaches and solutions to the legal, factual, and emotional complexities of these matters. Many estates and trusts practitioners turn to Silverman Thompson to assist with litigation matters to help their clients work through disputes. 

Examples of fiduciary disputes Mr. Parent’s team litigates include, but are not limited to: 

• Will contests, known as caveat proceedings 

• Petitions to remove a personal representative of an estate 

• Filing and arguing exceptions to an estate’s accounting 

• Petitions for a will construction or interpretation 

• Challenges to a person’s legal capacity to execute a will or similar documents 

• Disputes among beneficiaries to an estate or trust 

• Petitions seeking judicial assumption of jurisdiction over a trust 

• Disputes arising under an agent’s conduct under a power of attorney document 

• Contested guardianship proceedings 

• Claims arriving out of Maryland SAFE Act 

• Life insurance disputes, including interpleader actions  

We invite you to contact us or call our office toll-free at 800.385.2243 for a complimentary consultation to see how we can make a difference for you. 

Examples of Our Client Success 

• Mr. Parent is currently lead counsel representing a family who are victims of a $15 million life insurance fraud. 

• Mr. Parent served as the fiduciary litigator for the successful representation and defense of Baltimore Orioles CEO John Angelos in litigation involving the assets of Peter G. Angelos, including the succession and control over the Baltimore Orioles; 

• Successfully defended a legatee to an estate valued in excess of $10 million dollars, who was alleged to have procured her share of the estate, as well as the distribution of significant non-probate assets, through undue influence. Mr. Parent was able to disprove the most serious allegations through discovery, resulting in a resolution that allowed his client to retain all non-probate assets previously distributed to her, as well as a meaningful share of the estate; 

• Represented two trust beneficiaries in a dispute involving multiple trusts in various states, including a matter that turned on an issue of first impression under Pennsylvania law. Mr. Parent obtained a successful resolution whereby his clients each secured an overall equal share of all trusts; 

• Mr. Parent led the defense of one of the country’s largest health care sharing ministries before the Maryland Insurance Administration, specifically opposing an Administrative Order seeking the shut down of his client’s operations in Maryland. After a nearly three-year fight, Mr. Parent’s efforts secured the withdrawal of this Administrative Order, allowing his client to continue operations in Maryland without any admission of wrongdoing or the assessment of any penalty; 

• Successfully defended the estate of a commercial property owner against a claim seeking enforcement of a purchase option agreement, resulting in a settlement favorable to the estate and its beneficiaries; 

• Obtained a six-figure settlement for the personal representative of an estate following prolonged litigation alleging breaches of fiduciary duty by the decedent’s attorney-in-fact; 

• In a case alleging undue influence, successfully defended the inter vivos transfer of real property from mother to child, resulting in the dismissal of the case with his client maintaining full ownership of the real property; 

• Mr. Parent has secured multiple significant life insurance settlements on behalf of his clients without the need for prolonged litigation; 

• Obtained dismissal of a $1 million complaint for defamation brought against a Federal employee. 

Meet Our Team