Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP

Firm Details:
Trusts & Estates/Private Client Practice Contact: Todd Flubacher

Firm Overview:
Morris Nichols is nationally known for the strength of its Trusts & Estates/Private Client practice. The firm advises a broad range of clients in connection with trusts, estate planning and administration, and fiduciary litigation. The firm also has a market leading practice advising banks and trust companies in the highly specialised area of Delaware trust law. Chambers High Net Worth (HNW) has ranked Morris Nichols' practice in Band 1 among Delaware private wealth law firms, with sources touting the group’s reputation as "one of the leading firms in Delaware,” and the “first point of reference” on Delaware trust law.

Main Areas of Practice:
Delaware Trust Counsel:
Morris Nichols works as Delaware trust counsel with many of the world’s largest financial institutions and law firms. They turn to the firm because of its deep roots within the Delaware bar and its lawyers’ ongoing involvement in the development and updating of Delaware’s trust laws. Morris Nichols advises clients on the process of creating Delaware trusts, migrating trusts to Delaware, and modifying, administering and terminating trusts. The firm also works on matters involving petitioning the Delaware Court of Chancery, decanting, trust mergers, legal opinions, releases, and all areas of trust administration.

Estate Planning & Administration:
With years of experience implementing clients’ tax and wealth transfer strategies, the firm works with clients in achieving their estate planning goals. Morris Nichols regularly assists clients with complex planning strategies such as grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs), installment sales to intentionally defective grantor trusts, dynasty trust planning, charitable gifts, qualified personal residence trusts, qualified domestic trusts, special needs trusts, and sophisticated life insurance planning techniques. In addition, it works with the personal representatives of Delaware estates, helping them navigate the Delaware probate process and related tax and administrative issues.

Trusts & Estates Litigation:
Morris Nichols has been at the center of many of Delaware’s most important trusts and estates cases. The team is comprised of lawyers who have a deep understanding of Delaware’s highly specialised trust laws and who have represented individual and corporate trustees, as well as beneficiaries, charitable organisations and executors in all types of trusts and estates litigation; for example: defense of directed trusts, choice of law issues, breach of trust, capacity, undue influence and validity challenges, construction of governing instruments, removal of trustees, creditor claims, and trustee compensation. Morris Nichols has extensive experience in both Chancery Court and Delaware Supreme Court cases and handle every stage of litigation from pre-litigation fact review and counseling to settlement negotiations, trial, and appellate proceedings.

Non-Profits:
The firm's lawyers represent all forms of non-profit entities. Morris Nichols works with public charities, foundations and other non-profits in handling the process of forming the charitable entities and qualifying them as tax-exempt organisations. The firm also advises non-profit boards on regulatory and compliance issues.

Offices:

Wilmington, Delaware
1201 North Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 USA
web:www.morrisnichols.com
Tel: 302 658 9200
E-mail: [email protected]