John M. Challis

Practice Areas

John protects individual and business clients, diligently working toward the best possible outcome in all of their contested matters. Focused in the area of trust and fiduciary litigation, John is a Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (“ACTEC”). John is also the Chair of the Missouri Bar Committee on Fiduciary Litigation and was recently named as the Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers for Trust and Estates Litigation. John serves clients by providing counseling, advice, and litigation support on matters relating to fiduciary relationships, will and trust contests, and all other disputes arising from asset transfer.

Professional Memberships

The Missouri Bar

- Chair, Probate & Trust Division

- Past Chair, Fiduciary Litigation Committee

- Member, Annual Meeting Planning Committee

- Member, Estate, Trust, and Elder Law Institute Planning Committee

- American College of Trust and Estate Counsel

- Member, Fiduciary Litigation Committee

- Member, Professional Responsibility Committee

- Member, Communications Committee

- Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis

- Estate Planning Council of St. Louis

Publications

"No-Contest Clauses: Traps for the Unwary" The Missouri Bar, 2020

"Electronic Wills in Missouri: The Future is Now" Journal of The Missouri Bar, 2019

"Estate Planning v. Elder Law: What's in Your Durable Power of Attorney?" The Missouri Bar, 2019

"Annual Law Update on Trusts and Estates" The Missouri Bar, 2019-2020

"Trusts on Trial: Tips and Traps in Fiduciary Litigation" ACTEC Mo-Kan, 2018

"Strategic Point/Counterpoint on Trust Administration and Litigation" The Missouri Bar, 2018

"Issues Involved in Challenging and Defending the Estate Plan" St. Louis County Bar Association, 2016

"The Lifecycle of Powers of Attorney for the Planner and the Litigator" The Missouri Bar, 2015

"Understanding Key Issues in Fiduciary Litigation" The Missouri Bar, 2014

"The Best and Worst Ways that Fiduciaries Can Handle Beneficiaries" Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, 2012

"Undoing the Written Word: Pitfalls in Will and Trust Contests" Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, 2011

"Damages in Fiduciary Litigation: How to Calculate and Efficiently Present" Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, 2010

Career

John has significant trial and appellate experience in both Missouri and Illinois courts. Although John is fully prepared to proceed through trial, he understands the value of alternative dispute resolution and is fully versed in utilizing mediation and arbitration to obtain favorable results for clients. Outside of the courtroom, John is a frequent author and speaker on issues relating to fiduciary relationships. John and his wife Bridget reside in St. Louis County.

Education

Awards

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Missouri (Licensed 2004-Present)

Illinois (Licensed 2005-Present)