Even though she searched for the Wills’ testators, a New York lawyer can’t dispose of the documents according to an ethics opinion by the New York State Bar Association.  The Jan. 23 ethics opinion says the Wills are property, “and the lawyer must safeguard the Wills indefinitely” even though some of the wills were prepared more than […]

Balducci v. Cige, 240 N.J. 574  (2020) A former client filed an action against her former attorney for a declaratory judgment that the retainer agreement with him to represent her in a suit for damages under a Law Against Discrimination (LAD) lawsuit was unenforceable. The trial court declared the agreement unenforceable and dismissed the attorney’s […]

Archer Partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s Estates and Trusts Department, Steven K. Mignogna, was quoted in this CNBC article by financial reporter Sarah O’Brien, ‘This is What Happens to Unpaid Debts When a Person Passes Away.’

Melissa Dibble will speak at the American Bar Association’s 32nd Annual Real Property, Trust & Estate Law National CLE Conference – The Virtual Experience 2020 (May 14-15).   Melissa will be on a panel presenting on “Toss the Blue-Backs and Sealing Wax, Electronic Wills Are Here! Or Are They?” on May 14th.  For more information on the conference and to register, […]

POSTPONED It is our hope that this message finds you and your families safe and well. Out of an abundance of caution, we are postponing our May 5th Estate Litigation Seminar until further notice. Our clients and friends are welcome to stay updated in the meantime by visiting our blog at www.archerestatelaw.com. We appreciate your […]

Whether an attorney is faced with a surrogate that lacks the ability to accept and file pleadings, a struggle to notarize necessary administration documents, or clients calling in a panic to update documents, attorneys are having to work fast to find solutions in the “new normal.” In some instances the Courts are mandating the procedures.  […]

Archer partner Steven K. Mignogna has authored Estate and Trust Litigation 2020, the fully updated, comprehensive third edition of the authoritative text on New Jersey probate litigation. The book is now available from the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education. Surrogates and Probate Judges across New Jersey have relied regularly on the prior editions of this treatise. A […]

When: Thursday, February 27, 2020 | 1:00pm-2:30pm EST Where: Live Webinar Archer Faculty: Melissa Osorio Dibble, Esq. Overview: This CLE webinar will guide estate planning counsel on minimizing and defending breach of fiduciary duty claims when administering trusts and estates. The experienced panelists will discuss the most contentious breach of duty claims and effective defenses […]

Archer partner Steven K. Mignogna has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation. The Foundation, formed in memory of Alicia Rose DiNatale of Voorhees, N.J., who died at age 17 from a rare form of childhood cancer, provides adolescent programs and activities to enhance the quality of life for […]

Effective January 1, 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued several Orphans’ Court rule changes including the following: Rule 1.7 added a comment that withdrawal of counsel before the Register of Wills is subject to local rules or the discretion of the Register and may be different from the procedure of withdrawal of appearance in the […]