This is a case filed by William Power Maloney against the estate of E. Townsend Irvin and against other people including the widow and other beneficiaries of the estate. It was determined in a report sent to a New York Probate Lawyer that Maloney served as counsel of lawyer for one of the beneficiaries, J. Gordon Douglas, who was also later named as executor of the estate. Much was discussed about this case because there were also other people involved in the estate like the Woodbury family.
Maloney was asking for the settlement of his legal fees because of the services he rendered to his client, J. Gordon Douglas. He was asking the court grants his petition and that he be paid for his services and that the payment should come from the Irvin estate. At that time, Maloney was asking to be paid the sum of $16,000 for his estate litigation services. It was questioned by the court and by the other beneficiaries why such an amount be paid to him from the Irvin estate when in fact, according to them Maloney did not perform or rendered any services for the deceased or his estate.
Because of the longstanding arguments of the widow and the Woodbury family along with J. Gordon Douglas, the proceedings regarding the estate has taken so long already. Douglas, according to Maloney approached him and said that unless there is a compromised agreement between the widow and the Woodbury family, the trial could probably take longer than necessary. Maloney said that he worked with the disputing parties to come up with a settlement. According to him, the sum of $25,000 was agreed upon by the disputing parties that finally ended their objections and disputes. But it unknown to both parties that Maloney was working for them and the estate. They were under that impression that Maloney represented Douglas who was at that time was not yet named as executor of the estate.
According to NY Probate Lawyers, here were a lot of discussion and confusion to the testament of Maloney that he was a major part of the settlement entered into by the opposing parties. It was then finally ruled that only the sum of $1500 should be paid to him as legal counsel of Douglas who became executor of the estate and not the $16,000 he was originally asking. This is in the courts argument that he, Maloney, cannot ask for that amount from the estate because it was not determined or established that he indeed worked or rendered services for the estate.
Maloney later told the court that aside from that, he claimed that the father of his clients also approached him with claims that the deceased owed him a considerable amount of money as well. Maloney was asked by the father of his client to review huge files of documents as proof of his claim. Maloney claimed that he was able to “pacify” the older Douglas not to take the matter into court. He said that because of that which he considered as services rendered for the estate, he was charging $10,000 as legal fees. This was also denied.
NYC Probate Lawyers understand the value of your hard earned money and the importance of leaving them only to your loved ones whom you have chosen to be your beneficiaries. They will stand by you in such cases, making sure that your properties and estate are in good hands.
Stephen Bilkis and Associates, understands your situation and have established offices throughout the Metropolitan areas of New York.