Claire E. Bellefleur
|
1455 NW Leary Way |
Primary Practice Areas
Probate, Trust and Guardianship
Title 11 Guardian ad Litem
Estate Planning
Admissions
- All Courts in the State of Washington
- All Courts in the State of California
Education
- J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law
- B.A., University of Washington
Claire E. Bellefleur
Contract Attorney
Ms. Bellefleur is a Contract Attorney in the Seattle office of Murphy, Pearson, Bradley & Feeney. Ms. Bellefleur's main practice consists of representing fiduciaries and beneficiaries in proceedings which fall under Washington State's Trust and Estate Dispute Resolution Act (TEDRA), as well as general probate, guardianship and trust proceedings under Washington State's Title 11 rules. These actions involve complex questions surrounding competency, capacity, undue influence, fiduciary negligence, marital and quasi-marital property, and general family disputes over property and estate administration.
Ms. Bellefleur also develops personalized estate plans for individuals and families including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, status of property agreements and other end of life documents. These estate plans are optimized to avoid unnecessary state and federal estate taxes, heavy-handed guardianships, and/or expensive court involvement in estate administration.
Representative Matters
- Represented clients in guardianship and probate litigation proceedings including TEDRA actions, with some proceedings settling via out-of-court negotiations or mediation.
- Defended lay fiduciaries against breach of duty claims and mitigated provable damages.
- Assisted executors and trustees with a wide range of administrative issues arising from basic probate, guardianship, and trust proceedings including complicated accountings and distribution plans.
- Acted as registered Title 11 Guardian ad Litem in King County Superior Court with appointments on contested and uncontested guardianship and probate matters.
- Prepared simple and complex trusts, testamentary bequests, and supporting estate planning documents, including status of property agreements.
Professional and Community Contributions
- Washington State Bar
- State Bar of California
- King County Bar Association
- Board of Directors, Seattle Neighborhood Group