Fiduciary Litigation
Fiduciary litigation often arises when those entrusted with managing financial assets fail to act in the best interest of the beneficiaries they serve. A recent case involving Universal Music Group (UMG) and the rock band Limp Bizkit highlights the high stakes of fiduciary responsibilities in the entertainment industry. According to Rolling Stone (via MSN), a…
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A fiduciary duty is a legal obligation to act in the best interests of another person. This duty arises in relationships where one party trusts another to act with honesty and loyalty. These duties can arise by operation of law (de jure) or based on the facts and circumstances of a relationship (de facto). Common…
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In a surprising twist, a toy tycoon is suing an estate agent for allegedly concealing the identity of the buyer for his $79 million mansion. The seller, Leo Kryss, claims he would have demanded a higher price if he had known the buyer was none other than Jeff Bezos, the world’s second-richest person. The property,…
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These days, many financial advisors are promoting themselves as fiduciaries. But what exactly does that mean? And how can it benefit you? What is a fiduciary? A fiduciary is someone who has a legal obligation to act in the best interests of another person. This means that they must put your needs before their own.…
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Famous TV doctor Mehmet Oz—better known as “Dr. Oz”—recently accused his sister, Nazlim, of forging their late father’s will and stealing millions from his estate. A 2008 will left all of Mustafa Oz’s assets to the Mustafa Oz Foundation, a United States organization, and left Dr. Oz in charge of the foundation; however, Nazlim presented a…
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When you create an estate plan, you plan out how you want your assets to be distributed after you die. However, what many people do not plan for in creating their estate plans is the possibility of someone challenging their will later on, for example, by arguing you lacked the testamentary capacity required to create…
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Several causes of action may be pled in conjunction with a claim for breach of fiduciary duty, depending on the facts and circumstances surrounding the case. Attorneys should consider the following claims when filing a breach of fiduciary duty cause of action and determine which, if any, also apply to their clients:…
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As we’ve mentioned in part 1 of this series, trustees are fiduciaries and, as such, trustees owe a variety of fiduciary duties to multiple parties. These obligations include both the duty of loyalty and duty of impartiality, which we will discuss this week. To prove a trustee breached of one…
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This is the first of a four-part series examining trustee’s fiduciary duties and the circumstances that could result in litigation. To begin, we will discuss basic principles that will lay a groundwork to inform our larger discussion. What is a Trust and a Trustee?[1] …
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If you have a will or have ever dealt with estate administration, you are probably familiar with the term “executor.” However, most people don’t know what an executor is or what the executor’s role is. Additionally, what do you do if you suspect an executor is behaving fraudulently or contrary…
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