10/07/2018
“I’m a probate lawyer. I represent people who contest their parents' wills. I want to write a book about all the things I’ve seen. It’s not quite The Soprano’s, but it’s close. My colleague likes to say that contested wills are the final battleground of a dysfunctional family. Everything from childhood gets brought to the surface. You’d be amazed how long people can hold grudges. And probate court is their last chance to get revenge for ‘Mom loving you more.’ The crazy thing is how many clients would rather be right than be happy. It’s almost always smartest to settle. It costs both sides more to fight it out than to make a deal. Yet people still choose to spend all their time and money, just to get a judgment from the court that will prove they’re right one final time.”
