Why Use the Law Office of Joseph M. Adams?

Local and Convenient

Mr. Adams has offices conveniently located in Chalfont, Pennsylvania.  He represents executors and administrators of estates in the counties of Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Lehigh, Delaware and Chester.  He not only sees clients in the office during regular business hours, but he is also available for evening, weekend and home appointments upon request. 

Experienced and Competent Legal Counsel

Mr. Adams has represented numerous executors and administrators throughout the course of his 20-year career.  To streamline operations, his office utilizes up-to-date computer software specifically designed for the practice of estate administration. Mr. Adams provides you with experienced and competent legal counsel while representing you in your appointed duties. In fact, you can have the peace of mind of knowing that much of the work which would otherwise fall on your shoulders will be performed by Mr. Adams. You will be kept in the loop throughout the entire process. Mr. Adams uses his best efforts to ensure the prompt and efficient administration of the estate.

Real Estate Insight

In addition to being an attorney, Mr. Adams is also a Pennsylvania licensed real estate broker. Should your estate involve real estate, Mr. Adams’ insight from the real estate perspective will be of benefit when it comes to any selling, conveyancing or title issues. Note, however, that to prevent any conflict of interest, Mr. Adams does not work in his capacity as a real estate broker while providing legal representation.

Defending and Prosecuting Claims on Behalf of the Estate

You hope that your estate administration goes smoothly and without a hitch. In many cases it does, but, unfortunately, that is not always the case.  Mr. Adams can deal with unforeseen issues and contentious matters should they arise during the course of your estate administration. Mr. Adams will not only handle your estate administration, but he can also draw on his years of litigation experience to handle unusual or unexpected developments whether in or out of court.

The following are examples of some complications that can arise during an estate administration and how they were addressed by Mr. Adams.

In one case, Mr. Adams filed a lawsuit on behalf of the executor of the estate of an elderly woman who was swindled out of a significant amount of her savings in the last years of her life by a deceptive insurance salesman.  Mr. Adams successfully litigated the matter and was able to recover a substantial portion of the money which had been taken. Mr. Adams also worked with local police and the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to have the insurance salesman charged, convicted and sentenced to jail for his misdeeds.

In another case, Mr. Adams successfully represented the executors of a multi-million dollar estate by defending a will contest brought by the proponent of a handwritten will which was allegedly written by the decedent. The challenger (proponent) claimed that the handwritten will left “everything” to her and that it superseded the decedent’s formal typewritten will which left her millions to charity. After intense litigation, Mr. Adams was able to uncover evidence which proved that the challenger’s arguments were less than credible and that “everything” meant the contents of a room, not the multi-million dollar estate as the challenger contended was the case.

In yet another estate matter, Mr. Adams collectively represented several beneficiaries of an estate and successfully obtained a court order requiring the removal of an executor who had engaged in mismanagement and self-dealing.  In that case, Mr. Adams was successful in having the removed executor forfeit his executor commissions and share of the estate.  Mr. Adams was also successful in persuading the court to appoint one of his clients as substituted administrator to conclude the estate administration. 

Contacts and Coordination with Other Professionals

Many times the administration of an estate requires more than just the services of an attorney. Sometimes it also requires the services of other non-legal professionals such as appraisers, real estate agents, accountants, insurers and, in the case of real estate, even a team to clean out a house or perform maintenance and repairs. Although you are free to choose the services of any professional you want, Mr. Adams is networked with such other professionals and can make recommendations if needed.

The Law Office of Joseph M. Adams can assist you throughout the entire estate administration and probate process.  Please feel free to contact Mr. Adams directly at 215-996-9977.