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<p class="MsoNormal">No—definitely do not record any lien against real estate! That is never allowed for attorney fees, and can result in liability for slander of title.
<u>Ross v. Scannell</u>, 97 Wn.2d 598, 602-603, 607-608, 647 P.2d 1004 (1982).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But you likely do you have some recourse under the attorney lien statutes, which are unfortunately needlessly complex and confusing due to some statutory amendments that moved sections around and made interpretive case law harder to follow.
Attached is a memo I did to try to get my head straight on this issue. See section 1(d), which gives you an automatic lien on “an action.” I haven’t found any case law holding that a probate administration qualifies as an “action,” but my thought is that the
statute would be construed to include probate matters, if only because attorney fees are costs of administration that by law have priority over all over obligations in a probate.
<a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=11.76.110">RCW 11.76.110</a> preamble.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Though it’s not technically required to assert the lien, I think it would be permissible to file a Notice of Administrative Attorney Fees Owing in the probate administration. If the PR has fair notice of the fees owed and distributes without
paying, I think that would give your firm a cause of action against the PR personally, and potentially a right to chase distributed assets and impose liability on the recipient or a constructive trust on the traceable proceeds.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eric<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sayre Law Offices, PLLC<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:eric@sayrelawoffices.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">eric@sayrelawoffices.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background:aqua;mso-highlight:aqua">Covid-19 Update -
</span></b>All attorneys are working remotely during regular business hours and are available via email and by phone. Videoconferencing also is available. Signing of estate planning documents can be completed and will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Please
direct mail and deliveries to the Seattle office.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Shannon Jones<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, March 16, 2022 11:59 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] claim for fees and costs<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Listmates, Is it appropriate to record a claim for probate fees and costs advanced where I have to withdraw as attorney for the PR and estate consists only of real property that is pending sale? Shannon<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#323E4F">Shannon R. Jones | Attorney
</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#323E4F"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#323E4F">Campbell Barnett PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">P: 253.848.3513| F: 253.845.4941</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">317 South Meridian</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Puyallup, WA 98371</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="mailto:shannonj@campbellbarnettlaw.com"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#2F5496">shannonj@campbellbarnettlaw.com</span></a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#2F5496">
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#2F5496"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#4472C4"><a href="https://campbellbarnettlaw.com/"><span style="color:#4472C4">campbellbarnettlaw.com</span></a></span></u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">This transmission contains confidential attorney-client communications and may not be disclosed to any person but the intended recipient(s). If this matter is
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