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<p class="MsoNormal">One of my colleagues is currently handling a probate of a deceased attorney. This attorney’s practice area was immigration, and he had taken deposits/retainers from many clients. We felt it was necessary to find another immigration attorney
to assist with winding up the practice. Here are my colleague’s comments regarding our matter:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">In response to the questions of whether or not a non-attorney PR can disburse funds from the IOLTA, the answer is no. The bank will not likely allow access to the IOLTA account. Even if the bank were to, I would
be concerned with the PR having legal exposure, as a licensed attorney must access those funds.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">The guidance that I have gotten from the WSBA (and from the court) on this issue is that a licensed attorney must “wind down” the law firm, which includes handling the IOLTA (settling the accounts, issuing refunds,
etc.), as well as the operating (non-IOLTA account). What seems to be the preferred/agreed upon path in these types of situations is for the PR to retain an attorney, preferably someone with experience in the same practice area(s) as the firm, and that attorney
is hired to wind down the firm. The attorney can retain non-attorney professionals to assist with things like accounting, but the actual disbursements and refunds and assessment of cases and fees earned should be handled by an attorney that the PR hires.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">Some probate attorneys will do this as part of the representation of the PR in the estate, but our analysis was that there is too much risk in doing so and such work should be outsourced to a firm that has greater
experience in the practice area. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<font size="4" color="#777777"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><o:p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'">
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; MARGIN: 0in 0in 6pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'">Amy Lewis,
Attorney<br>Pronouns she/her/hers<br></span><img style="HEIGHT: 68px; WIDTH: 211px" src="cid:Logo_fa335a1d-9f24-4802-a3dd-b58f259e3c98.png" width="211" height="68" border="0"><br></p></o:p></font></font></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"><span style="COLOR: #000000"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'">909 A Street, Suite
600 | Tacoma, WA 98402<br></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"><strong style="COLOR: #000000"></strong>phone 253.572.4500 | fax 253.272.5732
|</span></span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'"> </span><a href="http://www.eisenhowerlaw.com/"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; TEXT-DECORATION: none; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #c00000; text-underline: none">www.eisenhowerlaw.com</span></a></font>
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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>Dalynne Singleton<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, September 15, 2023 10:51 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Accessing Deceased Attorney's IOLTA<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">I would think opening the probate, getting Letters and then providing to the bank will do the trick.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Dalynne Singleton</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Gourley Law Group<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Snohomish Escrow<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">The Exchange Connection<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">1002 10<sup>th</sup> Street / PO Box 1091<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Snohomish, WA 98291<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">360.568.5065<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">360.568.8092 fax<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><a href="mailto:dalynne@glgmail.com" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0563C1">dalynne@glgmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Website:
</span></u><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><a href="http://www.glglawgroup.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0563C1">www.glglawgroup.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Attorney/client meetings will be handled by teleconference or virtually whenever possible. If you would like to set a telephone conference,
zoom, or in person meeting, please call or email one my paralegals <a href="mailto:selina@glgmail.com">
<span style="color:#0563C1">selina@glgmail.com</span></a> or <a href="mailto:elle@glgmail.com">
<span style="color:#0563C1">elle@glgmail.com</span></a>. My legal assistant can be reached at
<a href="mailto:paige@glgmail.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">paige@glgmail.com</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">LICENSED IN WASHINGTON</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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protected by attorney-client privilege. The information is intended only for the use of the intended recipient(s). Delivery of this message to anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is not intended to waive any privilege or otherwise detract from the
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sender by reply e-mail, and then destroy all copies of the message and its attachments, if any.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">
wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>michael <a href="http://westseattleattorney.com">
westseattleattorney.com</a><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, September 15, 2023 7:53 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <<a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Accessing Deceased Attorney's IOLTA<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Please post to list<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">From:</span></b><span style="color:black">
<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>> on behalf of
<a href="mailto:Jeff@bellanddavispllc.com">Jeff@bellanddavispllc.com</a> <<a href="mailto:Jeff@bellanddavispllc.com">Jeff@bellanddavispllc.com</a>><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, September 15, 2023 7:23 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <<a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Accessing Deceased Attorney's IOLTA</span> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="xmsonormal">Listmates:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal">A colleague unexpectedly passed away this week. I am working with a daughter and the bookkeeper to close the office. I’ve contacted the WSBA and was referred to the practice management people and left a message. No response. The bar
website has information on closing another attorney’s office; dealing with the open files is easy, in this case. However, how does one access the IOLTA account to refund the retainers? Can a non-attorney PR disburse IOLTA funds simply by having letters testamentary?
Any insight would be appreciated.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal">Jeff<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">W. Jeff Davis</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">BELL & DAVIS PLLC</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Attorneys at Law</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
P.O. Box 510</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">720 E. Washington Street, Suite 105<br>
Sequim WA 98382<br>
Phone: (360) 683.1129 <br>
Fax: (360) 683.1258 <br>
email: </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:jeff@bellanddavispllc.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">jeff@bellanddavispllc.com</span></a><span style="color:black"><br>
</span></span><a href="http://www.bellanddavispllc.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">www.bellanddavispllc.com</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
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The information contained in this e-mail message may be privileged, confidential, and protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution, or copying is strictly prohibited. If you think that you have received this
e-mail message in error, please e-mail the sender at </span><a href="mailto:info@bellanddavispllc.com"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">info@bellanddavispllc.com</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">
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