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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>I chose to walk away and explain why showing the timeline of events. Even if I answered the step-son’s questions I do not see a way around the ethical dilemma. I can only represent one client, and that client has to be able, alone and without influence from another, to tell me how their estate should pass. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Jeff<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>W. Jeff Davis<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'>BELL & DAVIS PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><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<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><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><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><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><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'><br> <br>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><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><a href="mailto:info@bellanddavispllc.com"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>info@bellanddavispllc.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'> or call 360.683.1129.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Ryan Castle<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, April 3, 2025 3:29 PM<br><b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Step-Child Dominates EP Discussions<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>You might see first what the questions by step-child are. You don't have to answer. The questions may be innocuous. And then document everything. But it still sounds pretty awful. If awful, then walk away and explain why. Let them know that "no" attorney will help them because of the undue influence and professional liability risk. I haven't gotten to that point, as most people get it. <o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Thu, Apr 3, 2025 at 9:04<span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span>AM <<a href="mailto:Jeff@bellanddavispllc.com">Jeff@bellanddavispllc.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Listmates:</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>This is more of a ethical question, but wanted to see how you have dealt with this situation in the past. Client comes in for estate planning. I only meet with him which is my practice. After sending drafts, client insists I talk to with step-child for his input on what is to be done. I do not meet him to discuss how client’s estate planning is to be set up, but do meet him to explain why I do not let anyone other then the client tell me how they want their estate set up. Now client insist I talk with step-child and answer his questions he as about the EP, or client won’t sign. Also, I receive edits to my drafts that are suspect. Client has children, and other step-children. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>To me this reeks of undue influence. I could see the children challenging the EP document. If I suspect undue influence don’t I have an ethical duty to just walk away? I was already compelled to testify at a trial that challenged a second Will, done after the one I had done; I really don’t want to go through that again. Better to give back the retainer and cut the losses. What have you done when faced with this?</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Jeff</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>W. Jeff Davis</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><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=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><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=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><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" target="_blank"><span style='color:#0563C1'>jeff@bellanddavispllc.com</span></a><span style='color:black'><br></span></span><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><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><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'><br> <br>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><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="mailto:info@bellanddavispllc.com" target="_blank"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif'>info@bellanddavispllc.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black'> or call 360.683.1129.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal>***Disclaimer: Please note that RPPT listserv participation is not restricted to practicing attorneys and may include non-practicing attorneys, law students, professionals working in related fields, and others.***<br>_______________________________________________<br>WSBAPT mailing list<br><a href="mailto:WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com" target="_blank">WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><br><a href="http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbapt" target="_blank">http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbapt</a><o:p></o:p></p></div></blockquote></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><br clear=all><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span class=gmailsignatureprefix>-- </span><o:p></o:p></p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Ryan Castle (he/him)<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Castle Law Firm, PLLC<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Managing Attorney<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>T: 360-592-3504<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>1313 E. Maple St., Suite 790<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Bellingham, WA 98225<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://ryancastlelawfirm.com/" target="_blank">https://ryancastlelawfirm.com/</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>