Phillips, Robert Sam

Deborah Phillips is a partner in the firm's Litigation and Personal Planning practices. She has over 25 years of diverse litigation experience. While continuing to handle complex commercial matters, she has developed an expertise in fiduciary and trust litigation matters.

Representation of Fiduciaries

Desimone Trusts (representation of fiduciary in resignation and payment of attorney fees); In re H. Guy DiStefano Estate (representation of fiduciary on interpretation of charitable bequests); In Re Fielding Estate (representation of personal representative on issues of asset characterization); In re Harrington Estate (representation of co-personal representative in multiple contested matters); Robinson v. McCabe (trial and settlement resulting in successful defense of trustee in multimillion dollar challenge to estate and trust management); In re Robinson (representation of trustee on issues of fiduciary duty); In re Vendetti Estate (representation of personal representative on issues of asset characterization and distribution); In re Waldal Estate (representation of beneficiary in claims of breaches of fiduciary duty by personal representative); In re Walter Wallace Trust (representation of fiduciary on matters of trust interpretation and multi-state jurisdictional issues).

Representation of Beneficiaries

Berwind v. Berwind (litigation resulting in settlement of children's claim against estate arising from property settlement in parents' divorce); In re Hutchinson Estate (representation of beneficiaries in claims by widow); In re McLeod (representation of beneficiary in dispute estate and actions under power of attorney prior to death); In re Wojewodzki (representation of beneficiary in claims alleging breaches of fiduciary duty by personal representative); In re Zampella (successful defense and settlement of claims against beneficiaries alleging undue influence and breaches of fiduciary duty under power of attorney prior to death).

Will Contests

Amussen v. Amussen (successful defense of will challenge resulting in dismissal of plaintiff's lawsuits and award of attorney fees); Edmark v. Edmark (trial claim based on claims of undue influence); In re Hummel Estate (pro bono representation of nonprofit agency in will contest).

Guardianships

Guardianship of Harper (representation of beneficiary in change of trustee for special needs trust); Guardianship of Lyon (establishment of contested guardianship and representation of guardian); Guardianship of Rebalkin (representation of alleged incapacitated person resisting guardianship) .

Other Fiduciary Litigation

In re Estate of Blade (representation of beneficiaries alleging breach of mutual will contract); Marsh v. Fidelity Trust and Estate (challenge to various interrelated trust actions and applicability of no contest provision); In re Seidelhuber (representation in creditor claim alleging breaches of fiduciary duty by agent under decedent's power of attorney prior to death); In re Iverson (representation of trustee in petition for instruction regarding conflicting claims); In re Estate of Wohlmacher (successful defense of estate against meretricious relationship claim); In re Guthrie Estate (resolution of claims against estate based on meretricious relationship).

Commercial Litigation

Boeing v. Aetna (representation of plaintiff in insurance coverage claims for superfund liabilities); Kalama v. Tenneco (defense of contract indemnity and state and federal environmental claims); Microvision v. Medcam, Inc. (declaratory judgment, patent infringement, tortious interference, trade secret misappropriation and breach of contract claims); R. B. McComic v. Burlington Northern Inc. (successful defense of contract and fraud claims in state and federal courts in California and Washington); Simmonds v. Strauss (defense of state securities action against corporate officer).

Land Use Litigation

SCRD v. Immunex Corp. (litigation to obtain permits for corporate headquarters in downtown Seattle); SOIL v. Fred Meyer (litigation to obtain permits for construction of new store in Seattle).