I am an attorney with James, House, Downing, & Lueken P.A. in Little Rock, Arkansas. I have been with this firm since 1998 when I was in law school, first as a law clerk and then as a lawyer. Estate, Trust, Probate and Inheritance Litigation is a principal area of my law practice, and I know of few other Arkansas attorneys whose primary focus is in this rather narrow niche. Lots of attorneys don't like these cases, or simply don't know how to handle them, and I appreciate their referrals.
My first deposition was in a litigated estate and trust matter, as was my first trial. Ever since those early experiences I have found this specific area of law to be interesting and challenging. The family and institutional battles over money and property, which can erupt both before and after a loved one's passing, have proven to be numerous and endlessly fascinating. I frequently calls these cases "divorces on steroids."
The Baby Boomers are retiring at the rate of 10,000 per day. As they (and their parents) pass away over the next few decades our country will experience the largest transfer of wealth in human history. Younger generations' inheritance of massive sums of money and property will take place through wills, trusts, and beneficiary designations. For those deceased persons who do not have wills, trusts or beneficiary designations (or whose wills, trusts or beneficiary designations are subsequently invalidated by a court for some reason), each state's default system of "intestate succession" will dictate how that person's property is to be distributed.
As the Baby Boomers grow older and smaller in number, I strongly believe that there will be increasingly more inheritance-related conflicts and disputes which stem from this demographic phenomenon. It will simply be inevitable based upon the sheer numbers of people passing away and the immense wealth that those persons accumulated during their lifetimes. Because of this trend, and the simple fact that I enjoy the work and have experienced success in the field, I intend to spend the remainder of my legal career focusing in large part upon this particular area of law.
In addition to representing estate and trust fiduciaries (trustees, executors, etc.) and beneficiaries in litigated matters, my other primary practice areas are Business and Commercial Litigation; Personal Injury, Accidents & Wrongful Death; Family Law & Collaborative Divorce; Employment Litigation; Construction Disputes; Health Care and Hospital Litigation; White Collar Criminal Defense; and Federal and State Appeals. I am honored to have been named to the annual Mid-South Super Lawyers lists (2012-2016) in the areas of Estate and Trust Litigation, Business Litigation, and General Litigation; to the Little Rock Soiree "Top 100" Lawyers list in the area of Business Litigation, and to the Arkansas Business "40 Under 40" list.
James, House, Downing, & Lueken P.A. is a long-established law firm which has successfully handled a wide variety of civil and criminal litigation for individuals and businesses, ranging from small entities to Fortune 500 companies. Our firm represents both plaintiffs and defendants, is AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell, and is listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation, and White Collar Criminal Defense. James, House, Downing, & Lueken P.A. handles cases throughout the State of Arkansas and beyond.
I can be reached by telephone at 501-372-6555, by electronic mail at mhouse@jamesandhouse.com, by facsimile at 501-372-6333, or by regular mail at Post Office Box 3585, Little Rock, Arkansas 72203. We are conveniently located at 801 West Third Street (the corner of 3rd and State) in downtown Little Rock, centrally situated between the federal, state, and county courthouses.
This Blog is for informational purposes only and may not be relied upon for legal advice. Absent a written and signed representation agreement, neither I nor my firm are your attorneys and neither this Blog, nor any telephone call, letter, fax, or e-mail inquiry, creates an attorney-client relationship.