The Michigan case of an attorney who drafted the will of a friend that left millions to the lawyer and his children now knows if the will is valid after a ruling by an appeals court. The majority held that the lawyer violated ethical rules but that the will was not invalidated by this lapse alone. As a result, the case was remanded to the lower court to make a determination if undue influence was actually used with a rebuttable presumption that it was exerted. At trial, the lawyer and his family stands to lose $14 million from the will with siblings and other relations of the testator looking inherit instead.
See Stephenie Francis Ward, Is will bequeathing millions to the attorney who wrote it valid? That depends, says court, ABA Journal, October 9, 2015.
Special thanks to Whitney Ellis for bringing this article to my attention.
