The Medley Law Firm

Estate Planning & Probate Attorneys in Mount Clemens, Michigan

Estate and probate matters can arise at very different stages of a family's life. Someone planning ahead may want to create a will or trust and decide who should have authority to act through a power of attorney. After a death, another family may need help administering an estate, transferring assets, or resolving a probate dispute. Guardianship or conservatorship proceedings can create additional concerns when a loved one needs court-established assistance with personal or financial affairs.

The Medley Law Firm provides estate planning and probate services from its Mount Clemens office. Its work includes wills, trusts, powers of attorney, probate administration, probate disputes, guardianships, and conservatorships.

Attorney Shannon K. Zabolotny focuses her practice on probate and estate planning and handles matters throughout Macomb, Oakland, Wayne, and Genesee counties.

Creating a Will, Trust or Power of Attorney

The Medley Law Firm assists clients with fundamental estate-planning documents, including wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.

A will allows someone to establish instructions for property that will pass through an estate after death. A trust provides another structure for holding, managing, and transferring property for beneficiaries.

Estate planning can also address who should have authority during the client's lifetime. A power of attorney allows someone to designate another person to act on their behalf within the authority provided by the document.

Together, these documents allow individuals and families to address both future property transfers and circumstances in which assistance may be needed during life.

Handling an Estate After a Death

The Medley Law Firm represents clients in probate administration.

A person who becomes responsible for an estate may find themselves dealing with unfamiliar legal duties at the same time they are coping with the death of a family member. Estate administration can require court proceedings and other steps before assets can be transferred and the estate concluded.

The firm's probate work includes administration and the transfer of estate assets.

For someone who has never handled an estate before, legal representation can provide guidance through the probate process and the responsibilities associated with administering the deceased person's affairs.

Probate Matters That Become Disputed

Not every estate proceeds without disagreement.

The Medley Law Firm handles probate disputes in addition to routine estate administration. These matters can arise when the parties involved in an estate have competing positions that require resolution through the probate process.

A contested matter differs from ordinary administration because resolving the disagreement becomes part of moving the estate forward.

Attorney Shannon Zabolotny's practice includes complex probate matters as well as estate administration, giving the firm experience with both the administrative and disputed sides of probate work.

Guardianship for Someone Who Needs Personal Assistance

The Medley Law Firm represents clients in guardianship proceedings.

A guardianship can become necessary when someone is unable to adequately make or manage important personal decisions and another person needs court-established authority to assist them.

Unlike authority established voluntarily through a power of attorney, guardianship requires Probate Court involvement.

For family members, these proceedings can involve significant questions about the needs of the person requiring assistance and who should be entrusted with legal responsibility.

Zabolotny handles guardianships as part of her broader probate practice.

Conservatorship for Property and Financial Affairs

The firm also handles conservatorships.

While guardianship generally concerns personal decision-making, a conservator can be appointed to manage property and financial matters for someone who requires that assistance.

This can place substantial responsibility on the person appointed to handle another individual's assets and finances.

The Medley Law Firm represents clients through conservatorship proceedings as part of its probate work, allowing families to address financial authority when court involvement is necessary.

Probate and Estate Planning Experience

Shannon K. Zabolotny is a partner at The Medley Law Firm whose practice focuses on probate and estate planning. Her work includes estate administration, guardianships, conservatorships, wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.

Zabolotny earned her law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 2020, graduating as valedictorian. She began her legal career with Dickinson Wright before joining The Medley Law Firm.

The firm's broader practice includes divorce and family law in addition to estate and probate matters. Its probate services range from administration and asset transfers after a death to disputed proceedings and matters involving guardianships and conservatorships.

Serving Mount Clemens and Surrounding Counties

The Medley Law Firm's Mount Clemens office is located at 48 Market Street, Suite 2E. The firm also has a Goodrich office, and Zabolotny serves clients in Macomb, Oakland, Wayne, and Genesee counties.

Practice Areas

• Estate Planning

• Wills

• Trusts

• Powers of Attorney

• Probate

• Probate Administration

• Probate Disputes

• Estate Asset Transfers

• Guardianships

• Conservatorships