An attorney’s death during the lifetime of their client will not likely have an adverse effect on the client. The client will need to find new prepresentation, but the attorney’s death does not affect the validity of any estate planning documents. There is also no requirements that the nominiated executor or trustee hire the same attorney that drafted the estate planning documents, although many choose to do so.
The biggest problems we find when an attorney passes away is when a client has left their original signed estate planning documents with that attorney. It is not always easy or possible for you or your family to retrieve the documents from a deceased attorneys successors (if they even have one). We always recommend that you keep your own original estate planning documents.
