Ann T. Wilson
Shareholder | Seattle
Areas of Practice
Drawing on her thirty plus years’ experience as a practicing attorney, Ann advises clients regarding potential claims and disputes. She guides trustees, executors, and other fiduciaries who are dealing with difficult situations, such as murky trust documents and wills and challenging beneficiaries. She helps clients understand their duties and complete the administration process, seeking judicial rulings as necessary. Ann also represents beneficiaries, including individuals and charities, who seek or need assistance in protecting their rightful shares of trust and probate assets.
Over the years, Ann has brought and defended many will and trust contests and actions under Washington’s Trust and Estate Dispute Resolution Act.
As well as working with professional fiduciaries, Ann works with clients who have little or no experience with legal disputes. She helps clients understand their rights and duties, looks for cost-effective solutions, uses mediation when appropriate, and takes matters to hearing or trial. Ann brings an assertive, thoughtful, and experienced approach to this emotionally-charged area of litigation.
In addition, Ann assists clients with designing and implementing comprehensive plans to reduce state and federal estate, gift, generation-skipping transfer tax and the orderly transition of assets between generations. Ann also handles all aspects of probate and estate administration.
Ann is ranked in Chambers High Net Worth Guide as a Band 1 practitioner for Private Wealth Disputes - Washington.
Admissions
- Washington
- U.S. Tax Court
- Western District of Washington
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Education
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University of Washington School of Law, J.D., with high honors
- Order of the Coif
- Washington Law Review
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New York University, LL.M in Taxation
- Tax Law Review Graduate Editor
- Harvard University, AB cum laude in History
Recognition & Honors
- The Best Lawyers in America for Litigation - Trusts and Estates (2025)
- Top 100 Lawyers, Washington Super Lawyers (2017, 2019-2023)
- Top 50 Women Lawyers, Washington Super Lawyers (2009, 2013-15, 2016-2024)
- Band 1, Chambers High Net Worth Guide, Private Wealth Disputes - Washington
- Lawyer of the Year, Seattle for Trust & Estates Law by Best Lawyers (2024)
- Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
- Super Lawyers 2000, 2004-2024
- “AV” Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
Representative Work
Helped negotiate and implement settlement of $100 million trust dispute including assisting in obtaining two private letter rulings from IRS regarding division of trust and spin off of portion of corporation owned by trust.Represented personal representative of estate in case involving validity of codicil and trust amendments and regarding personal representative’s standing to appeal adverse ruling by trial court In re Estate of Bernard, 182 Wn. App. 692, 332 P.3d 480 (2014), review denied, 181 Wn.2d 1027 (2014).
Represented beneficiary in dispute regarding whether decedent’s will exercised decedent’s power of appointment over trusts. In re Estate of Berg, 2022 WL 1003783 (Unpublished) (2022)
Represented Successor Personal Representative of Estate with respect to claim against third party for money belonging to Estate. Castro v. Thomason, 2021 WL 5467390 (Unpublished) (2021)
Obtained summary judgment for beneficiary with respect to proper manner in which to value estate assets for purposes of provision in will requiring distributions to beneficiaries to be equalized.
Represented intestate heir at trial and on appeal regarding whether properly executed codicil incorporated terms of improperly executed will. Matter of Estate of Scott, 2019 WL 3926156 (Unpublished) (2019).
Publications & Presentations
- "TEDRA Appeals: A View from the Bench and Tips from Practitioners," presenter, Washington State Bar Association, 21st Annual Trust and Estate Litigation CLE (April 2024)
- "Can The Surviving Spouse Own A Grantor Trust?," co-author, Thomson Reuters Estate Planning Magazine (September 2023)
- "Standing Awkwardly at the Party: Navigating the Issues of Standing and Necessary Party Status in TEDRA," Co-Presenter, WSBA Trust and Estate Litigation Seminar (2023)
- "Trending Disputes and Cases," Panelist, WSBA Trust and Estate Litigation Seminar (2022)
- "What We Have Learned During the Pandemic," Panelist, WSBA Trust and Estate Litigation Seminar (2021)
- "Life After Rathbone," Panelist, WSBA RPPT Midyear Meeting (Summer 2018)
- "Modern Family: Wrongful Death Considerations in Probate," Panelist, WSBA Fall Probate and Trust Seminar (December 2016)
- All States are Not Created Equal: Damages and Attorneys’ Fees in Washington and California Trust and Estate Disputes (Co-Author), WSBA RPPT Newsletter (2013)
- Washington Trust Act Changes—The Basics, 56th Annual Estate Planning Seminar (2011)
Professional & Community Activity
Lecturer, University of Washington Graduate Tax Program, 1995-2002Member, Real Property, Probate and Trust Section, Washington State Bar Association
Member, Tax Section, Washington State Bar Association
Executive Committee, Real Property Probate Trust Section, Washington State Bar Association, 2006-2008
Uniform Trust Code Committee, Washington State Bar Association, 2003-2011
Trust and Estate Litigation Subcommittee, Washington State Bar Association, 2005-Present
