Alexander S. Douglas, II Attorney

First Admitted: 1989, Florida

Professional Webpage: http://www.shuffieldlowman.com/alex-douglas/

Bar / Professional Activity:

State of Florida
Member of the 9th Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee.
Member of the Probate Litigation Committee of the Florida Bar’s Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section
Member, Central Florida Estate Planning Council
Member of the Orange County Bar Association
Member of the Probate Law and Procedure Committee of The Florida Bar’s Real Property
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh District
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida

Videos:

If you are a beneficiary of a trust or estate and you have a trustee or a personal representative that is not doing a good job you may be able to remove him or her under Florida law. A personal representative and trustee called fiduciaries have an obligation to diligently and fairly administer the estate or trust according to Florida law. A fiduciary cannot self-deal, nor favor one beneficiary over another. As a beneficiary of a trust, the trustee must give you an accounting at least once a year of the trust assets. If you are not being reasonably informed of what’s going on, you should do something to enforce your rights so that you can have the information you need to understand what’s going on in the estate administration or the trust administration. Also, if the trustee in the trust administration is not fulfilling their fiduciary duties and has committed a serious breach of fiduciary duty, you are entitled to seek their removal under Florida law. The trust code also allows you to seek recovery of your attorneys’ fees either from the trust or from the trustee individually., How to Remove a Bad Trustee or Personal Representative by Alex Douglas, 2019
Choosing a Fiduciary for Your Estate Planning Documents by Alex Douglas, 2018

Honors:

2016-2019 Legal Elite Attorney by Florida Trend Magazine
Martindale-Hubbell Rating:AV
2015-2022, Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers Magazine, Thomas Reuters; 2015 Florida Super Lawyers, Florida Legal Elite, Thompson Reuters

Educational Background:

B.A., with honors, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri
J.D, with honors, The Florida State University College of Law, 1989, The F.S.U. Law School Moot Court

White Papers:

Constitutionality of service via mail in probate proceedings, RPPTL Sub-committee/ Probate Law And Procedure, 2014

Scholarly Lectures / Writings:

On March 18, 2020, the Florida Supreme Court issued Administrative Order SC 20-16, which implemented emergency procedures for the swearing-in of witnesses remotely. Watch as ShuffieldLowman attorney, Alex Douglas, explains this new process., Swearing in a Witness Remotely in Florida, 2020
An article about how to defend against claims of undue influence involving claims involving dutiful children. , Author, Where the Presumption of Undue Influence Should Not Apply: Consider the "Dutiful Son" and the "Dutiful Daughter" Exceptions, The Florida Bar Journal, Law; Fiduciary Litigation, 2021
Presentation on new reformation of wills and voiding revocation of a will or trust, Speaker, Orange County Bar Association--Probate Section, 2011
ShuffieldLowman attorney, Nicole Copsidas, also contributed to this post. In the event that a problem develops in the trust administration of an irrevocable trust (a trust that cannot be amended by the person who created the trust), or if there is an ambiguity in the..., How to Protect Yourself as a Trustee, 2019
One of the most common errors parents can make when doing their estate planning is not making the hard choice as to who they want to serve as their fiduciary. Specifically, parents make the mistake of choosing among their children to serve as their fiduciary instead..., Choose Wisely When You Consider Your Fiduciary and Your Estate Plan, 2013
We live in one of the most popular retirement states in our nation. The Baby Boomers have reached retirement age and the “great wealth transfer” has begun. According to a study from consulting firm Accenture, when this transfer is complete, some $30..., Financial exploitation: Florida law provides powerful help for seniors, 2016
Speaker, Probate and trust litigation--some practical considerations for the estate planner, Orange County Bar Association Probate Section, 2007
Speaker at Bench-Bar Conference, Probate and Trust Litigation Panelist, Orange County Bar, 2014
Speaker, Fiduciary Litigation Issues, Florida Bankers Association, 2014
Speaker, Elder Law Litigation Issues, NBI, 2014
Facilitator for discussion group on fiduciary and guardianship litigation issues, Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys, UnProgram, 2015

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