Biography

Robert Barton is an attorney in Holland & Knight's Private Wealth Services Group. He represents individuals, families, charitable institutions, corporate trustees and private professional fiduciaries in litigation involving complex trusts and estates. He also provides guidance on trust and estate administration, conservatorship and guardianship matters, as well as claims involving elder abuse.

Mr. Barton has a national practice and has been tapped to represent clients in some of the most high-profile and complex trust and estate disputes pending in federal, state and tribal courts throughout the country. While these disputes range in complexity and value, sometimes exceeding billions of dollars, Mr. Barton takes pride in working with his clients to find creative and effective solutions that protect and advance their interests. Where informal resolution is not a possibility, Mr. Barton has quickly gained a reputation as a zealous advocate for his clients' interests.

Both clients and the leading industry publications have taken note of Mr. Barton's work and results. Mr. Barton was named a top adviser by the Chambers High Net Worth guide for California Private Wealth Disputes, one of California's top lawyers under 40 by the Daily Journal and as a Rising Star by the Southern California Super Lawyers magazine.

In interviews with Chambers High Net Worth, clients and other industry professionals praised Mr. Barton's work. One interviewee stated that Mr. Barton is "very intelligent and knowledgeable," "he pays attention to all the details" and he is "very responsive." Another adviser reported that Mr. Barton is "very strategic," adding that "Robert has been very helpful, keeping waters calm as we go through the process. He's an excellent communicator." Another client called Mr. Barton "responsive" and "meticulous," saying, "He's cutting through the noise and giving it to you straight – I appreciate that the most."

A few of Mr. Barton's recent representative cases include the following:

  • representing an heir to a multibillion-dollar business in litigation proceedings pending in multiple states brought by individuals who sought ratification of elder financial abuse they had committed and who sought to overturn the estate plan to their financial benefit; the matter was successfully resolved with the estate plan being affirmed by the court and a confidential amount repaid by the abusers to the elder
  • representing a widow in obtaining a $4.9 million settlement against a former corporate trustee over its mismanagement and oversight of the sale of the trust's primary asset, the widow's marital residence, and the trustee's subsequent failure to distribute the sale proceeds
  • representing co-personal representatives in probate and trust proceedings pending in multiple states as contentious litigation took place between and among family members of the decedent over a multimillion-dollar estate and trust; assisted the co-personal representatives in resolving the litigation and guiding the estate through complex issues arising from an IRS audit of the estate's Form 706 Estate Tax Return
  • representing a national charity in resolving litigation over a charitable bequest, resulting in a multimillion-dollar settlement to the charity

Mr. Barton is also active in community. He currently serves on the California Lawyers Association Trusts & Estates Executive Committee and is the Chair of the Ethics and Malpractice Committee of the American Bar Association, Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, California. Mr. Barton also is a trustee of the Autry Museum of the American West.