Adams & Duncan provides a wide variety of legal services to assist our clients in achieving their legal objectives. Please scroll down to view our primary areas of focus. 

Banking & Fintech

Adams & Duncan has provided legal services to community and regional banks for over 25 years. Our work includes negotiating and reviewing contracts and participation agreements, advising on fintech and operational matters, and supporting Banking as a Service (BaaS) programs. We represent financial institutions in day-to-day operations as well as more complex transactional and regulatory matters.

We also work closely with special assets departments in addressing distressed and defaulted loans, including drafting forbearance agreements, deeds in lieu of foreclosure, and handling judicial and nonjudicial foreclosures.

Corporate Law

The attorneys at Adams & Duncan use a team approach to working with our business clients.  This approach allows our clients to take advantage of all the practice areas offered in our firm making our legal representation more accessible and affordable to our clients.  Our attorneys have experience representing clients ranging from the smallest startups to large S&P 500 corporations with local holdings, including professional sports teams, Boeing suppliers, banks, waste management, and large real estate holding companies.

Our services to business clients include:

Our Business Formation services include working with startup businesses to develop business plans, entity selection, tax strategies, partnership agreements, and navigating governmental requirements.

Mergers and Acquisitions together with the Purchase or Sale of business assets can become very complicated and is an area prone to mistake without legal guidance.  Adams & Duncan has advised clients on the purchase and sale of businesses of all sizes and works with our clients to tailor representation which is appropriate for the transaction as well as our clients’ budgets.

Contracts and Transactions – Our attorneys regularly work with clients in the drafting, reviewing, negotiating and due diligence review related to business contracts, including partnership/shareholder agreements, the sale of goods or assets, and real estate transactions.

Business Litigation can be necessary when negotiations and alternatives are unsuccessful.  As a result, all of our attorneys have experience litigating in the courts and in alternative venues such as arbitrations and mediations.  We take great pride in making litigation affordable and working with our clients to limit the disruption to their business and lives.

Estate Planning

Estate planning is the process that allows individuals to direct the disposition of their assets upon death.  Estate planning also allows individuals to plan for their incapacity or inability to manage their affairs during their lifetime.

We assist clients with putting together an estate plan that ensures that their estate planning desires and objectives are documented, and their assets are distributed to their intended beneficiaries.  We also assist clients in making sure that their financial and health care decisions are in the hands of the individuals that they trust with making those decisions.

The estate planning attorneys at Adams & Duncan provide services such as:

Planning for Incapacity:  We assist individuals with putting together the necessary estate planning documents should they ever become incapacitated or unable to manage their own affairs during their lifetime.  These documents can include the use of a Durable Power of Attorney, a Health Care Power of Attorney and a Health Care Directive.  By using these documents, individuals can be assured that their wishes will be carried out as they had intended during their lifetime.

Property Dispositions:  We assist individuals in properly designating and directing where their assets will go upon their death, such as gifts to spouses, children, disabled individuals, charities, or gifts into trust for beneficiary protection.  This can be properly implemented by the use of a Last Will and Testament and/or a Community Property Agreement (for married individuals).  We also assist individuals in setting up Revocable Living Trusts to manage their property during their lifetime and direct where property will go upon death.

Reduce Estate Tax Liability:  We assist clients with understanding and implementing gifting strategies, during lifetime and at death, to reduce estate tax liability at both the state and federal levels.  This includes tools such as Credit Trusts, QTIP Trusts, Charitable Remainder Trusts, Life Insurance Trusts and other types of irrevocable trusts.

Beneficiary Protections:  We assist clients in implementing protective devices, such as trusts and custodial accounts, for beneficiaries who may not be able to manage money and/or property on their own, including minors, individuals with disabilities, surviving spouses, etc.  Through the use of a properly drafted trust, clients can limit the amount of money a beneficiary can receive each year and under what circumstances a beneficiary can receive other distributions from the trust.  Property drafted trusts can also provide creditor protection to beneficiaries, and ensure that an individual with special needs will not be disqualified from receiving public benefits when he or she receives an inheritance. 

Long Term Care Planning

Planning for potential long-term care needs is an important part of a comprehensive estate plan. The possibility of requiring assisted living or nursing care can raise both personal and financial concerns, particularly given the significant costs associated with that care.

At Adams & Duncan, we incorporate long-term care considerations into our broader estate planning work. This includes helping clients understand how future care needs may impact their assets, evaluating available planning options, and structuring estate plans with those considerations in mind. Our goal is to help clients make informed decisions that balance flexibility, asset protection, and overall planning objectives.

In addition to long-term care considerations, we assist clients with a full range of estate planning services, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and other tools designed to ensure that personal, financial, and healthcare decisions are handled according to each client’s wishes.

Trust & Probate Administration

Trust Administration:  We assist trustees with understanding and fulfilling their duties and responsibilities with regard to serving as trustee of a trust.  As with estates, we also provide services to trustees that are necessary to settle trust matters, including interpretation of trust provisions, settlement of claims, and distribution of the trust assets to beneficiaries named in the trust instrument.

Probate Administration:  Adams & Duncan provides services to personal representatives who are required to implement the probate administration for the settlement of estates.  Such services include review of assets owned by the decedent, including beneficiary designations, titling of accounts, and asset transfer history; preparation and presentation of the court pleadings and documents necessary to probate the estate; supervise and coordinate the probate process in relation to creditor notification, settlement of creditor claims, inventory and appraisal of assets, and filing of necessary tax returns; and assist with the transfer, distribution and sale of estate assets.

Land Use Law

Adams & Duncan provides sound legal advice and experienced representation to clients in real estate development, with experience in related land use matters. Depending on the scope of the project, we work alongside other consultants or directly with clients to navigate regulatory and permitting requirements across local jurisdictions. We assist clients in achieving and demonstrating compliance with zoning requirements and other land use regulations and, where appropriate, addressing Land Use Petition Act (LUPA) matters.

We also advise property owners and businesses in evaluating and responding to regulatory actions, project approvals, and related compliance issues that affect their property interests.

Our lawyers stay attuned to the latest developments in natural resource development law, water law, and alternative energy law to assist our clients.

Real Estate Law

Over the past three decades, Adams & Duncan has earned a reputation as skilled real estate counsel.  We regularly negotiate, draft, and, when necessary, litigate to protect our clients’ interests.  We strive to resolve disputes efficiently and practically, reserving litigation for more complex or difficult matters. We approach disputes strategically and, where litigation is necessary, advocate effectively and efficiently. We work closely with our clients to evaluate options and develop practical, forward-looking solutions. Whether the matter involves adverse possession, prescriptive easements, equitable mortgages, foreclosure, or other complex real estate issues, our attorneys have extensive experience handling and resolving these claims.

In our real estate practice, we also represent clients in purchase and sale transactions. We draft contracts and work closely with brokers, title companies, and escrow to guide transactions through to successful closing. Our experience spans the full lifecycle of real estate ownership and development.

Commercial Real Estate

Our attorneys have made Adams & Duncan a leader in representing clients on commercial real estate matters, including leasing, acquisitions and dispositions, environmental remediation, land use, condemnation, purchase and sale agreements, and dispute resolution. We represent a range of clients, from first time commercial buyers to established companies with significant holdings in Western Washington, across a broad spectrum of real estate matters. We work closely with lenders, brokers, and other professionals to help transactions move efficiently. Our focus is on providing practical, efficient representation that supports each client’s investment and long-term objectives.