While attorney’s fees incurred by the fiduciary are generally reimburseable from an estate as a reasonable and necessary expense of administration, this is not the rule with respect to the legal fees incurred by a beneficiary. The different standard that applies was recently examined by Surrogate Mella in In re Frey, NYLJ, July 25, 2013, p. 25 (Sur. Ct. New York County).

Before the court was an application brought by counsel for a beneficiary to have its legal fees fixed for services rendered to the beneficiary in connection with her interest in the estate of her late mother. The executor of the estate did not oppose the application provided that the fees were charged to the beneficiary’s interest in the estate.

           

The record revealed that the services performed by counsel over a two year period resulted in its client in receiving emergency and regular distributions from the estate, loans against her legacy, and personal property that she was unable to obtain previously.  Since completing its work, counsel has not been able to contact its client and has not been paid.

           

The court noted that in a proceeding for the fixation of fees pursuant to SCPA 2110, the court is authorized to direct the source of payment either from the estate generally, or from the funds in the hands of the fiduciary belonging to the legatee. In examining this issue, the court relied on the factors outlined by the Court of Appeals in Matter of Hyde, 15 NY3d 186 (2010), that is: (1) whether the objecting beneficiary acted solely in his or her own interest or in the common interest of the estate; (2) the possible benefits to the individual beneficiaries from the outcome of the underlying proceeding; (3) the extent of the individual beneficiary’s participation in the proceeding; (4) the good or bad faith of the beneficiary; (5) whether there was justifiable doubt regarding the fiduciary’s conduct; (6) the relative interest of the objecting beneficiary in the estate; and (7) the effect of allocating fees on the interest of the individual beneficiary.

 

Based on this criteria, the court concluded that in pursuing her claim against the fiduciary, the beneficiary was not seeking to benefit or enlarge the estate, but only to secure her legacy. The court determined that there was no possibility that the other beneficiaries of the estate would benefit from the legal services performed, and thus, that it would be unfair to assess the other beneficiaries with the fees incurred.

Accordingly, the court fixed the fees and disbursements of counsel and directed that they be paid from its client’s share of the estate.