20+ Years Handling
Complex And High-Asset Estate and Trust Disputes
Estate litigation attorney Adam Fried is a skilled problem-solver with decades of experience and a wealth of knowledge. He draws upon his skills and insight in resolving high-value assets wealth transfers, inheritance, fund mismanagement and elder exploitation.
About Us
Attorney & Founder
Adam Fried
Adam’s list of qualifications, accomplishments, titles and honors is long, even as his stated mission is short: Continue to be one of the most trusted, referred names in probates and estates.
Adam has served as lead trial attorney in hundreds of successfully pursued/defended estate and trust disputes. He has tried many high stakes cases to verdict: will and trust contests, executor and trustee removal actions, interpretation of wills and trusts and ambiguities, accountings, breaches of fiduciary duty, and claims seeking to void gifts and beneficiary designations.
Active in academia, Adam has taught the wills, trusts, and estate class at Cleveland State University College of Law and has been invited to lecture to many prestigious organizations. He believes successful advocacy requires skills such as fact development through deposition and storytelling though cross examination. He believes only good can come from educating clients, parties, and the court about the nature of the claim and supporting law.
Representative Experience
The breadth of Adam’s experience in the “World of Probate and Estates” is well known throughout the legal community. With 20 years of focus handling probate, trust, estate, and guardianship type disputes, he has pursued and defended hundreds of cases. His track record speaks for itself, but the client testimonials give voice his recognized skills in discovery, analysis, writing, and trial.
Education
Case Western Reserve University Law School, Cleveland, Ohio
J.D. - 1995
Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
B.A. - 1992
Bar Admissions
Ohio, 1995
U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio, 1996
U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 2000
Honors
- Rated AV® Preeminent: very highly rated in both legal ability and ethical standards by Martindale Hubbell Peer Review
- Ohio Rising Star: 2005, 2009 (rated by Ohio Super Lawyers®)
- Ohio Super Lawyer® 2012-2025
- Ohio Super Lawyer Top Lists: Top 50 Cleveland Super Lawyers® (2018-2025); Top 100 Ohio Super Lawyers® (2018-2025)
- Best Lawyers in America® 2009-2025
- Best Lawyers®, Lawyer of the Year, Cleveland, Elder Law 2019 and 2021
- Best Lawyers®, Lawyer of the Year, Cleveland, Litigation – Trusts and Estates 2015 and 2018.
- Cystic Fibrosis Foundation – One of Cleveland’s Finest Upcoming Young Professionals 2001
Classes and Seminars
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Extrinsic Evidence in Fiduciary Litigation, ACTEC, Cleveland Hilton Downtown, 04/29/2020
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Extrinsic Evidence, Pliskin Event, 09/11/2020
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Testamentary Capacity, Dayton Bar Association, Zoom, 03/12/2021
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Guardianship and Mental Health, Legal Aid, Facebook Live, 03/30/2021
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Ambiguities in Wills and Trusts, Ohio Magistrate’s Conference, Zoom, 04/20/2021
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Testamentary Capacity, Columbus Probate Law Institute, Columbus, Ohio, 05/12/2021
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Testamentary Capacity, UH Forensic Psychiatrist Fellows, Zoom, 05/26/2021
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Estate Planning and Business Ethics, Park National Bank, Mt. Vernon, Ohio, 11/10/2021
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Here’s to the Farmer: Refuting the Presumption of Undue Influence, AAPL Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 03/25/2022–03/26/2022
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Duped? Simple Steps to Protect the Independent Decision Making of our Cognitively Declining Clients, Professional Estate Planning in Northeast Ohio (Lake Erie BSA), Lake Erie Council – Unit Center, Cleveland, 09/29/2022
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Evidence, Trumbull County 41st Annual Probate Practice Seminar, Robins Theater, Warren, Ohio, 10/07/2022
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Protection of Vulnerable Adults while Preserving Their Independence, ACTEC Great Lakes Regional Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, 12/09/2022–12/11/2022
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Probate Law CLE, Columbus Bar Association (Reminger-sponsored), Columbus, Ohio, 12/15/2022
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Competence Assessment (Mock Trial), CWRU Expert Witness Seminar, 05/03/2023
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Electronic Wills, National College of Probate Judges, Arizona, 05/11/2023
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Evidence Issues in Probate, Trumbull County Probate Law Institute, 10/06/2023
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Undue Influence Claims Depo Practice Tips, Cleveland Metro Bar Association, Cleveland, Ohio, 10/18/2023
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Evidence Issues in Probate Advanced, Columbus Bar Association, Columbus, Ohio, 10/19/2023
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Directives/POA/Guardianship Issues, MetroHealth, 11/01/2023
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Advanced Psychiatric Directives, Legal Aid, 12/06/2023
Published Works
- Filo v. Filo : An Illustration Of The Mechanics Of The Rebuttable Presumption Of Undue Influence And Jury Instructions
- Ohio Probate Law JournalMay/June 202131 No. 5 Ohio Prob. L.J. NL 3
- Removal of a Trustee under Ohio Revised Code § 5807.06
- 23 No. 2 Ohio Prob. L.J. NL 4
- CARTE Case On Standing
- 34 No. 5 OHPRLJ-NL 9
- By Adam M. Fried, Esq
- Bulletproofing Your Estate Plan: Tips To Minimize and Protect Against A Successful Challenge
- 22 No. 1 Ohio Prob. L.J. NL 7
- Testimony of Adam M. Fried on H.B. 339
- Ohio Probate Law JournalNovember/December 202132 No. 2 Ohio Prob. L.J. NL 5
- Opponent Testimony of Adam M. Fried On 2023 OH H.B. 172
- Ohio Probate Law Journal
- 34 No. 4 Ohio Prob. L.J. NL 3
- Shifting the Focus from the Victim to the Perpetrator: As Demonstrated Through the Case of Legendary Golfer Dr. Charles Sifford, An Argument for More Criminal Prosecutions in Elder Abuse
- Ohio Probate Law Journal
- 28 No. 1 Ohio Prob. L.J. NL 3
- Resolving Ambiguity In Wills And Trusts: Homage To Testator/Settlor Intent
- Ohio Probate Law Journal
- 31 No. 2 Ohio Prob. L.J. NL 6
- The Exclusive Jurisdiction of the Probate Court and the “Touching Upon” Standard in the Light of Rheinhold v. Reichek , et al.
- Ohio Probate Law Journal
- 24 No. 5 Ohio Prob. L.J. NL 3
- Representing a Beneficiary or Heir in the Quest of Information Necessary to Assess Rights in an Estate or Trust: A Survey of Process and Procedure
- 31 No. 4 Ohio Prob. L.J. NL 4
Pro-Bono
Pro bono representation for persons involving guardianships and estates as referred
High School and Elementary School inner city tutoring
Volunteer Guardian with Adult Guardianship Services
Professional Associations
American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Fellow
American Bar Foundation, Fellow
Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation, Fellow
WKT American Inn of Court, Past President
The C3A (FKA the consortium Against Adult Abuse), Past chair
Heights Schools Foundation, Trustee, Past
Ohio Estate Planning & Probate Trust Law Section Counsel, Member, Present
Consortium Against Adult Abuse, Treasurer, Past
Cuyahoga County Adult Protective Services, Multiple Disciplinary Steering Committee Member, Past
Cuyahoga County Adult Protective Services I-Team, Member, Past
Representative Cases
Rheinhold v. Reichek, 8th Dist. No. CV-782576, 2014-Ohio-31, 2014
Tomazic v. Rapoport, 2012 Ohio 4402 (8th Dist. Court of Appeals), 2012
Baillis v. Ross 2012 Ohio 705 (8th Dist. Court of Appeals, 2012
Maxwell v. DeCarlo, 2007-Ohio-249, 2007, 9th Dist. Court of Appeals
Brady v. Hickman, Lowder Co., LPA, 2004-Ohio-4745, 2004, 8th Dist. Court of Appeals
Toma v. Toma, 2003-Ohio-4344, 2003, 8th Dist. Court of Appeals
Brady, ex rel. Brady v. Hickman, Lowder Co., LPA, 2003-Ohio-5649, 2003, 8th Dist. Court of Appeals
Advocating For Effective
SOLUTIONS IN ESTATE AND TRUST CONFLICTS
At Fried Law Group, a significant aspect of attorney Fried’s practice involves advocating and protecting vulnerable clients, particularly the elderly or those unable to defend themselves, from financial exploitation. He handles cases of undue influence where individuals may have been taken advantage of in the process of estate planning, the creation of beneficiary designation, and challenging trusts and beneficiary designations to protect his clients. He also tackles breach of trust issues such as trustees mismanaging funds or failing to maintain necessary communications, often referred to as “breach of trust.” Not all claims are well founded, and therefore, Mr. Fried also spends a significant portion of his practice defending fiduciaries and unfounded claims of undue influence and lack of capacity.
When dealing with estate litigation, attorney Fried handles complex cases involving high-net-worth families, individuals, and closely help companies. Given the complexity and emotional charge often involved in family inheritance claims, attorney Fried diligently works to create strong, coherent stories or arguments. His goal in doing this is to ensure the case is understandable and persuasive to others, such as judges or juries, especially when there are conflicting versions of events presented by the other side in the dispute.
RESOLVE YOUR ESTATE DISPUTES
With Effective Guidance
If you are facing complex estate or trust litigation issues, Attorney Fried has a firm grasp of working through these issues effectively and efficiently. Offering consultation to clients and counsel, including subjects of strategy and value. His goal is to empower you with the information you need to make informed decisions on all major aspects of the case. Through his legal knowledge he provides guidance, helping you make the right decisions for your case. Call Fried Law Group, at 216-930-5777 or complete the online contact form to speak with an experienced estate dispute lawyer.
Over 25 Years
Of Proven Experience
Having worked at a larger firm since 2000, attorney Fried brings over 24 years of extensive experience and knowledge to estate and trust litigation disputes to clients in the Cleveland metro. He established his firm Fried Law Group, in 2024 with a mission to resolve and guide clients in legal disputes with professionalism, skill and integrity.
Fried actively contributes to the legal community, including participation on the Ohio State Bar’s electronic wills task force, public speaking, publishing in the Probate Law Journal of Ohio, and engaging in scholarly activities such as lectures and authorship.
As a lawyer, he is passionate about the topic of financial exploitation and the aging community and has provided testimony against an Ohio Bill.
Awesome Tour
What We Do
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GET THE GUIDANCE YOU NEED
CONTACT US
3201 Enterprise Parkway Suite 350
Beachwood, OH 44122
216-930-3700