Waters Sullivan Available

Waters Sullivan operates with an intentional, narrow focus rooted in private wealth planning, fiduciary counseling, and probate law. Founded by attorney Kristin R. Waters—a Birmingham native admitted to the Alabama State Bar in 2006 who holds a Master of Laws in taxation—the practice bypasses general legal representation to concentrate on the mechanics of intergenerational asset transfer and protective legal structures. Rather than running a broad docket, the firm limits its caseload to wills, living trusts, tax planning strategies, and the high-stakes disputes that surface when family agreements or fiduciary appointments are contested in probate court.

Every estate plan begins with a thorough evaluation of personal property, real estate holdings, tax exposure, and beneficiary designations. The firm drafts clear foundational instruments, such as wills, durable powers of attorney, and advance healthcare directives, while also building multi-tiered revocable and irrevocable trusts. When conflicts arise over fiduciary accounting or the validity of a will, the practice provides assertive courtroom representation across Alabama for both challengers and defenders. Each legal instrument undergoes sequential checks against the Alabama Uniform Trust Code and regional probate filing requirements to ensure durability against future challenges.

Beyond routine planning, the office frequently navigates sensitive protective proceedings, including petitions for adult guardianships and conservatorships for vulnerable family members who can no longer advocate for themselves. Fiduciary representation is also an ongoing priority, guiding appointed executors and trustees through statutory notices, asset inventories, and distribution accountings to shield them from personal liability. A practical operational distinction of the firm is its payment flexibility; in addition to transparent flat fees for planning documents and structured hourly rates for litigation, the practice provides deferred arrangements and sliding-scale fee options to keep counsel accessible.

Prospective clients initiate engagement through dedicated estate planning or probate intake channels, with the office maintaining a firm policy of responding to all inquiries within one business day. Consultations are scheduled between Monday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with half-day availability on Friday mornings at the firm's 20th Street North office in downtown Birmingham. Before arriving for an initial case assessment, clients are instructed to compile current property deeds, recent financial account summaries, existing estate documents, and a written list of designated fiduciaries, allowing the legal team to immediately identify asset titling discrepancies or outdated beneficiary designations during the first session.