In “Warner partner guides clients through challenging probate litigation matters,” Grand Rapids Legal News Editor Sheila Pursglove crafts a compelling profile of David Skidmore, a probate litigator and partner with Warner Norcross + Judd LLP.
The article explores several of Skidmore’s cases, which he approaches as both a problem-solver and a storyteller. A civil mediator with the Kent County Probate Court, he tries to use his skills to resolve disputes without going to court – but doesn’t shy away from the opportunity to support clients in front of a jury.
“Probate litigation is not only about trying to recover lost inheritances, but also trying to prove that damaged relationships were caused by an interloper’s interference and did not reflect the true intent of the decedent,” Skidmore told Grand Rapids Legal News. “It is very meaningful work.
“I find it very rewarding when I can help bring about a settlement that ends current litigation and the threat of future litigation and allows the parties to put the dispute behind them and get back to enjoying life.”
The article showcases Skidmore’s passions outside the courtroom – the arts, theater, literature and singing. He’s performed as a pirate in “Peter Pan,” sung in the chorus of “La Boheme” and had his art work featured in ArtPrize. All of those experiences, he says, inform his work as a litigator.
“I know how to fill the room with my voice and, I hope, make my presentations interesting to the judge or jury,” Skidmore told the publication. “A good probate litigator needs to be a good storyteller, and I think my love of literature helps me in that regard.”
