BIOGRAPHY

Dana Dwiggins is a member of the firm’s management committee and former managing partner of the firm, where she focuses her practice primarily on probate and trust litigation, small business litigation, trust and estate administration, guardianships and trust and wills. She routinely represents heirs, beneficiaries, creditors and private and professional fiduciaries in both contested and uncontested matters affecting all aspects of trusts and estates. Dana has substantial experience litigating matters involving complex claims for breach of fiduciary duty, including claims relating to allocation of investments, accounting discrepancies, valuation of businesses and other assets, sale of assets, estate and income taxes, distributions and Nevada’s Uniform Principal and Income Act. Additionally, she litigates claims involving testamentary and contractual capacity, undue influence, fraud and unjust enrichment. 

Dana’s experience also extends out of court, where she has successfully negotiated settlements for clients involving complex trust and estate matters. She assisted the firm in negotiating a settlement that netted the firm’s client $50 million. Dana’s litigation experience extends to not only state court but federal court as well, at both the trial and appellate levels, including case assessment, motion practice, hearings, discovery, depositions, trial, settlement conferences, mediations and appeals. She has also successfully argued before the Nevada Supreme Court.

Dana also represents and assists personal representatives in handling all aspects of the administration of probate and trust estates. In connection with the same, she works closely with accountants to ensure the timely filing of trust and estate tax returns, preparation of accountings, the preparation of inventories and the distribution of trust and estates.

Dana is a member of the State Bar of Nevada, where she served as the chair of the Probate and Trust Section for 2020 and 2021. She is also a member of the Client Security Fund for the Nevada State Bar. Additionally, she is a member of the American Bar Association, Clark County Bar Association and Southern Nevada Association of Women Attorneys.

EDUCATION

• McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific, Sacramento, California
• Juris Doctorate – 1999
• Honors: Order of the Coif
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada
• Bachelor of Arts – 1996
• Major: Political Science
• Major: Criminal Justice

CLASSES/SEMINARS

• Nevada Probate Process from Start to Finish, Nevada Business Institute, June 2023
• Estate Administration 101, National Business Institute Seminar, May 2023
• Estate Administration: Final accounting Do’s and Don’ts, National Business Institute, March 2023
• Estate Administration: Final account Do’s and Don’ts for Paralegals, February 2023
• Advanced Estate Administration: Final Accounting Strategies, February 2023
• Estate Administration Final Accounting and Tax Returns: A Step-by-Step Guide, National Business Institute, August 2022
• Estate Administration: Final Accounting Do’s and Don’ts, National Business Institute, April 2022
• Nevada Estate Planning Issues, Nevada Wealth Counsel, National Business Institute, October 2011
• Wills, Trusts and Probate in Nevada, State Bar of Nevada, National Business Institute, June 2007
• Discouraging Family Estate Litigation, National Business Institute Seminar, September 2006

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

• SafeNest, Board of Trustees, Treasurer, Present

• SafeNest, President of Board of Trustees, 2018-June 2023
• SafeNest, Board Member, Chair of Fund and Development Committee, Member of Executive Committee and Audit and Finance Committee, 2014-Present
• G Bank (fka Bank of George), Director, Board of Directors, 2019-present
• Former State Bar of Nevada, Chair, Probate and Trust Section, 2020-2021
• State Bar of Nevada, Client Security Fund, Committee Member, 2018-Present
• American Bar Association, Member, Section of Real Property, Estate and Trust, 1999-Present
• Clark County Bar Association, Member

BAR ADMISSIONS

• Nevada
• U.S. District Court District of Nevada
• U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit

PRO-BONO ACTIVITIES

• SafeNest, Board of Trustees, Treasurer, Present
• SafeNest, President of the Board, 2018-June 2023
• SafeNest, Board Member, 2015-Present
• State Bar of Nevada, Client Security Fund, Committee Member, 2018-Present
• State Bar of Nevada, Probate and Trust Section – Certification Committee Chair, 2010-2015

PUBLISHED WORKS

Attorney’s Fees in Probate Matters — Are Five Percent Fee Agreements Reasonable?

REPRESENTATIVE CASES

• Canarelli v. Eighth Judicial District Court, 138 Nev. Adv. Op. 12, 506 P.3d 334, 2022, Nevada
• Estate of Bowlds, 102 P.3d 593, 2004, Nevada
• Williams v. Security National Bank of Sioux City, Iowa, 350 F.Supp.2d 782, 2005, N.D. Iowa