Thompson Lawyers In Frantic Last Minute Estate Efforts

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

In the days and hours before his death, lawyers for former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson engaged in a frantic but apparently futile effort to file a new will and make other changes in his estate.
Thompson, who died on Nov. 1, 2015, left a will that had been drawn up over a decade earlier and omitted two of his children by a second marriage.
Records filed in Thompson's estate in Davidson Probate Court in Nashville, Tenn. show family lawyers logged some 90 hours between Oct. 12 and Oct. 28 in an effort to finalize a new will and make other last minute estate adjustments.
The Nashville firm of Waller Lansden Dortch and Davis recently submitted a claim in Thompson's estate for $14,550.20. That actually represented a substantial discount from the firm's regular billing rates which came to $40,526 at an average hourly rate of $450.
Charlie Trost, one of the two Waller Lansden lead attorneys in the case, declined to comment on the filing.
Items listed in the billing include an initial charge for .3 hours on Oct. 12 described as "telephone call with F. Thompson re. appointment to discuss new will."
The will actually filed in Thomson's estate was signed in 2003 and leaves the bulk of his estate, estimated at well over $1 million to his second wife Jeri K. Thompson, who is named as exeutor.
While the will makes awards to the two children from his first marriage, it omits two children, Hayden and Samuel, born after the will was drawn up.
Thompson, a one time Republican presidential candidate and an attorney himself, had a long and successful acting career including a role as Manhattan District Attorney Arthur Branch in the Law and Order television series.
The Waller Lansden billings show that following the initial Oct. 12 telephone conversation, firm lawyers billed as much as 9.3 hours in a single day for tasks including "preparing and editing a trust" on Oct. 16 and 8.7 hours on Oct. 26 for a variety of tasks including "effort to obtain doctor''s signature and preparation of packet to change beneficiary designation" on an insurance policy.
The last entry for Oct. 28, just days before Thompson's death  was for .4 hours for "transmittal letter for Power of Attorney and living will" sent to Nashville's Alive Hospice.
Still other items in the six-page billing statement include "research regarding effect of transfer immediately before death.
Another entry for Oct. 23 states, "preparation of notice of incompetency and research regarding use of powers of attorney."
Thompson, whose net worth has been estimated at $8 million, died from lymphoma. The will was filed Nov. 17. Named in the 2003 will were Thompsons sons by his first marriage, Fred D. Thompson Jr and Daniel L. Thompson, who were awarded $50,000 each.
His mother Ruth B. Thompson was awarded $100,000.
Thompson, a Tennessee Republican, served in the U.S. Senate from 1994 to 2003.