Robert J. "Bob" Selsor

Robert Selsor is committed to representing, counseling, and protecting his clients in a variety of estate and trust disputes, including trustee claims, will and trust contests, estate asset recovery, contested guardianships, and a variety of other fiduciary claims at the trial and appellate levels. Bob also regularly advises and guides trustees and beneficiaries regarding ongoing trust administration to help them to avoid liability issues before disputes have fully materialized. He is also an authority on cases involving disinherited spouses, biological heirship and legitimation, as well as church–related trust cases involving departing congregations. By taking the time to understand his clients’ unique situations, Bob uses his extensive experience to craft tailored legal advice geared toward each matter and careful strategies designed to achieve his clients’ goals. His practice is divided approximately equally between plaintiff and defense cases.

Bob has proposed, written, revised and/or co-authored several Missouri statutes relating to trust and probate litigation including those related to no contest clauses, spousal claims, liability of holders of powers of attorney, and notice to beneficiaries of changes in the “situs,” or place of administration of trusts. He is widely published in these areas. His publications have been cited in court decisions and by other practitioners and he is the author of a chapter on estate fiduciary claims in the Missouri Estate Administration Deskbook. The former Fulbright Scholar is also a popular lecturer among Missouri practitioners and is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, where he serves on the Fiduciary Litigation Committee.

Maintaining a diverse geographic practice in Missouri and Illinois, Bob is also often involved in matters in numerous jurisdictions throughout the nation. His practice has also included a variety of international probate and trust matters involving estates in Canada, Central America, the United Kingdom, and the South Pacific.

Bob has tried a large number of jury and bench trials including what is believed to be the largest contested conservatorship in Missouri history, as well as the largest fee award in a trust case against an opposing party. In addition to numerous successful outcomes at the trial and appellate level, Bob has won millions in punitive damages as well, a rare result in this area of litigation. A number of his appellate cases, including those in the Missouri Supreme Court, have helped to explain and shape the law in Missouri in the trust and probate area. In addition, he has served as a mediator in numerous estate cases with claims aggregating over $100 million. He likewise serves as an arbitrator and has provided early neutral evaluations for litigants in both state and federal courts.