William T. Hennessey

• Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
  • Fiduciary Litigation Committee
  • Professional Responsibility Committee, Vice Chair
• The Best Lawyers in America®
  • Trusts & Estates, Litigation, 2011-25
  • Trusts & Estates, 2010-25
  • Business Edition: The Litigation Issue, 2021
  • Trusts & Estates "Lawyer of the Year" in West Palm Beach, 2013, 2016, 2018
• Chambers High Net Worth Guide
  • Private Wealth Disputes: Florida, 2022-24
  • Private Wealth Law: Florida, 2016-21
• AV Rated as independently determined by Martindale-Hubbell
• Florida Super Lawyers, 2008-09, 2012-24
• Palm Beach Illustrated, "Top Lawyers," Trusts and Estates, 2018, 2020-21, 2023
• Jupiter Magazine, "Top Lawyers," Trusts and Estates, 2021
• South Florida Legal Guide, Top Lawyer Florida Trend, Legal Elite, 2011, 2013

• “Ignorance Isn’t Always Bliss…Conflict of Interest Considerations for Trust and Estate Lawyers,” RPPTL 2023, ACTEC 2022, 19th Annual Sophistocated Trusts and Estates Law Institute 2023, and Florida Fellows Institute 2024
• "Shifting Sands: Navigating Joint Defense Agreements in Fiduciary Litigation," ACTEC Fall Meeting, October 2023
• "Professionalism, Civility and Ethic," The Probate Team 2023, Florida Legal Education Council, October 2023
• "Thanks, But No Thanks – The Ethics of Clients’ Gifts," ActionLine, The Florida Bar, RPPTL Section, Summer 2023
• “Attorney Liability Considerations for an Estate Planner Serving on Charitable Boards,” ACTEC Professional Responsibility, 2022
• “The Living Dead: Digging Into the Estate Planner’s Duty When the Client Dies,” FLEA Probate Team, 2022
• “So Gramps Has a New Friend? Ethically Navigating Declining Capacity and the Challenge of Aging Clients,” Naples Estate Planning Council 2023, FLEA Probate Team, 2021
• "Get it in Writing: Letters Every Lawyer Should Have When Accepting or Recommending Fiduciary Appointments," RPPTL Legislative Update, August 2020
• "Who Am I to Say? A Lawyer’s Duty to Assess Capacity in Estate Planning," ACTEC, June 2020
• "On the Hot Seat – Estate Planning Attorney as Fact Witness Ethics and Practice in Probate," Florida Legal Education Association, October 2019
• “Electronic Wills . . . the future of estate planning?,” RPPTL, 2018
• “It Better Be in Writing: the Florida Supreme Court Now requires Lawyers to Make Written Disclosures for Fiduciary Appointments,” RPPTL, 2018
• “How Much and When? The Legal & Practical Considerations of the Exercise of Discretion,” Heckerling, 2018
• “A Tempting But Dangerous Marketing Strategy – Wills on Wheels – Don’t Be Caught By an Unauthorized Practice of Law Claim,” ACTEC, 2017
• “I See Dead People” – Ethics and Malpractice Considerations for a Drafting Lawyer,” FFI ACTEC, 2017
• “Who Controls What? Trusts in Guardianship Proceedings,” ACTEC Fellow, 2017
• "Look Before You Leap! Planning at the Cliff of the Client's Capacity," Ave Maria School of Law Estate Planning Conference, 2016
• "I See Dead People! Attorney Liability and Conflict of Interest Considerations in Estate Planning…From a Litigator’s Perspective,” St. Petersburg/Clearwater Bar Association, 2016
• "Ten Pounds of Duty in a Five-Pound Bag! Attorney Liability and Conflicts of Interest Considerations in Estate Planning,” Pilot Legis Annual Risk Management Conference, 2015
• “What’s Hot in Florida,” An Update From a Litigator’s Perspective, Heckerling Institute, 2015
• “A Primer on Multijurisdictional Practice” or “How to Cross the Border Without Getting Caught,” ACTEC 2015
• “Got Civility,” Lawyer Professionalism, RPPTL Estate and Trust Law Symposium, 2015, and Florida Legal Education Association, 2014
• “Make Love Not War – Guardianship Fraud Prevention,” RPPTL 2014 Legislative and Case Law Update, 2014
• “The Unofficial 2014 Legislative Wrap Up – A Report from the Firing Line,” Collier County Bar Association, 2014
• “Danger, Will Robinson: Ethical and Conflict of Interest Considerations in Estate Planning,” Naples Estate Planning Council, 2014
• “Risky Business: Ethical Considerations for Drafting Attorneys (Part Deux),” Florida Legal Education Association, 2013
• “Thanks, But No Thanks: The Ethics of Client Gifts,” RPPTL 2013 Legislative and Case Law Update, 2013
• “The South Indian Monkey Trap: The Ethics of Client Gifts,” Attorney Trust Office Liaison Conference, 2013
• “Facing Reality: Practical Tips and Tools for the Preservation of Electronically Stored Information (ESI) for the Fiduciary Litigator,” American College of Trusts and Estate Council, 2013
• “Attorney and Fiduciary Liability: Ten Pounds of Duty in a Five Pound Bag,” Florida Bar, 2013
• “2012 Legislative Update: Tales from the Sausage Works,” Palm Beach County Bar Association, 2012
• “You Want to Give Me What? Ethical Considerations for Drafting Attorneys,” Florida Bar, 2012
• “2011 Legislative Update: The Future Ain’t What is Used to Be!” Palm Beach County Bar Association, 2011
• “The First Line of Defense?! Know Your Client, Probate Team,” Florida Legal Education Association, 2011
• ”Strings Attached: Enforcing Your Donor Intent,” 2011
• “Fiduciary Litigation in an Era of Rapidly Changing Technology: Will You Be the Last Samurai?” ACTEC, 2010
• “It Was Right Here – a Little While Ago … and I’m Sure It Said… Lost , Destroyed and Altered Wills,” Probate Team, Florida Legal Education Association, 2010
• “Avoiding the Grinch: Drafting, Enforcing and Challenging Charitable Pledges,” Planned Giving Council/East Coast Estate Planning Council, 2009
• “On the Hook, Ineffective Delegation of Fiduciary Functions,” Florida Bankers Association, 2009
• “Out With the Old, In For the New: Succession of Fiduciaries,” Florida Legal Education Association, 2009
• “Chinks in the Armor – How Much Protection Do Exculpatory Clauses and Waivers of the Provident Investor Rule Really Provide,” Florida Bankers Association, 2009
• “Till Death Do Us Part: Challenging the Validity of Marriage in Probate Proceedings,” Your 2007 Trust & Estate Symposium (Florida Bar), Florida Fellows Meeting, ACTEC, 2008
• “Conflicts Quagmire I: Payment of Trustee Attorneys’ Fees When Defending Breach of Duty Claims,” 2008 Legislative and Case Law Update of the Florida Bar
• “Tangled Web – Attorney-Client and Fiduciary Conflicts,” Probate Team, Florida Legal Education Association, 2008
• “Your 2008 Trust and Estate Symposium – Litigation Under the New Trust Code,” program chair, Florida Bar
• “Conflicts Quagmire II: Recognizing and Addressing Conflicts for Your Fiduciary Clients,” Your 2006 Trust & Estate Symposium of the Florida Bar
• “Uncivil War: Navigating the Minefields of Probate and Trust Litigation,” Wills, Trusts and Estates Certification Review course of the Florida Bar
• “What’s Good for the Goose… Elective Share and Other Spousal Rights,” Wills, Trusts and Estates Certification Review course of the Florida Bar
• “Probate and Trust Litigation: When the ‘Ties That Bind’ Unwind,” Wills, Trusts and Estates Certification Review course of the Florida Bar
• “Be Careful What You Wish For – Gifts to Drafting Attorneys,” ActionLine Vol. XXXIV, Fall 2012
• “Intestate Succession,” Litigation Under Florida Probate Code, (3rd - 13th ed.)
• “Will Construction,” Litigation Under Florida Probate Code, (3rd - 13th ed.)
• “Elective Share,” Practice Under Florida Probate Code, (3rd - 11th ed.)
• “Establishing the Guardianship,” Florida Guardianship Practice (12th ed.)

Professional Associations & Memberships

The Florida Bar's Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section (RPPTL) 

• past Chair
• Past Probate and Trust Division, Director
• Probate and Trust Litigation Committee, past Chair
• Ad Hoc Estate Planning Conflicts of Interest Committee, Chair
• Legislative Committee Chair, 2012-15
• CLE Committee Chair, 2015-16
• Secretary, 2016-17
• Executive Council, 2004-present
• Probate Rules Committee
• Probate Law and Procedure Committee
• Trust Law Committee
• Ad Hoc Jurisdiction and Venue Committee
• Guardianship of Advanced Directives Committee

Civic & Community Service

• Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Executive Committee of Professional Advisors