Burns & Levinson announced today that Brian D. Bixby, partner and chair of the firm’s Probate & Trust Litigation Group, has been named a “Litigation Trailblazer” by the National Law Journal (NLJ). According to NLJ, each of the 50 attorneys recognized have “shown a deep passion and perseverance in pursuit of their mission, having achieved remarkable successes along the way.” Throughout his 40-year career, Bixby has earned the reputation as the go-to lawyer for some of the most challenging probate and trust cases, confronting the status quo and shaping law with precedent-setting decisions. At Burns & Levinson, Bixby focuses his practice on all aspects of estate planning, fiduciary administration, and probate court litigation, and is regularly called upon to serve as an expert witness at trials. NLJ noted that, “Many of Bixby’s cases involving trusts and estates are especially complex because the key witness is no longer alive to testify.” In one case involving an estate that had been distributed six years before, the court overturned the will. “The decision was critical because it holds that if a party cannot show that it gave proper notice, the estate can be reopened no matter how long it’s been,” explained Bixby. Looking ahead, Bixby told NLJ he sees “more specialized court sessions that will allow fiduciary litigation to be handled by judges who better understand it.” Alternative dispute resolution is another issue of increasing influence. “Courts are pushing many people to mediation, but the right to a trial should not be impeded,” added Bixby. In addition to chairing Burns & Levinson’s Probate & Trust Litigation group, Bixby serves as co-chair of the firm’s Private Client group. He was a member of the firm’s Executive Committee from 2012-2014. Bixby received his J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law in 1977 and his A.B. from Brown University in 1974.