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Attorney's fees in an estate case must be based on the
reasonable value of the services actually rendered. Dorsett v.
Hughes, 353 Pa. Super. 129, 509 A.2d 369 (1986). Attorneys
seeking compensation from an estate have the burden of
establishing facts that show the reasonableness of their fees and
entitlement to the compensation claimed. In re Estate of
Sonovick, 373 Pa. Super. 396, 400, 541 A.2d 374, 376 (1988).
The number of hours billed by Scott to the estate in this
case is excessive and unreasonable. Under these circumstances we
do not accept the self-serving, uncorroborated evidence of
Tupitza, Scott, and Panepinto. In particular, we have no
credible evidence in the record that details the work allegedly
performed by Scott.
We are not unmindful of the peculiar circumstances in this
case where $115,535 in legal fees billed to the estate by Scott
would pass from the administratrix and sole beneficiary of the
estate (Scott's wife) to the Tupitza law firm and return to
Scott, to be reported on a joint Federal income return with
Panepinto. We are left with the uneasy feeling that Scott and
Panepinto, with the concurrence of Tupitza, engaged in a
concerted effort to generate estate tax deductions to minimize
the estate's Federal estate tax liability.
The proof as to the reasonableness of the legal fees billed
by Scott is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of showing the
nature, character and extent of the services rendered. To be
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