Christopher Ryan

“I would plan for conflict rather than assuming drafting can eliminate it,”

Christopher Ryan · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-25

Ryan advised that parents cannot rely on provisions like no-contest clauses to prevent court battles and should plan for conflict instead.

“an important recipe for conflict.”

Christopher Ryan · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-25

Ryan described choosing one child to control a family trust while siblings also benefit as an important recipe for conflict.

“That arrangement could combine ordinary sibling rivalry with a genuine power imbalance,”

Christopher Ryan · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-25

Ryan told CNBC via email that giving one child privileges such as discretion over trust distributions can deepen preexisting feelings among siblings that a parent played favorites.