Terms of Service
These Terms of Service govern your use of the Brown Management website and describe the general terms under which we provide professional fiduciary services.
1. Acceptance of Terms
By accessing or using the Brown Management website (brownmanagement.net), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and all applicable laws and regulations. If you do not agree with any of these terms, you are prohibited from using or accessing this site.
These Terms of Service apply to your use of the website only. The provision of professional fiduciary services is governed by a separate written engagement agreement, applicable court orders, and the California Professional Fiduciaries Act (Business & Professions Code §§6500–6592).
2. Description of Services
Brown Management is a California Licensed Professional Fiduciary (CLPF #790) providing neutral third-party fiduciary services including, but not limited to:
- Estate administration and probate services under California Probate Code
- Trust administration (liquidating and ongoing)
- Conservatorship of the estate and/or person
- Court-appointed special administrator and receiver services
- Corporate fiduciary and successor trustee services
- Government contract fiduciary services (B2G)
The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or fiduciary advice. No attorney-client or fiduciary relationship is created by your use of this website.
3. Engagement Terms
Professional fiduciary services require a formal engagement
All professional fiduciary engagements are governed by a written engagement agreement executed by both parties. No fiduciary services will commence until:
Written Agreement
A signed engagement letter or court order appointing Brown Management as fiduciary.
Court Approval
Where required by California Probate Code, all fees and actions are subject to court review and approval.
Conflict Check
A thorough conflict-of-interest screening has been completed to ensure neutrality.
Bond & Insurance
Appropriate fiduciary bonds and errors & omissions insurance are in place per California Probate Code §2320.
Brown Management reserves the right to decline any engagement at its sole discretion, including engagements that present unresolvable conflicts of interest or fall outside our scope of licensure.
4. Fees and Payment
Brown Management operates a transparent, fixed-price billing model for most fiduciary services. Key terms:
- Fixed-Price Catalog: Most fiduciary tasks are priced from a published 100-item Fixed-Rate Task Catalog. Prices are set at engagement and do not increase based on hours worked.
- Statutory Compensation: For California Probate (Decedent Estate) matters, ordinary compensation is governed by Probate Code §10800 and is based on a statutory percentage of the estate's value.
- Extraordinary Services: Services beyond the ordinary scope (litigation, forensic accounting, contested matters) are billed at the Strategic Rate and require prior notification to interested parties per Probate Code §10801.
- Court Approval: All fees in court-supervised matters are subject to court review and approval. No fees are final until approved by the supervising court.
- Monthly Advance: A minimum monthly advance of $800 may be required, reconciled annually against actual fees (hourly or AUM-based, whichever is higher).
For complete pricing information, visit our Pricing page or Fixed-Price Guide.
5. Confidentiality
Brown Management maintains strict confidentiality of all client information in accordance with the California Professional Fiduciaries Act, applicable court orders, and professional ethical standards. Client information is disclosed only as required by law, court order, or with the client's written consent.
All staff, contractors, and technology systems are bound by confidentiality agreements. Our technology infrastructure maintains an immutable audit trail of all data access, consistent with the evidentiary standards required for court-supervised fiduciary work.
For details on how we collect, use, and protect personal information, please review our Privacy Policy.
6. Website Use
You may use this website for lawful purposes only. You agree not to:
- Use the website in any way that violates applicable federal, state, or local law
- Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the website or its systems
- Use automated tools (bots, scrapers) to access or collect data from the website without written permission
- Transmit any material that is defamatory, obscene, or otherwise objectionable
- Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely state or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity
All content on this website — including text, graphics, logos, and software — is the property of Brown Management and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from this content without written permission.
7. Limitation of Liability
Website Disclaimer: This website and its content are provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. Brown Management does not warrant that the website will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components.
Professional Services: The liability for professional fiduciary services is governed by the engagement agreement, applicable court orders, California Probate Code, and the California Professional Fiduciaries Act. Brown Management maintains errors and omissions insurance and fiduciary bonds as required by law.
Limitation: To the fullest extent permitted by law, Brown Management shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of this website. This limitation does not apply to liability arising from professional fiduciary services, which is governed by the applicable engagement agreement and California law.
8. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
These Terms of Service are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any dispute arising from these Terms shall be resolved in the courts of Los Angeles County, California.
For disputes related to professional fiduciary services, the supervising court (typically the California Superior Court with jurisdiction over the estate, trust, or conservatorship) retains exclusive jurisdiction over all fee disputes, surcharge actions, and removal proceedings as provided by the California Probate Code.
9. Changes to These Terms
Brown Management reserves the right to modify these Terms of Service at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to this website. Your continued use of the website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the modified terms. We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page when changes are made. For material changes, we will provide notice through a prominent announcement on the website.
10. Contact Information
If you have questions about these Terms of Service or need to discuss any aspect of our engagement terms, please contact us through any of the following channels.