Koslow

Cheryl L. Koslow and Gary L. Effron, beneficiaries of the estate of James Effron, deceased, (Beneficiaries) appeal a probate order denying their application for a citation to remove the Bank of America (Bank) as executor and granting the Bank’s petition for preliminary distribution of statutory attorney’s fees and executor’s commissions.

They challenge on theoretical and practical grounds both customary probate practices fostered by corporate fiduciaries and statutory attorney’s fees. On a theoretical level, they claim as a matter of law statutory attorney’s fees (Prob. Code, §§ 901; 910, subd. (a)) 1 violate the antitrust laws and their application denies due process of law to those affected. As a practical matter, they question the ethical and legal propriety of what they allege to be the customary practice involving reciprocal back scratching between corporate fiduciaries and lawyers in *920 which the lawyer drafting the will is always retained as counsel for the executor. In describing this scenario where the corporation’s only purpose is to perpetuate corporate trust and probate business, they claim a conflict of interest is created causing a breach of the…