Anthony R. La Ratta

Partner

Overview

Tony serves as Chair of Archer’s Estate and Trust Litigation Practice Group and Co-Chair of the Private Wealth, Estates & Trusts Practice Group. He represents individuals, families, fiduciaries, and financial institutions in complex disputes involving estates, trusts, guardianships, and probate matters.

Tony is frequently called upon to navigate disputes involving competing interests among family members, beneficiaries, fiduciaries, and other stakeholders. His experience includes will contests, claims of undue influence and diminished capacity, contested guardianships, challenges involving writings intended as wills, breaches of fiduciary duty, and estate and trust accountings. He also advises and represents banks and other corporate fiduciaries, executors, trustees, surviving spouses, and intestate heirs.

Clients turn to Tony not only for his litigation experience, but for his ability to bring clarity and practical judgment to disputes that are often deeply personal and financially significant. He works to understand the legal and family dynamics underlying each matter and develops strategies designed to protect his clients’ interests while, where appropriate, pursuing efficient and constructive resolutions.

Tony is also admitted by the State of New Jersey to the roster of court-approved mediators for probate matters and has been appointed by the courts to assist in resolving estate and trust disputes through mediation.

Prior to joining Archer nearly 30 years ago, Tony served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Joseph C. Visalli (Ret.), Judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Cape May County.

Representative Experience

Representing corporate and individual fiduciaries in actions brought by beneficiaries concerning the administration of estates and trusts.
Representing will contestants in disputes over the validity of wills, based on undue influence, lack of testamentary capacity, and similar grounds.
Handling accounting actions and exceptions thereto.

"Hot Trends in Estate Litigation 2026," New Jersey State Bar Association (December 2026)
“New Case Law in Probate Litigation,” Mercer County Bar Association Xtreme CLE (October 2026)
"Developing Trends in Probate Law," COANJ Conference (October 2026)
“Archer Annual Estate Litigation Seminar,” Archer & Greiner, P.C. (2013-2014, 2018, 2022-2026)
“Judicial Accountings in the Probate Part 2026,” New Jersey State Bar Association (February 2026)
"Hot Trends in Estate Litigation 2025," New Jersey State Bar Association (December 2025)
"State of the Camden County Probate Court," Camden County Bar Association (September 2025)
"Dealing with Marginal Capacity: Navigating Problems Facing Independent Adults in Cognitive Decline," American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estates Law Annual RPTE National CLE Conference (April 2025)
15th Annual Probate Symposium," NJSBA Real Property, Trust & Estate Law Section (October 2024)
“Estate Litigation Update,” Mercer County Bar Association Xtreme CLE (October 2024)
"New Estate & Trust Litigation Cases," Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey (October 2024)
"Developing Trends in Probate Law & the Exercise of Judicial Discretion in the Surrogates’ Courts: Understanding the Unique Position of the Surrogate in the New Jersey Judiciary and the Statutes, Cases and Court Rules Which Guide the Operation of the Surrogates’ Courts and the Exercise of Judicial Discretion," Surrogate’s Section’s Annual Convention, Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey (September 2023)
"Recent Developments Facing the Legal and Banking Communities," 35th Annual Real Property, Trust and Estate Law’s National CLE Conference, American Bar Association (May 2023)
"Hot Trends in Probate Litigation," Camden County Bar Association (2003- 2023)
"The Steve & Tony & Friends Show,” 21st Annual Forum: Hot Trends in Estate Litigation, Camden County Bar Association (February 2023)
“Hot Trends in Probate Litigation,” Burlington County Bar Association (2007, 2011-2014, 2021-2022)
"Annual Latest Trends in Estate Litigation," NJSBA (2009 - 2021)
"It’s a World of Tears and a World of Fears: Crisis Management of Estates," Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Spring Symposia, American Bar Association (May 2018)
"Estate and Trust Fiduciary Litigation: Minimizing and Defending Breach of Duty Claims," Strafford (August 2015)
"Recent Developments in New Jersey Law: 2015 Update," NJSBA (July 2015)
"Writings Intended as Wills," CMCBA / Cape May Court House (March 2015)
"Writing Intended as Wills," NCPJ (November 2014)
"Potential Ethical Pitfalls of Estate Practice," CMCBA / Cape May Court House (October 2014)
"Developing Trends in Probate Litigation," COANJ (September 2014)
"Anatomy of a Will Contest: How to Succeed at Trial," Lorman (August 2014)
"What PA Lawyers Need to Know about NJ Estate Practice," PBI (August 2014)
"Estate and Trust Fiduciary Litigation: Minimizing and Defending Breach of Duty Claims," Strafford (July 2014)
"Contested Guardianships: Effective Strategies To Quickly and Confidently Handle These Challenging Situations," NJSBA (July 2014)
"Recent Developments in New Jersey Law: 2014 Update," NJSBA (July 2014)
"Preparing And Trying An Undue Influence Case," ABA (June 2014)
"Ethics CLE Series: Part 1," NJSBA (April 2014)
"Anatomy of a Will Contest: How to Succeed at Trial," Lorman (February 2014)
"Trust & Probate Challenges: Minimizing and Litigating Claims of Undue Influence, Fraud, Capacity, and Mistakes," Strafford (January 2014)
"Special Situations in Estate Administration," NJSBA (January 2014)
"What Pennsylvania Lawyers Need to Know About NJ Estate Practice," PBI (March 2014)

Credentials

Education

Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, JD
La Salle University, BA, maxima cum laude

Admissions

New Jersey
Pennsylvania
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Offices

Voorhees, NJ

Areas of Focus

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Practice

News & Insights

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12.14.2026

Speaking Engagements & Seminars

Hot Trends in Estate Litigation 2026

Estate litigation is constantly evolving. Knowing the latest trends and developments can often mean the difference between winning or losing the cases you handle. Archer partner Anthony La Ratta will be a speaker at the NJSBA’s annual seminar on hot trends in estate litigation....

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09.23.2026

Speaking Engagements & Seminars

14th Annual Estate Litigation Seminar

Join Archer’s Estate & Trust Litigation Group for our 14th Annual Estate Litigation Seminar, a complimentary program presenting a review of new case law and other significant developments on trust, estate and fiduciary litigation from the region and around the country....

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Archer & Greiner Announces New Practice Group Leaders and Office Leadership

09.22.2026

Press Releases

Archer & Greiner Announces New Practice Group Leaders and Office Leadership

Archer & Greiner, P.C. (“Archer”) today announced the appointment of five new practice group leaders and new leadership for its New York and Delaware offices, effective October 1, 2026. The appointments span key areas of the firm’s litigation, transactional, and advisory work and reflect Archer’s continued investment in the leadership guiding its practices, offices, and client teams....

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