The Bellosguardo Foundation has been formed, and James Hurley Jr. has been named its initial director pursuant to the will of Huguette Clark.

As initial director, Hurley has completed the organization of the Bellosguardo Foundation by adopting bylaws, naming initial officers and filing necessary governmental documents, including the foundation’s California tax returns.

The following three individuals will serve as the initial officers of the Bellosguardo Foundation: Hurley as chief executive officer, Sheila Lodge as secretary and Robert Emmons as chief financial officer.

The Bellosguardo Foundation has formally retained Price, Postel & Parma LLP as its counsel. Price Postel & Parma has been actively monitoring the New York proceedings from the onset and also has been in contact with the New York Attorney General’s Office, which has been attempting to obtain a global settlement among the different parties.

The Bellosguardo Foundation has also retained Withers Bergman LLP, a New York-based law firm, to assist in representing the foundation in New York probate proceedings.

The next task at hand for the Bellosguardo Foundation’s two retained law firms is to rebuff attempts by the attorneys for the Clark family members, who are contesting the will of Huguette Clark, to attack the legal ability of the Bellosguardo Foundation to appear in the New York Surrogate’s Court and participate in any settlement discussions in New York. The formal New York court proceedings are scheduled to commence on Sept. 17.

— Sheila Lodge is co-chair of Friends of Bellosguardo.