Finding an Estate Attorney
Estate planning is a highly specialized area of law. When searching for an estate attorney, you must be looking for someone who has years of experience and the expertise to give you the legal service you need for your estate. A reputable attorney will be competent and thorough, making sure there are no mistakes that can be detrimental to your heirs’ inheritance.
Anyone can draft a will, but only an experienced estate lawyer can write and execute a will that will not be the subject of confusion or differing opinions. With an expert estate lawyer, your will be written in a way that leaves no room for varying degrees of legal interpretation. The attorney will guide you in making sure all your assets are accounted for and that they are placed into the correct accounts at the proper time.
Finding the right estate attorney can be challenging. A quick look in the phone book will reveal an overwhelming amount of attorneys who are advertising themselves as experts in estate law. However, these same lawyers may also claim to be specialists in other areas of law, too. In most cases, a lawyer who claims to be an expert in more than a few fields of law is probably exaggerating their experience and competence. If you’re searching for an estate attorney, search for a law firm with years of expertise in real estate law, business law, corporate litigation and family law.
Instead of searching through the advertisements that catch your eye, seek out the estate’s clients. You may even have family or friends who have needed the guidance of an estate attorney. When you ask around, you may be surprised to hear the same one or two names keep coming up in conversation. These lawyers may be worth contacting, especially if your family and friends have used them with great success. If the estate attorney has worked for your family members or friends in the past, you know that they have a solid reputation and are expertly versed in the area of estate law and practice.
You can also check with your county clerk’s office. Usually, the county clerk will have a list of the estate attorneys in the area who handle the estates of your county. Your financial institution may also be able to recommend reputable attorneys. Finally, contact the state bar association. They will have each estate attorney’s track record, so you can see if the lawyer is competent and in good standing.
Looking for an estate attorney by referrals and word-of-mouth is the only way to filter out those law firms and lawyers who’s main focus is to find more clients and make more money. For those lawyers, the main goal is to increase their client base rather than provide top-notch, expert service. Find an estate attorney who is already actively engaged in estate law and focuses their efforts on helping clients. If you do this, you will have found the right estate lawyer for you.
