how to choose an estate lawyer

5 Tips for Choosing A Real Estate Attorney

• 1. Meet personally with the lawyer You should not hire a real estate lawyer based on telephone conversation only. ...
• 2. Avoid a real estate lawyer that makes promises about the outcome of the case ...
• 3. Talk to friends or colleagues who have been through the same situation ...
• 4. Find out the cost ...
• 5. Do not rush the process

Full Answer

How to find a good estate planning attorney?

Mar 13, 2022 · Every estate plan is unique, so choosing an experienced attorney who has worked with clients from different walks of life helps decrease the chances of your attorney running across something that he or she hasn’t seen before. It’s also a good idea to shop around, as some estate planning attorneys charge more than others for the same services.

Where can I find an attorney for a trust or estate?

Oct 05, 2009 · There is no law that prevents an attorney from calling himself an estate planner, even if he has no qualifications or experience in estate planning. If you have a very "simple" estate, perhaps two or 3 years of estate planning experience is enough; if you have a large estate or a complicated situation, your attorney should have at least 7 to 10 years of experience in estate …

Why is it important to select a real estate lawyer?

Dec 09, 2021 · Here are our tips on how to choose an estate planning attorney: Gather Referrals When it comes to choosing an estate planning attorney, checking their referrals is one of the easiest ways to identify whether or not they’re a good fit. One great way to do this is by reaching out to family members and friends for their opinions.

How to find a good real estate lawyer?

Apr 24, 2020 · How To Choose An Attorney That Will Help You With Estate Planning 1. Understand The Specific Tasks Of The Attorney. One of the first tips for you to have in mind when choosing an estate... 2. Ask About Their Field Of Specialization. As much as possible, you’ll also want to choose that lawyer that ...

How to narrow your list of potential attorneys?

1. Have a preliminary phone consultation. Many attorneys will hold a brief interview with you over the phone. Since these take up less time and require less effort than in-person consultations, you can talk to more attorneys this way and use the phone interviews to narrow your list of possible contenders.

What is estate planning?

Planning your estate involves deciding what will happen to your personal property and real estate after you die. The law provides a default scheme for disposing of property, but relying on that involves a lengthy court process and potentially hefty tax consequences for your heirs. The alternative is to plan things out ahead ...

What is the state bar association?

State bar associations often offer a lawyer referral service that enables you to meet briefly with a pre-screened attorney after answering a few general questions about your needs.

Who is Jennifer Mueller?

Jennifer Mueller is an in-house legal expert at wikiHow. Jennifer reviews, fact-checks, and evaluates wikiHow's legal content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. She received her JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006. This article has been viewed 35,595 times.

What happens if you don't have liability insurance?

Without liability insurance, you and your heirs could lose everything.

How long has the attorney been practicing in the areas of Probate, Trusts, & Estate Planning Law?

How long has the attorney been practicing in the areas of Probate, Trusts, & Estate Planning Law?#N#Is [s]he experienced enough to have firsthand knowledge of family and business matters of concern to you?#N#There is no law that prevents an attorney from calling himself an estate planner, even if he has no qualifications or experience in estate planning.

What percentage of the attorney's practice is devoted to Probate, Trusts, & Estate Planning Law?

What percentage of the attorney's practice is devoted to Probate, Trusts, & Estate Planning Law?#N#An attorney simply cannot handle divorces, traffic tickets, and other matters and be an estate planning expert, too. Estate planning is a complicated and sophisticated area of legal practice.

Is the attorney certified as a specialist in Probate, Trusts, & Estate Planning Law by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization?

Is the attorney certified as a specialist in Probate, Trusts, & Estate Planning Law by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization?#N#Although there are many knowledgeable attorneys who have not been certified as specialists, passing the certification exam provides some measure of assurance that the attorney is competent to practice in this field..

Does the attorney offer free (or low-cost) initial consultations?

Does the attorney offer free (or low-cost) initial consultations?#N#Make sure you know the answer to this question so you won't be surprised at your first meeting.

How does the attorney decide what to charge?

How does the attorney decide what to charge?#N#If an attorney or firm charges by the hour, there is a built-in incentive for more office consultations and multiple drafts of documents.

What services are included in the fee?

What services are included in the fee?#N#The more office consultations and legal services that are included, the higher the fee will be.

How much should you pay for your estate plan?

How much should you pay for your estate plan?#N#You need to be careful about the too-good-to-be-true bargains. This decision is too important to look for the cheapest plan you can get. Your estate plan may have a profound effect on your loved ones' lives and well-being.

How many tiers are there in law school?

Just like any other school, law schools that are harder to get into have higher standards and only accept the best students. There are four (4) tiers in the law school ranking system with the first tier being at the top and hardest to get into. Ask the attorney where he or she went to law school. 10.

Do attorneys do estate planning?

There are many attorneys that say that they do estate planning. And of course there are many that do. The real question to ask however is “do they practice exclusively in this area of the law”? Just as there are doctors that specialize in certain areas of medicine such as general practice, cardiology or oncology, there are attorneys that are generalists and ones that limit their practices to a specific area of the law. The benefit to this is that the attorney is much more likely to be abreast of the current law and issues that surround that practice area. They are also more likely to correctly identify areas that could be problems down the road if the proper planning is not done.

How to choose an estate planning attorney?

Another fail-proof way for you to choose an estate planning attorney is to ask for referrals. If you’ve got family or friends whom you know to have recently hired one, phone them. Take the time to ask for suggestions, references, and feedback. If you have particular attorneys in mind, also ask if they know anything about that lawyer.

How many children does an estate planning lawyer have?

For instance, client A may have four children that are all legitimate and recognized. That makes the task easy for the estate planning lawyer. But, on the one hand, client B has three legitimate children, one adopted child, and two illegitimate children. This makes the process trickier. Hence, a good estate planning lawyer should take the time to get to know every client in detail.

What is estate of deceased?

The estate of a deceased person refers to all of the assets that they own at the time of their death. These are generally left to the heirs. But, there are instances when the handing down of these assets get more complicated when heirs contest each other’s shares, especially when there are quite a number of assets to be dived, ...

What is the purpose of an estate plan?

Note that the primary purpose of an estate plan is for you to have full control over the proper distribution of your assets in the time of your death. So, a good estate planning attorney should take the time to get to know more about you, the particulars of your family, and other intricacies, to ensure that all of these are addressed in your estate ...

Is death inevitable?

Death is inevitable for everybody, but the uncertainty lies in the matter of when. The saying does say that death comes like a thief in the night, when you least expect it, or when you may not even be ready for it. While you can’t control when it’s going to come, you can control the effects of your death.

Do lawyers specialize in estate planning?

While estate planning isn’t their area of specialization, because of their knowledge in the field of law, they are still qualified to do this.

What do attorneys do?

Some attorneys work with their clients in different areas of the law. Others focus on one or two specialized areas, such as estate planning or elder care. Because attorneys have various levels of expertise in different areas of the law, it’s a good idea to know what level of estate planning you want so you can find out if the attorney is a good match .

Does the state bar have disciplinary actions?

Generally, each State Bar will post on their website any disciplinary actions that have been placed against a practicing attorney. Check with your State Bar’s website to verify that the attorney (s) you work with do not have any current or pending actions against them.

How many years of experience do real estate lawyers have?

Your real estate lawyer should have several hundred or better yet, thousands of transactions and several years of experience. This means that the lawyer will have pretty much seen it all and can provide the right guidance and advice during the course of your transaction.

What is real estate law?

Real estate and property law also comprise the financing aspects of property, such as mortgages, liens, and foreclosures. If you have purchased or are thinking about purchasing real estate property, whether you are considering a house, a commercial building or a piece of land, you may want to consult with a real estate lawyer in order ...

What is an action in court?

An action in court involves the lawyer’s payment, court costs and other costs. If you have already hired a lawyer from the very beginning, you won’t have this kind of problems anymore. Obviously, hiring a lawyer costs, but in this way you will save much later expenses. Please login to follow content.

Do real estate agents need a lawyer?

Sometimes real estate agents do not have the necessary legal training, and their contracts are usually just standard forms.

How to choose a real estate attorney?

1. Meet personally with the lawyer. You should not hire a real estate lawyer based on telephone conversation only. You will work closely with him on very important issues, therefore, be sure to meet with the person you plan to work with. Check if the lawyer is keen to listen ...

What is the importance of selecting a real estate lawyer?

Selecting a real estate lawyer is a crucial decision to make when dealing with legal matters concerning real estate. All real estate lawyers are not the same, and there is more to selecting an attorney randomly picking a name form the phone book. Since real estate attorneys have different levels of competence, how can you be sure ...

How to get a lawyer?

One of the best way to get a competent lawyer is to ask for recommendation form friends, colleagues or relatives who have been in the same situation . Also, if you know a lawyer in another field or a judge in the court system, ask them to recommend a well respected real estate ...