Many attorneys offer an initial consultation free of charge. Take advantage of this. Use the meeting to determine whether the attorney is honest and forthcoming. Instinctively, some people have the ability to determine an individual’s character within a few minutes of interacting with the person; however, there are a few personality traits that can also tip you off.
For example, is the lawyer looking you in the eye when speaking with you, or is he or she looking at the ground? Remember, people who don’t maintain eye contact usually have a problem with the truth. Also, ask what kind of cases he or she has litigated in the past. If the majority of the attorney’s work has been defending the dregs of society, the attorney (while perhaps a great litigator) may be used to bending the rules to get things done.
Does the Attorney Belong to Any Professional Organizations: Membership in an organization such as WealthCounsel indicates that the attorney you are meeting with is committed to staying up on the latest and greatest estate planning developments. These organizations provide extensive education and networking with peers for their members. Just like you would want to make sure that your doctor is staying up to date on the latest medical advancements if he or she was going to operate on you, you will want to make sure your estate planning attorney is likewise current on the most recent law and planning techniques to protect you and your family.
Ask family and friends for recommendations. Your friends and family are a good place to start because they know you and can anticipate who you would personally like.
At the same time, be wary of possible ulterior motives, especially if you have a relatively large estate and the person you’re asking for a recommendation stands to gain or believes she’ll be listed as an heir. Always carefully vet an attorney before hiring him, even if he was recommended by a close friend or relative.
You may have an attorney you use for other matters. If so, ask her if she knows an estate-planning attorney she could recommend. An attorney would have a good understanding of another attorney’s status, experience, and professional reputation
Looking for a Sacramento estate planning attorney ? The Law Offices of Brian D. Russ is a full-service law firm serving clients throughout the Sacramento region in estate planning and general litigation support. Brian earned a Masters of Public Policy from the Panetta Institute for Public Policy at California State University Monterey Bay (go Otters!), a Bachelor of Arts from UC Davis (go Aggies!), and an Associate of Arts from Las Positas Community College (go Hawks!).
Brian has many published works, including:
Lobbyists Are People Too, and They Should Be Free to Contribute to Their Local Legislative Races
AB 1301: An Attempt to Eliminate Persistent Voter Discrimination
All Wrapped Up and Nowhere to Gogo: Wrap Contracts Meet the Wrapture
A Case for Indexing the Minimum Wage in California: An Analysis of Indexed Minimum Wage Policies in Santa Fe, NM and San Francisco, CA
The California State Assembly: Where the People Dont Matter On the Campaign Financing of Assembly Candidates and the Puzzling Lack of Public Outcry. Call or text me today to discuss your situation: (916) 750-5155. Or send me an email at brian@brianrusslaw.com.