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15 Sep, 2021 by Anonymous
Makes the estate planning experience understandable and easy. Not only a very knowledgeable person, but someone who actually cares about what YOU need.
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29 Oct, 2020 by Anonymous
Failed to do the most BASIC and vital requirement for an attorney to do and cost me FOUR YEARS of time and wasted money for this. WHAT attorney does not do a certificate of service for court documents to prove it was served on the other party timely??? THEN when put to the task of proving to the court, right before trial, he provides a half a** buisness record BUT NO signed affidavit from the person who mailed and filed the court papers to prove it was delivered timely. Having my perfectly good claim barred after FOUR YEARS of work on it only to be dismissed for his failure. This was apparently not the ONLY time he did this in my case which allowed the Judge to not accept his credibility alone with just a business record as proof and no affidavit.
Not organized at all, failed to notify when canceling appointments, did not communicate about conference hearings scheduled or what issue it was regarding, kept having to resubmit documents, constantly a month or more late for scheduled due dates the court set for discovery, minimal work done at last minute, failed to disclose Expert Witness and provide a copy of the report to opposing AT ALL!! There is just too much to tell that I didnt know about because he failed to say anything to me which I had to find out about in opposings response they filed which I had to practically hound his office staff to send to me. Thats another thing, my new attorney that HE recommended to me had to call for my case file repeatedly and NEVER got a complete copy sent to this day, is riduculous. Sloppy and unprofessional work and pray he never does it again to anyone else specially when it is so emotionally charged because it involves a deceased loved one.
His response to the judges decision.....Thats disappointing to hear.
No YOU are disappointing Mr. Melo, the decision was tragic because it should have been an easy case for me to have justice against a thief but your sloppy work caused me to suffer more and a fraud to get away with it.
I say a fraud because later, the opposing party went on to admit in another court case that they lied about my claim never being mailed to them timely and that they did receive it but never opened it and blamed their attorney for not telling them to open it and read it.
No justice. Find another attorney people.
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01 Apr, 2024 by John
Terrible attorney who should have her bar license revoked. No way to get in touch with her as nobody answers the phone or their email accounts.
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27 Jun, 2012 by Jessica
Allyson did a great job of helping us prepare our estate planning documents. She was very good at explaining legal concepts so that we knew what we were doing and didn't get lost in the jargon. She kept us focused, and she and her staff followed up to make sure that we funded our trust and made all of the changes accurately.
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29 Feb, 2024 by Sarah
This guy is knowing and actively participating in a fraudulent scheme and conflict of interest for his client the Wings of Flight Foundation, and two disgraced Board members of the Falcon Warbirds Foundation. As a statutory agent at the ACC for both organizations, on a multi-member LLC with no EIN #.
Using the rejected filings on the ACC filed fraudulently by disgraced Board members, he created a Assignment of the Lease to gain control of a Historical World War II Landmark and instructed the parties to damage what property the Wings of Flight didn't want and take what they did want. Also, he collaborated with the Falcon Field Airport Director to deny the tenant access to their property and this allowed the disgraced board members to destroy evidence of their embezzlement, forgery, and theft.
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08 Feb, 2016 by Richard
Mr. Vasin is an extremely intelligent, thorough and thoughtful attorney. He explained in detail every aspect and resource needed in my case. I would highly recommend him to anyone needing an attorney.
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09 Feb, 2023 by Anonymous
I called this guy to see about writing up a contract for deed as the buyer. Unfortunately, the seller backed out. As I consulted with Mr. Pruett, he took the time to ask questions about my life. He was patient and kind. Everything that he was thinking about (such as trust, etc.), we had already done. He affirmed that we were on good ground and, while concerned about us being covered in our case, was never pushy. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy.
On an additional note, I am appreciative that some lawyers know what some lawyers know. I can't tell them strategy, timing, or anything else. Unfortunately, I have been around the block with lawyers. What I can say is, find an attorney you can trust and then trust them. I believe I can trust Mr. Pruett.
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11 Apr, 2017 by Laura
He wasted my time on a personal injury case. He was charming at first, he wanted my case and he wanted me to be loyal to him, so I was. He kept asking for more information which I provided and he kept putting me off. After several weeks of this, he said he did not want my case. He did not call to tell me. I had to call him to find this out. When I asked him why, he said I had a great case, but his partners decided because I did not want them to call my other attorney who charges me by the hour, and because I wanted to get answers for them, I am the type of person who will want to micro manage things too much. They must have something to hide if they don't want customers too involved.
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23 Jan, 2022 by Robert hoagland
Very professional, friendly and knowledgeable.
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15 Jan, 2019 by Wendy
My father set up a special needs trust fund for me with Attorney Gerald Hunt. My father passed away 5/31/2018. The money in the special needs trust fund is still not available to me as of 1/15/2019. I contacted Mr. Hunt by letter in November of 2018 asking for information that was needed for the Section 8 program I am enrolled in. I clearly specified the information needed for my Section 8 worker and requested that the information be supplied by 11/20/2018. I received no response. I called Mr. Hunt's office in December, asking to speak to him. I was told he was out of the office. I called twice more before a date and a time was set up for me to talk to Mr. Hunt on the following week. In the meantime I received a letter from Section 8 stating that they needed information from the attorney handling the special needs trust fund in order to process my Section 8 information. When I finally talked to Mr. Hunt, for all of five minutes, he agreed to fax the information to Section 8 in a few days. He transferred me to his secretary to take care of setting up the fax number for Section 8. I also asked his secretary to email me a copy of the information sent to Section 8. I also sent Mr. Hunt an email detailing what exactly was needed to be sent to Section 8. A few days later I received a copy of the information sent to Section 8. The information didn't include the list of what the special needs trust fund couldn't be used for, which was the most important piece of information that needed to be sent. I had specified this in my letter sent in November and in the email sent after I spoke with Mr. Hunt. So I had to contact Mr. Hunt's office again to get that information sent to Section 8.
Mr Hunt charges for every contact made to his office. The money comes out of the funds being set up for my special needs trust fund. I am being charged for the November letter that was ignored, the phone calls I made to Mr. Hunt's office and the extra call I had to make so that his office would send the all the information I specified to Section 8.
If Mr. Hunt had responded to my November letter, I would not have needed to contact his office in December, calls I will also be charged for. I don't believe this is ethical.
In addition, in an earlier bill, I was charged for a phone call to his office regarding a dental bill. This is not accurate. I called to see when I would receive paperwork about accessing a special needs trust fund which Mr. Hunt had told me he would send me at a meeting about my father's will held the first week in June. The secretary told me I would receive the paperwork after the meeting with the trustee which was to be held the next day. Not only is the notation on this earlier bill incorrect, I still have not received paperwork telling me how to access my special needs trust fund when it is finally set up.
In letters I have received from Mr. Hunt's office, there have been a number of inaccuracies, including incorrect monetary amounts, incorrect name of one of my Father's accounts which was with Unify Credit Union but was incorrectly called Unity Bank, and address errors. This is not what I would expect from a professional legal office.
I live in Minnesota and Mr. Hunt works out of Arizona, which means I can't just make an appointment and go see him and get my questions resolved. He has not been clear, helpful, or responsive, causing me to have to make unnecessary additional contacts which I will be billed for. I read online that the cost for a simple probate is usually $1,500.00. Mr. Hunt's charges are nearly $2,000.00 so far. I would not recommend this lawyer to anyone.
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28 Jul, 2022 by Null: ɨnđɨffɇɍɇnŧ đɨsŧøɍŧɨøn;vexare
Scammer
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18 Feb, 2017 by Ibe_erica_m m
21 Sep, 2023 by Kenny
A con man hired Denice on his brothers behalf due to the brother having dementia. Power of attorney was already granted to other family members who had been taking care of the brother for years. Denice is now being investigated by the AZ State Bar due to accepting a case where POA already existed as she is deeply unthorough or irretrievably stupid. Maybe it's time to retire Denice.
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03 Oct, 2015 by Lisa
I wholeheartedly endorse this lawyer. She was one of three Tucson attorneys who were recommended when I was caught up in an ugly (and emotionally draining) lawsuit. Denice is thorough, tough and very protective of her clients. She doesn't always tell me what I want to hear but her honest appraisals have been invaluable. It has been a great comfort knowing she's "got my back".
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04 Sep, 2023 by Anonymous
He takes money, then doesn't do the work he was hired to do, doesn't contact you, lies about it, and tries to get away with it.
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11 Mar, 2020 by Mike c
I hired Russell and I recommend him. He understood my situation quickly and gave me concise advice.
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28 Apr, 2024 by Dona m brashear
Elizabeth is awesome, we got a call saying they were gonna repo are motorhome because we had a laps in insurance, which we didn't. But they put forced insurance on us. Saying we didn't make are payments. She fixed everything in 3 weeks and everything has been reversed. I was so scared 67 years old. Never defaulted on a loan in my life. My credit score was gone defaulted on a major loan, was scared I was gonna wind up in the streets. She saved this old man's life. Life is good again thanks to her
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11 Jan, 2023 by Jayne browne
This law firm is a joke. Exorbitant fees and poor service. I am still dealing with the aftermath of the mess caused by them and their poor advice/actions. After years of dealing with them I fired them. Perhaps the addition of Benesch will help.
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30 Mar, 2022 by Josh larson
My grandmother passed away and Trevor White became the executor. I am an heir and was left quite a few things. Trevor White tried to say that items were not left to me and even sent me an email saying that he thought I only wanted those items for my parents, which wasn't true. As an executor, I didn't think it was any of his business what I did with items left to me. I could have chopped them up and burned them and it still wouldn't be any of his business. My grandmother left them to me, not Trevor White. He seems very arrogant and doesn't seem to like to be questioned. I don't trust the guy and I would never hire him for anything.
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28 Apr, 2024 by Dona m brashear
Elizabeth is awesome, we got a call saying they were gonna repo are motorhome because we had a laps in insurance, which we didn't. But they put forced insurance on us. Saying we didn't make are payments. She fixed everything in 3 weeks and everything has been reversed. I was so scared 67 years old. Never defaulted on a loan in my life. My credit score was gone defaulted on a major loan, was scared I was gonna wind up in the streets. She saved this old man's life. Life is good again thanks to her
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11 Jan, 2023 by Jayne browne
This law firm is a joke. Exorbitant fees and poor service. I am still dealing with the aftermath of the mess caused by them and their poor advice/actions. After years of dealing with them I fired them. Perhaps the addition of Benesch will help.
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30 Mar, 2022 by Josh larson
My grandmother passed away and Trevor White became the executor. I am an heir and was left quite a few things. Trevor White tried to say that items were not left to me and even sent me an email saying that he thought I only wanted those items for my parents, which wasn't true. As an executor, I didn't think it was any of his business what I did with items left to me. I could have chopped them up and burned them and it still wouldn't be any of his business. My grandmother left them to me, not Trevor White. He seems very arrogant and doesn't seem to like to be questioned. I don't trust the guy and I would never hire him for anything.
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02 Apr, 2018 by Ken and alicia lund
Neat historic courthouse in southeastern Arizona.
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18 Mar, 2018 by David elkins
18 Feb, 2023 by Christopher ingle
I was opposing counsel on a civil matter. These guys were a pleasure to work with.
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19 Aug, 2022 by Ashley ryan
I couldn't be more impressed with Jay from the Hall Underwood Law Firm. My husband had asked a question on AVVO regarding a situation we were dealing with with and Jay responded very quickly and offered a consultation. We knew immediately after speaking with Jay that we would hire him to help us with our legal situation. Jay always had our best interest in mind and was also very upfront to set expectations through our legal battle which was much appreciated. He was always incredibly quick to respond to our emails which made communication a breeze. It is so hard to find and attorney you can trust that actually cares for you. We can't thank you enough Jay for everything you did for our us. If you're looking for a family law attorney please contact the Hall Underwood Law Firm.
The Cole's
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22 Jun, 2022 by Erica jordan
Attorney Jay Hall took my call as an unscheduled appointment and talked with me about my case, helped me navigate a few potential obstacles and I feel much more prepared to make sure I get my rights heard as well. Thank you Jay, I will recommend you to others.
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19 Aug, 2024 by Rose jones
When I first met with Mr.Coronado I told him I needed someone that would go to bat and fight for me and my son. He did nothing less. Divorce, custody, and severence. All three fought and all three won. I would highly recommend this law firm for their fierceness, kindness and understanding.
100/100
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18 Jun, 2024 by Joseph calagna
I diddnt need it
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05 Jun, 2024 by James wegner
This guy is incompetent as they come. Ask around the mountain before you hire him
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05 Jan, 2014 by Diona
I retained him and met on a couple of occasions, he has failed to keep me informed as to the status of my pending divorce and custody dispute! Doesn't return phone calls, or emails. I wish I could get a refund to retain a true professional to handle my case...
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04 Jun, 2012 by Anonymous
I worked with Mike about eight months ago and had a very positive experience. He was attentive, trustworthy, and extremely knowledgeable. He returned phone calls and emails promptly and always offered excellent advice and counsel. He kept me in the loop at all times and handled my (rather difficult) case with care and confidence. In addition, he is extremely intelligent, kind, and his rates are more than reasonable. I highly recommend him, and would certainly hire him again.
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30 Mar, 2012 by Anonymous
This attorney has done several jobs for me. He handled my divorce and child custody agreement in a very professional and thoughtful manner. He was very prompt when returning all my phone calls and request for information on my case. I also found him to be very knowledgeable. He was kind and caring as well. He has also drawn up my will and updated it. I think that his fees are reasonable and fair for the services that he provides. I will use his services again if needed.
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21 Jan, 2021 by Rob
Roger Curley took my elderly and confused Mother for a complete ride. She and my father had all their legal affairs in order for many many years.
My father died and when my Mother became confused, my sister took her to Roger. My Mother had a will but was told her she didn’t.
My Mother said she never wrote a check to Roger Curley, yet I saw the canceled check. I also have her on tape telling me she had no idea who Roger Curley is; this is after meeting with him.
Any self respecting lawyer who met with an 84 year old woman who resides out-of-state and was just visiting Arizona should have done his due diligence.
But not Roger. I guess money if more important than doing the right thing.
Such a shame.
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20 Aug, 2014 by Anonymous
Roger Curley is the guy bad but wealthy people hire because he knows how to waste time, change the subject, file many losing motions and bill huge fees for losing. he does not mind losing as long as he is paid. My new lawyer told me that there are cases in the law books involving bad moves, like lessons of what NOT to do. his advice to you is based on his guess of how much to make off of you.
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29 Jan, 2014 by Walter
Roger Curley has provided Estate Planning and Settlement for our family since he formed the Curley-Allison law firm. Our estate has involved a myriad of complications that Roger has handled in excellent fashion. We have complete trust in his integrity and ability.
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27 Feb, 2024 by Kayla mckillen
07 Aug, 2023 by Paul boehringer
doesn't understand the 1st amendment
how can you trust him to be your lawyer
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06 Aug, 2023 by Larry kelly
Doesn't understand the First Amendment of the Constitution and violates citizens rights.
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16 Mar, 2022 by Mike
22 Jun, 2020 by Sky boles
Man was so rude he couldn't wait to get off the phone and didn't listen to what I was saying before I finished saying it, two sentences. I asked him a basic procedural question that he said he couldn't answer unless he reviewed my entire case. Whether you can file an appeal in bankruptcy is universal and procedural, it doesn't change "depending on your case". don't waste money on these idiots, they can only lose for you.
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19 Sep, 2019 by Immortal scorpion
02 Dec, 2020 by Anonymous
Do not hire this law firm. They make you feel like you’re not important. They don’t answer calls or emails and months later do not have a simple job they were hired to get done finished. Complete nightmare.
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08 Jan, 2013 by Roger
I had a question about my S Corp paperwork and went to Michael to review that everything was setup. He went page by page and explained what everything meant and why it was important. It turned out that everything was in order and setup correctly but the peace of mind he gave me is invaluable. I highly suggest Michael for any business, estates, and trusts legal advice and work.
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10 Aug, 2012 by Anonymous
When you experience a sudden tragedy in your life, you need to feel that you can trust your lawyer 100% to come through for you. This lawyer is very insidious in getting you to trust him in your most vulnerable hour, making you think he knows what he's talking about. Once he starts billing you (and you start paying him), he loses interest in your case completely, you can't find him or get a response out of him. When you do get advice, it is usually bad advice. His incompetence cost me THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS in expenses I didn't need to incur and another attorney (and more fees) to correct the mess he created with my probate case which I'm still dealing with several years later! Do yourself a favor and stay away from this so-called lawyer.
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02 May, 2019 by Jack
Perhaps Mr.Dolasinski and myself had a misunderstanding of what our needs were regarding our original trust. I was probably a little to critical of Mr. Dolasinski. Mr. Dolasinski wrote me back explaining what needed to be done. After reviewing his notes I do believe his assessment of what the actual cost would be are still to high. I would think since he is the individual who wrote our trust we would be give some consideration on the actual cost. The Health Care Power of Attorney and the Financial Power of Attorney
In my estimation, to have his para legal do this work still would not require the amount of time he suggested. There still is only a couple of lines to be changed on these documents. In my opinion, I could see no more than 3 hours or less to perform these changes. I believe the total cost should be 3 hours or less. The top end of the actual cost should be $750 or less.
Mr. Dolasinski is a capable professional and my review should not prevent clients from hiring him as a Trust Attorney. I am optimistic that we can come to a reasonable solution to take care of our trust.
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22 Dec, 2014 by Anonymous
Thomas Murphy is a clever orator, he knows how to convince and effectively influence others to win and get his way, unfortunately ethics and the concept of right and wrong conduct do not enter the equation. He can manipulate and outmaneuver other people and appear to win an argument but it is all a sham, an illusion, a word spell cast on our minds but most people can't see it for what it is. He believes his own bullshit and spreads lies as if they were truth because he has no correct, solid, firmly grounded foundation in truth and morality. One might opine that these are merely the tools of a professional lawyer and that they are utilized to promote success and survival within our legal system but it is my own personal opinion that when we hand ourselves over to this evil power we let it use us. There is a universal greater than ourselves and any other person and when we choose to manipulate the truth based on personal motivation and gain we remain ignorant of these negative inner capacities and the outer ramifications. I cannot in good conscience recommend this attorney on any level, to do so would be conformity with fallacy rather than the substantive truth and good. He made claim that a conclusion was false without benefit of looking into it honestly, without curiosity, critical thinking or an objective detachment and as a result innocent children were harmed. To me this demonstrated that his logic is not real logic but instead only rhetoric. He chose to ignore the truth and sidetrack the issue because his primary focus was on the presentation, appearance and receptivity of his message instead of putting value in the truth first. I got lost in wasted time trying to convince Thomas Murphy that the truth speaks for itself, instead he lead me down a twisted winding road in an attempt to convince me of his deluded concept of justice.
Inevitably it is my own fault for not looking more extensively into his background and history of issues with prior probate clients but I was in a state of duress at the time, hopefully others will be encouraged to investigate more fully and avoid the same pitfalls.
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02 Jun, 2011 by Anonymous
Tom has had 8 complaints filed with the AZ Bar in the last three years (after 3 years, complaints are expunged). All were dismissed by the Bar, including ours. We ended up going to another attorney to successfully complete our estate settlement. Our concerns included commitments made and not kept, and poor communication with us and opposing counsel.
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15 Aug, 2010 by Thomas
In my mother's probate and I was the benefactor of a Trust, Murphy faced a unique and nigh impossible situation. I guess I should not complain as I financially did well, but he made very important decisions on his own and played very annoying games.
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11 Sep, 2021 by Bryan riggs
Public records show this lawyer committed professional misconduct in 2009
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12 Mar, 2020 by Melinda ihlenfeldt
No call back
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20 Dec, 2019 by Nick riekens
These are reason I have dropped Michael as a lawyer and I suggest anyone currently using him for court do the same before he screws your case up as badly as mine has been.
1)Failure to arrive on time for meetings to discuss with client the case.
2)Failure to respond to emails and telephone messages from client.
3)Failure to inform the client of changes to the court dates.
4)Failure to communicate with other attorney as asked for by the client.
5) Failure to act on clients multiple requests to file certain things at certain times.
6)Requests things to the judge that the client never asked for and or requesting the opposite of what the client asked.
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10 May, 2018 by Anonymous
Very poor at filing we are in the process of getting evicted for a home that were purchasing under a land sale contract he let it go through the court as an eviction when it should have went to Bisbee as a foreclosure now we have an eviction on my record for a years thanks to his mess ups
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14 Oct, 2016 by Stacye
Mr. Allred was hired to do a judicial foreclosure. It was a very simple matter that he was paid for in advance to file a form and appear in court. We hired him 11/2015 to complete this matter and as of 10/14/2015 we are still awaiting our deed. He lied 3 different times saying that he had filed paperwork that he had not filed and was awaiting the court/the recorder/the treasurer to get back with him so he could proceed. Follow up calls to the court clerk, the court recorder and the treasurers office all proved that he had not done anything on our behalf. Only when confronted with the fact that he had lied were we able to get him to do the job that he was paid in advance for and repeatedly lied about doing. If you need an attorney in Cochise County Arizona, I strongly recommend that you DO NOT use Justin Allred
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15 Mar, 2017 by Anonymous
I hired Anne to do some estate planning for my parents. The advice she gave them was totally opposite from everything I had been told by other attorneys while doing my own estate planning. I asked her to clarify some thing and she became flippant and condescending. My parents didn't want to go through another consultation so we ended up using her. I was extremely dissatisfied with the end product and would absolutely never use her again.
On a side note, when we first showed up for the appointment, I honestly thought she was the cleaning lady for the office. It's hard to trust someone with all of your legal needs when they look like they couldn't be bothered to even change out of their at home lounge around clothes for work.
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01 May, 2013 by Anonymous
Not prepared to represent in routine custody case. Ann met with judge and apposing counsel in initial closed door session BEFORE case and agreed to all of the terms we'd spent months preparing to address. Outcome could have been what was in best interest of kids if only she'd let me know up front that she just didn't have the ability to prepare for and represent basic custody case.
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16 Sep, 2020 by Amy
Unfortunately, I would not recommend hiring Ivy L. Kushner for your Family Law case. This past year was by far the most difficult and demanding year of my life. I hired Ms. Kushner to represent me in a custody case that I was subjected to.
From day one Ms. Kushner appeared to be professional, compassionate and trustworthy. She listened to my case details and appeared to have a real understanding of what I would be up against. She also took the initiative to come to my house for our initial consultation. After a few weeks, and once the retainer fee had been cleared, it was clear to me that her only interest was to settle the case and not provide services that was in the best interest for me and my daughter.
During the original conference, the topic of back child support came up. As I had already provided her with the calculations and breakdown of how much was owed, she was more than aware that back child support was due. When the topic was brought up in the meeting, she asked my ex and his attorney to leave the room. She then turned to me and said, “sit down, and shut up.”
I am still in disbelief of the lack of professionalism displayed from that comment. Those words have stuck with me to this day. It made an already difficult situation that much worse.
I was extremely open with her about the domestic abuse that occurred throughout the relationship, which ultimately left me with no choice but to move my daughter and myself out of the toxic environment. However, she completely disregarded it. With this understanding, greater detail should have been put into place to protect not only myself, but my daughter as well.
Due to the abundance of mistakes throughout the document and severe lack of attention to detail, it not only has caused significant issues, but the financial burden it has caused in order to fix the document is incomparable.
I felt forced to sign a document that I clearly was not comfortable with. I presented Ms. Kushner with a red line document highlighting everything that I did not agree to. Rather than taking the time to address my concerns, it was clear the main objective was to close the case and move on. I understand there is an emotional barrier that occurs over the years in this profession, however the outcome not only effect the next 13 years of my daughter’s life, it effects my life every single day. I do not believe she had our best interest in mind.
I am now finding myself going through this extremely difficult and stressful situation once again to correct the mistakes.
I hired Ms. Kushner because I do not know the law and needed guidance on the legal aspects of my case. I hold a high level of expectation for someone with her level of experience, both ethically and professionally – I feel as though I did not receive either.
I just wanted to take a moment to provide feedback from my experience because I do not want this to happen to another single mom.
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18 Mar, 2015 by Janet
Mr Cooley represented the Trustees in my Father' s family Trust. He had little regard for the concerns of the Beneficiaries and was unresponsive to requests for Information and explanations. He did not do a very good job in explaining to the Trustees the importance of keeping good records and actually denied me access to accounting records when requested. He seems to be semi retired which may explain why he is not very responsive.
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15 Feb, 2017 by Anonymous
Horrible lawyer. He is a bully! He absolutely did nothing. He should not be practicing in family law. I tried several times to try and get a hold of him during my case.
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30 Jan, 2021 by Anonymous
Hired to handle probate and all together bad advice and end up losing and not receiving what was a clear cut. Over billing, and unethical. Complaint to AZ State Bar Association and won. Recovered a portion of expenses but the damage from lack of knowledge is priceless.
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25 Feb, 2022 by Veronica
Ryan was handling a PI matter against Emerald Springs for our deceased friend's estate. She was seriously injured on her way to a doctor's appointment in the facility's van. I am one of her executors. When the other executor went to his office to discuss the status, his office was shut down and his name was off the door. We have no idea where he is or where our file is. Not sure how to go about finding him and getting our file so we can give it to another lawyer to handle. She's been deceased since October 2020 and he has done nothing except send a few letters. We need our file. I've been in the legal field for 30+ years in Connecticut and Ryan is the worst attorney I have ever had dealings with. If my friend hadn't started the PI work with him, I would never have hired him.
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09 Dec, 2021 by Darlene
I was referred to Sandra Gardner by another attorney as I needed someone to handle my interest as a beneficiary of my mother's trust. She was nice, quoted me a fee and told me she would send out a contract to sign and a copy of the demand letter and for me to email her all the contact information, which I did. It was the holiday weekend so I gave her a week to get back to me. After emailing her and going through the website, she finally emailed back and said she was sick, but if I still wanted to use her services, she would draw up the letter and have it for me the next morning. She never sent anything nor answered my email letting her know that I did not receive anything. If she didn't want to handle my case, she should have told me. I did contact the original law firm that referred her and let them know that it's reflects poorly on their law firm referring people who are flakes.
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18 May, 2015 by Barbara
My husband's conservator, the firm of Fiduciary Solutions, is awful. She represents them and both my husband and I live in the State of Georgia. She in Arizona constantly files bogus court documents, has spread vicious rumors about me the wife, and has never responded to any calls or e-mails, She does talk to my husband's ex-wife and totally believes the ex who has no contact with us in years. She is young and not very savvy. Horrible service to the "ward" who is ill and doesn't even live in Arizona.
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FAQs
Questions? We have answers
What an Estate Planning Lawyer Can Do for You
An estate planning lawyer helps individuals plan for the management and distribution of their assets after death or during incapacitation. Their services involve drafting important legal documents, such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives. Estate planning attorneys work to ensure that your assets are transferred according to your wishes, minimize tax liabilities, and avoid probate court. They also help clients plan for potential long-term care needs and protect their estate from being diminished by healthcare costs.
By working with an estate planning lawyer, you can have peace of mind knowing that your loved ones will be cared for and that your estate will be managed efficiently and according to your desires.
When Should I Hire an Estate Planning Lawyer?
Hiring an estate planning lawyer is beneficial in many situations, especially when you want to ensure that your assets are handled properly after death. Common reasons to hire an estate planning lawyer include:
- Drafting a will: If you want to clearly define how your assets will be distributed after death, an attorney can draft a legally sound will.
- Creating a trust: For those looking to avoid probate or provide for loved ones over time, setting up a trust can help manage the distribution of assets.
- Planning for incapacity: An estate lawyer can help draft powers of attorney and healthcare directives so that your financial and medical decisions are made by someone you trust if you become incapacitated.
- Minimizing estate taxes: If your estate is large, a lawyer can help create strategies to reduce or eliminate federal and state estate taxes.
- Special circumstances: If you have minor children, blended families, or complex assets like businesses, an estate planning lawyer can create tailored solutions.
- Guardianship or conservatorship: If you want to designate guardians for minor children or ensure proper care for incapacitated adults, an attorney can help.
Hiring an estate planning lawyer is especially important if your estate is complex or if you want to ensure that your wishes are properly followed.
What Does an Estate Planning Lawyer Do?
An estate planning lawyer provides a range of services designed to help you organize your affairs and ensure your estate is managed according to your wishes. They can:
- Draft wills and trusts: Creating legally binding documents that dictate how your assets will be distributed and managed.
- Create powers of attorney and healthcare directives: Appointing someone to make financial or medical decisions for you if you become incapacitated.
- Minimize taxes: Developing strategies to reduce estate taxes, gift taxes, and other financial liabilities for your heirs.
- Help avoid probate: Structuring your estate plan to avoid probate, which can save time and money for your beneficiaries.
- Advise on long-term care planning: Helping you plan for potential healthcare needs in the future, including Medicaid planning and protecting assets from being depleted by nursing home costs.
- Assist with beneficiary designations: Ensuring that life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and other financial instruments are correctly designated.
- Handle probate and estate administration: If a loved one has passed away, an estate planning lawyer can help guide you through the probate process or act as an executor.
How Are Estate Planning Lawyers Paid?
Estate planning lawyers typically charge for their services in one of several ways, depending on the complexity of your estate and the type of services you need. Common payment structures include:
- Flat fee: Many estate planning services, such as drafting a will or trust, are charged on a flat-fee basis. The fee covers all work related to preparing the document.
- Hourly rate: For more complex planning, such as estate tax strategy or trust administration, lawyers may charge by the hour. Rates vary based on the lawyer’s experience and location.
- Retainer: Some lawyers require a retainer for more complex cases, such as ongoing trust management or estate administration. The retainer is an upfront payment that covers future legal services.
It’s important to discuss fees with your lawyer upfront to avoid unexpected costs.
How Much Does an Estate Planning Lawyer Cost?
The cost of hiring an estate planning lawyer depends on the complexity of your estate and the services you require. Here are some general guidelines:
- Simple wills or powers of attorney: A straightforward will or power of attorney may cost between $300 and $1,500, depending on your location and the lawyer’s experience.
- Trust creation: Establishing a trust, such as a living trust or revocable trust, can cost between $1,000 and $3,000 or more, depending on the complexity of your assets and estate planning needs.
- Comprehensive estate planning packages: Some lawyers offer packages that include wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives, which may range from $2,000 to $5,000 or more, depending on the estate’s complexity.
- Hourly rates: For ongoing services like estate administration or tax planning, lawyers may charge hourly rates ranging from $150 to $500 or more, depending on the lawyer’s experience.
Always get a clear estimate of costs during your initial consultation to ensure the services fit within your budget.
Top Questions to Ask an Estate Planning Lawyer
Before hiring an estate planning lawyer, it’s important to ask questions to ensure they are the right fit for your needs. Here are key questions to ask during your consultation:
-
What is your experience with estate planning?
Ensure the lawyer has substantial experience drafting wills, creating trusts, and handling other estate planning services. -
How will you charge for your services?
Clarify whether the lawyer charges a flat fee or by the hour and ask for a detailed estimate of costs. -
What strategies do you recommend for my estate?
A good lawyer should be able to explain the best strategies for minimizing taxes, avoiding probate, and ensuring your assets are distributed according to your wishes. -
How often should I update my estate plan?
Ask how frequently you should revisit your estate plan, especially if your financial situation or family dynamics change. -
Do you offer ongoing support or updates?
Some lawyers provide periodic reviews or updates to ensure your estate plan stays current with changes in your circumstances or the law. -
How will you help my beneficiaries if something happens to me?
Ensure the lawyer is willing to guide your heirs through the estate administration process or help manage your trust after you’re gone.
How to Check the Credibility of an Estate Planning Lawyer
To ensure you’re hiring a credible estate planning lawyer, follow these steps:
- Verify their state bar license: Check with your state bar association to confirm that the lawyer is licensed and in good standing, with no history of disciplinary actions.
- Look for estate planning certifications: Some lawyers are certified as estate planning specialists, which indicates they have extensive knowledge in this area of law.
- Read client reviews and testimonials: Online reviews on sites like Avvo, Google, or Martindale-Hubbell can provide insight into the lawyer’s professionalism and client satisfaction.
- Ask for references: A credible lawyer should be able to provide references from previous clients who can speak to their expertise and client service.
- Check for membership in professional organizations: Lawyers who are members of organizations like the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) or the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) often have a strong reputation in the field.
What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?
To get the most out of your first meeting with an estate planning lawyer, it’s important to come prepared. Here’s what you should bring:
- List of assets and liabilities: Provide a detailed inventory of your assets, including real estate, bank accounts, retirement funds, investments, and personal property, as well as any debts you may have.
- List of beneficiaries: Be ready to discuss who you want to receive your assets and in what proportions. This includes naming guardians for minor children if applicable.
- Existing estate documents: Bring copies of any existing wills, trusts, powers of attorney, or other relevant estate planning documents.
- Questions about your estate goals: Write down your goals, such as avoiding probate, reducing taxes, or setting up charitable donations, so your lawyer can tailor a plan to meet your needs.
- Information on medical and financial decision-makers: Be prepared to discuss who you want to appoint for healthcare and financial decisions if you become incapacitated.
By being well-prepared, you can ensure a productive consultation and begin building a comprehensive estate plan that meets your needs and protects your loved ones.
