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15 Mar, 2023 by David
Matt was retained to represent my father in two DUI cases. Having never been involved in the legal system, I knew nothing about what to expect. Matt held our hands and provided guidance every step of the way. There was never a time where I didn’t know where things stood or what was coming next. It was very comforting to have Matt by our side, and to know that he truly had my family’s best interest at heart. I can never think Matt enough for what he did to help us through this process. When it comes to dealing with such a situation , the level of trust in your attorney is paramount. This trust was established right from the start, and never wavered throughout. Matt did an absolutely fantastic job, and I will always be grateful for his services. My wife and I will be utilizing Matt to take care of some other family matters in the near future. my utmost recommendation to anyone else out there that may be looking for counsel that Matt should be your choice
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31 Oct, 2021 by Louis t. biesuz
An extremely sharp Lawer, but most important is the fact that he's a good human being ! Unlike most Lawers, he does what he says he will do and he does it when he says he will do it ! I Personly Highly Recommend this Man ! -- Louis T. Biesuz, Export Pa.
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23 Nov, 2020 by Andrew
I hired Matthew to represent me during the most stressful time of my life. The way he communicated and explained the situation to me was unparalleled. He made sure i understood exactly what the possible outcomes were and there was never any doubt,confusion or uncertainty heading into my arraignment. I have dealt with attorneys in the past who treat clients like cattle and explain the situation like a telemarketer reading a pre written script. Also thought i should mention that Matthew has the most soothing voice on gods green earth and i wish i could hire him to sing me to sleep every night. The man should have his own radio/TV/YouTube channel or release his own Christmas album and put Michael Buble out of business!
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08 Feb, 2023 by Anonymous
James did an excellent job advising me and preparing my estate planning documents. I strongly recommend hiring Attorney James Horchak for your estate planning needs.
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23 Jul, 2014 by Pete
I had Jim do my will, some estate planning and tax advice He directed through issues and potential pratfalls I would never have identified or been able to work around. I am very very pleased and recommend him highly.
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12 Oct, 2013 by Anonymous
Everything was handle professionally. Jim did everything in a timely manner. He was very informative and knowledgable.
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31 Jan, 2018 by Lori
I had Dante Bertani represent me 10 yrs ago, and he was amazing! Now, I find myself in need of a great attorney with BACKBONE that isn't afraid to stick up for you, and I would hire no one but Mr. Bertani! He treats you like an equal, and the first thing out of his mouth isn't "how much money you got?" He sincerely cares.
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23 Sep, 2012 by Rebecca
Attorney Dante G. Bertani is the best attorney in the state of Pennsylvania no matter what type of legal matters/problems you may have. He has been our family attorney for almost 30 years, and has represented us in a number of different legal problems. He always was and is and will continue to be the very best there is. No one else will ever hold a candle to him.
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15 Jun, 2020 by Suzanne
Scott prepared our wills and powers of attorney quickly and for an affordable price. He came to the house and took care of everything for us. I highly recommend him!
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15 Jan, 2018 by Terri l. demelio
Attorney Pardis helped me with a law suit. She was honest, fair, very thorough and I felt confident in her hands. I was very pleased with the outcome and impressed with her knowledge and dedication she showed to my case.
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28 Sep, 2016 by Juliane n crawford
Mr. Sweeney has helped me on many occasions whether it was changing or fixing a sentencing from the judge, postponing a court date for me, explaining to me what the sentence was and what the next step should be or explaining to me what I can do to solve the issue myself. He always returns my phone calls promptly and he is very reasonably priced. I have hired Mr. Sweeney on multiple occasions and I have called him for advice. He once had my sentence changed from 1 to 12 months to parole after 30 days and I was able to leave the jail that day on parole. I would strongly recommend his services to anyone that ends up in a bind and needs a good time efficient lawyer. I call him if I ever have any issues and I know that my problems will immediately be handled.
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13 Mar, 2013 by Sandra
Eric Bononi helped set up an S-Corp for my new business a few months ago, and he helped make the entire process quick and easy. He did it for less than I had originally budgeted too. He took time to answer my questions. His experience allows him to provide consulting on many aspects of running a business. He is well worth the investment.
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25 May, 2014 by Anonymous
Office and stafff was very helpful. i have had attorneys in the past and it was always difficult to get calls returned. Not with Mr> Lucas, he was very responsive. He did a very good job of explaining things to me and I always felt prepared for all court proceedings.
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31 Mar, 2015 by Anonymous
Brian has handled many legal matters for me, my family, and friends. I refer anyone who ask me about legal help to Attorney Cavanaugh because I can trust he will give them professional and honest advice.
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04 Jul, 2024 by Matthew
Could not be more disappointed in the effort. It’s one thing to get a raw deal from a very broken system. It’s another to feel like your attorney couldn’t care less.
You would think that before a conversation with your client, you would have done some prep and know the broad strokes of the case…. When you have tell your attorney how long your marriage was over and over again, it just sends an “I don’t care” message to your client. At least the first 3 times we spoke I had to tell her the length of marriage. Dealing with the issue of spousal support, where length of marriage is a key factor, you would think that you would not have to answer that question repeatedly. I know this to be true, because it stuck in my mind. I started having 2nd thoughts during each of the first couple conversations. Didn’t get the sense she cared one bit about the case.
We had a meeting scheduled several days prior to a court hearing. 1pm she was to call me. I sat around for hours. No call. Now she claims that she called and nobody answered. Well I have no missed call. I have no voicemail. I have no email. No communication whatsoever until 7:30am, on the day of the hearing, 5 days later. Zero effort made to contact me in the 5 days between the scheduled call and meeting.
After that January date until the next scheduled hearing, in April, we did not have a single conversation. I wasn’t even sure I was still being represented at that point. I had already become indifferent as to whether or not she would be at the next hearing. I get a call at 4:30pm the day prior. It’s not her paralegal. It’s not my attorney. It’s another attorney from the firm who I worked with on a different case. I had more contact with him during the hearing than I did with my attorney of record. Matter of fact, from January on, even past that April date, we didn’t have a single conversation where privilege would attach. Because we never communicated.
Just absolutely unbelievable… you can’t guarantee results, but you will never get results if you fail make any effort. I know opposing counsel is digging into my finances and anything he can get his hands on. I couldn’t even get my attorney to request a copy of my wife’s unemployment claim, even with an easy in to the claim as a personal friend of mine is a supervisor with PA Unemployment office and I just simply needed to have an official request. Sounds like “inadequate discovery” to me….
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20 Jan, 2023 by Todd
Attorney Debra Henry is a wonderful attorney. She is very professional, knowledgeable and truly cares about her clients. I would highly recommend Attorney Henry for your legal needs. Her staff is also wonderful.
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15 May, 2020 by Jennifer
Debra was the most professional and kindhearted during one of the most difficult times in my life.
She went above and beyond measure to Assist me in the necessary action.
I felt extremely at ease once I placed what seemed so impossible into her hands.
She truly is a wise, tender, yet strong woman
I would recommend Debra to anyone.
She takes care of business. :).
Thank you Ms Henry and your staff :)
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01 Feb, 2016 by S
He handled my grandmother's and our family's estate business as well as some property issues within the family. He greatly enjoyed charging his fees but at the end of the day little to no actual work was accomplished. As a former paralegal, to me, he is representative of the worst stereotype of the term "attorney". I would not recommend him to my worst enemy. Seek other counsel!
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05 Oct, 2012 by Elaine
I have been a client of Mr. Patsy Iezzi, Iezzi Law since October 2011. I had received tax liens from the Internal Revenue Service and PA Department of Revenue in addition to an IRS Tax Court Notice of Deficiency in taxes due. My financial situation was a disaster after my divorce and if my tax issues did not get resolved efficiently, I would lose my assets. I was upset and did not know who to contact to appeal and represent me to resolve my tax issues. I am very happy to state that I chose the right firm when I picked up the phone and contacted Mr. Iezzi. To date, all of my tax issues have been resolved in my favor, thanks to the expertise and timely efforts of Mr. Iezzi. I felt very comfortable and confident working with him. He turned my life around and now I can move on. Mr. Iezzi and his staff are not only professional and knowledgeable but they are people who care and they want to get the best results for you. I don't know how I will ever be able to thank Mr. Iezzi and his staff for the great outcome of the services they provided to me. I highly recommend Iezzi Law for all of the services they provide. They are fair, honest, hard working, and caring people that produce the end results that make you happy.
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01 Oct, 2012 by Anonymous
Patsy Iezzi and his group have been with my family for years. He handled both of my parent's wills and my Mom's trust. He guided us in ways that saved us money. I have always felt that I am in trustworthy and compassionate hands. I have recommended him to others and they have also been very pleased.
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05 May, 2024 by Tom shaner
23 Jan, 2024 by Bernie blystone
John and assistant Susan have been a tremendous help in helping me with all the legal work associated with the death of our mother. Very compassionate and caring. I highly recommend John and staff for your legal needs.
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14 Jan, 2024 by Daniel white
08 Apr, 2020 by Dillon
She was appointed to me through Laurel Legal services. She never once listened to our side of the story, looked at the 10 years of paperwork I acquired through raising my daughter and keeping records of everything along the way. Then when we went to court she treated the opposing lawyer as a friend, saying he is a good friend of mine from outside of work. She was constantly rude, spoke down to myself and my wife and in the end I ended up firing her and representing myself. I lost custody of my child and I DO blame her. She never even tried to listen. Please, find another lawyer. For your best Interest.
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26 Mar, 2015 by Tina
Spend your hard earned money elsewhere on credible, legal representation. But if you enjoy being talked to in a rude, condescending manner, she's your girl! Not to mention her rate of $150 an hour fresh out of law school, however, that doesn't matter when Dad owns the practice. We sought out this firm from a referral (some friend that is) for a family law/custody issue. She spent the first half hour of the consultation reviewing the previous custody docket and reiterating things we already knew. Then offered little advice as to what to actually do? Then proceeding to bluntly say that we were in this situation because we never followed up with the next steps...I thought that is why you pay an attorney so they can cover all these bases. Needless to say, we wasted $150 dollars on an hour long consultation consisting of her going in circles, talking down to us and telling us information we already knew. After feeling inferior and quite stupid, she then extends her offer to represent us. Why in the world would we want the likes of you and the manner you conduct your pretentious self in to represent us?!? Upon leaving, she kindly made a copy of the PA Child Support brochure and gave us that. Most expensive piece of paper I've ever bought. Sadly, I am not done yet. As if our experience wasn't rude and degrading enough, the support brochure she provided us with was for the wrong county. In the hour she wasted our time and reviewed a docket we were all too familiar with, she still couldn't even manage to get the county correct. If you are considering this firm, I'd bypass entirely but if not, schedule an appointment with Old Man Catalano; I am sure he has far more experience and professionalism. Last but not least, don't even bother telling her your name, she wont get it right no matter how many times you say it and most certainly DO NOT try to pay with cash, she can charge $150 an hour for her useless services but can't make change for $160.
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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.
