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20 Sep, 2024 by Raj dhaliwal
Carter law group is very professional. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Attorney Daniel and attorney Aman is very helpful and expert in their field. If you get in accident. Please go to this firm. They fight for you.
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28 Aug, 2024 by Alicia sanchez
I give a high 5 stars to the super friendly, caring, knowledgeable staff at Carter law they are very promp professionals answering all my questions and concerns. I would recommend anyone looking for a Accident lawyer to call Carter law Group.
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11 Aug, 2024 by Mary ramos
Very pleased with the outcome of my case! Dan Carter impressed me with his commitment to me and his ability to get the point across in court. Thanks Dan and the wonderful people at Carter Law Group!!!
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08 Oct, 2024 by America gutierrez
Absolutely amazing experience with Jeff and Mandy. Not only do they take their time with you but they are professional and they help make the process as smooth as possible. Mandy is kind and timely with her reminders and Jeff is a great communicator. His experience speaks for itself and his straightforward attitude doesn’t leave any questions or doubts in the air. We highly recommend their services if you’re looking for an excellent bankruptcy attorney
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02 May, 2024 by Rachel m.
Jeff was extremely knowledgable and helpful to my husband and I while we navigated this stressful time. He was able to walk us through the entire process and answered all of our questions while keeping us up to date on everything going on and what to expect.
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27 Apr, 2024 by Yolanda ceja
I had such a great experience with Jeff Rowe and her assistant. They made me feel comfortable and safe, always responded quickly to my messages. Very professional and friendly. Highly recommended.
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08 May, 2017 by Amy g.
My husband and I hired Mr. Flanigan to handle my in-law's estate planning prior to my mother-in-law's transition into long term care. Despite being an attorney, I had no familiarity with this area of law and we sought out Flanigan's office after several places recommended we speak with him. His staff is incredibly professional and followed up promptly, notifying us as we passed each step in the process. Mr. Flanigan's office offered expertise, guidance and support throughout the process. We intend to hire him again for our own estate planning because we had such a positive experience; I recommend him without hesitation for anyone needing estate planning.
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07 Jul, 2015 by Dee ann
I went through a different attorney to create an Irrevocable trust to do what I thought was Medi-cal planning.
After about 8500 in hourly charges for this and that I was still without Medi-cal eligibility and without the support I needed to do it on my own. A social worker at Interim referred me to Mr. Philip Flanigan and said that she and others there in her office refer clients to him- that his office processes Medi-cal fast. I was happy she did. His staff was super sweet and they were so very accommodating *despite my overstressed nature*. When we got the notification from their staff that mom became eligible- I cant put into words how relieved I was. My regret is not going to Mr. Philip Flanigan first. I will be writing a negative review for the initial attorney. I recommend to anyone out there looking for an attorney with knowledge, experience, and a great staff that will walk you through to the end-- see Philip! He has been a life saver and I cant say enough how thankful I am to have been given his name. Thank you Philip and Staff!
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05 Dec, 2014 by Anonymous
Mr. Flanigan drafted two trusts for my family. I have appreciated his knowlege and expertise in dealing with some hard elderly issue that have come up since the drafting of our legal documents. He always seems to make time to speak with us and his office staff is always curtious and helpful.
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19 Jan, 2015 by Heather
Natalie Nuttall is an excellent attorney. I found Natalie threw my cousin who is an attorney himself in another state. He research many attorneys and found Natalie to be one of the best in her field. Natalie came to be my attorney during a inherentence situation for my father that he could not be in charge of due to his failing memory loss. Once that was done we moved on to a Conservatorship for my father due to his illness. She not only help me with my legal issues , she also helped me find and placed my father in an Alzheimer's facility that would take care of him 24 hours a day. Natalie has always gone above and beyond for me. She anwsers calls , emails right away. Even late at night. Any fears I had she is always there to put my mind to rest. During this very difficult time in my life with my father Natalie has been there for me. She has really become a friend in all of this. I would recommend Natalie Nuttall to anyone with no hesitation she is the best attorney .
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02 Jan, 2015 by Eileen
I cannot praise Attorney Natalie Nuttall enough. She was recommended to me by another attorney, and what a blessing that turned out to be. Natalie is such a knowledgeable, skillful, diligent and intelligent lawyer and her kind and caring demeanor made me feel very comfortable right from the very beginning in a very difficult situation in a case with issues to help me legally protect my mom and the care that she received. She is a very smart lawyer who is honest and straightforward. The day before I had a scheduled court appearance, Natalie was hired and took immediate charge of the situation and accompanied me to court the next day.
Natalie is very sincere, responsive, exceptionally competent and knowledgeable and very understanding. She worked hard to get an excellent result for my case. I cannot praise her enough on the outstanding job she did and the outcome that she made happen. She always made time in her schedule to make sure every issue relating to the case was promptly addressed and well taken care of.
The court proceedings took months with many court appearances and Natalie was always on top of every situation that arose and gave me excellent support and advice. She made sure that court documents were filed early, with plenty of time for the judge to read her papers prior to hearings. She was always readily available and always answered all my questions, explained everything, and always kept me well informed and updated on what was going on throughout the entire case. If she was in court, or with another client, she always got right back to me when I had questions or concerns.
Natalie Nuttall is by far, the best attorney I have ever had. She fought for me every step of the way. She worked hard and got great results on the case. I highly recommend Natalie Nuttall to anyone at any time. In my opinion, she will do the very best job representing you.
Eileen S.
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28 Apr, 2017 by John
In both my personal and professional life, I have worked with many different lawyers with many different styles and in many different disciplines. Mr. Esraelian stands out as one of the best.
He is principled and honest, both in his assessments and, just as importantly, his billing. He knows the law and does an excellent job of explaining the finer points of law in an approachable, straightforward way. Above all, he seems to genuinely care about our wellbeing, which means everything to us.
Can't recommend him highly enough. You absolutely won't be disappointed.
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31 Oct, 2012 by Anonymous
Robyn is great to work with. She has helped us establish our corporation, by laws and keep our minute book up to date. She has also helped us in creating contracts used with customers. Her no nonsense approach to serving clients and putting their needs first is great! Her prices are reasonable and we always feel we are getting more value than she charges us for. I would unconditionally recommend this lawyer.
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14 Oct, 2024 by Vanessa ortiz
I reached out to Law Firm after being involved in a pretty bad accident. I spoke to Gabriela and was very helpful to answer all my questions and concerns. From who I needed to contact to what my next step would be. THANK YOU Gabriela for going over and beyond to make sure that the next process was just that much easier!
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14 Oct, 2024 by Lisseth quintanilla
13 Oct, 2024 by Gabriel valles
Dealing with worker's compensation can be stressful and complicated but I made the best decision by contacting PWMR. Janette kept me informed on my case and was always there to assist me and answer all my questions. I received the compensation I deserved.
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05 Feb, 2018 by Brett
I’m addition to being very kind, caring and understanding, Randolf is very knowledgeable about real estate law and knows how get to the bottom of the situation and give great legal advice. He was kind enough to tell me as a friend that mine was not a legal situation but a financial one. What else can I say, except he is helpful and he knows what he is talking about. This was only a consultation, but If his services had actually been required, I wouldn’t have hesitated to hire him.
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22 Sep, 2017 by Anonymous
I had water related issues on a property I was purchasing in Fresno. Randolf was extremely knowledge and helpful. I felt much better about my situation and would absolutely recommend him to others
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05 Aug, 2016 by Roy
I have know Mr. Krbechek for many years. The few times my company has used him we we're quite pleased. He is very straight forward, to the point and takes the matter at hand firmly. After evaluating the issues he gives you options and recommendations His fees are fair and we will use him again if needed.
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20 Mar, 2024 by Kyle wilkins
Jon & his staff assisted me with setting up my family trust. They did a great job explaining the benefits of a trust and walked me through the process step by step.
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08 Feb, 2024 by Lexi vazquez
Did a trust here and everything went smoothly. Highly recommend
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19 Dec, 2023 by Guy ashby
The office seemed to do a good job setting up our family trust but became absent when help was needed. Phone calls and email through the website got no responses. I wouldn’t use them again.
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16 Apr, 2024 by Patricia cardenas-mendoza
27 Jan, 2024 by Crystal gonzalez
There is so much I can say about Miguel Jimenez. He is one of the best attorneys I’ve ever seen. He helped me with my custody case and we got exactly what we wanted. He was communicative and quick to respond. We communicated via email and he was quick with it. I felt like he was a really honest and would tell me what I needed to hear. We are now going onto the divorce part but I feel so confident with Miguel I recommend him 100%
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29 Dec, 2023 by Sam seklawi
She is the worst lawyer !! If you will hire her you will lose your case and she will keep sucking your blood till you are out of money !!!what she cares is about money thats all , she used to go to the court snd push it more and more so she can take more money … and she doesn’t know what she is doing .
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06 Jun, 2024 by Don albino
I recommend my clients to them, all the time.
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11 Apr, 2024 by Janie vasquez
Mr McComas didn’t respond in a timely manner and I needed to create a trust, which he never helped me with.
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11 Jul, 2023 by Jasmine collins
They make time for their clients even with short notice and they try to get you resolutions quickly
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18 Jul, 2016 by Anonymous
To begin, I had never hired an attorney so I didn't know what to expect. I was in need of a child custody attorney and when I first let with her she seemed pleasant. She was kind and seemed to be very professional. However, after I hired her she never once answered her calls and when I would go in to see her, her receptionist would go to the back and "see if she was in"; which she was apparently never once in when I attempted to see her. I never got a single question answered through phone, email, or in person. Then at our court date she wanted to speak with me about mediation, so she began to explain things then abruptly said you know what make an appointment with me so we can discuss mediation. At said appointment she literally word per word said what she had said previously; nothing new. I was billed for every little thing at an extremely expensive price for practically nothing. I truly feel she is in her field for the wrong reasons and as a previous client would not ever recommend her.
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30 Dec, 2015 by Mirna
Jennifer Walters has been an Amazing Advocate and Attorney. I was referred to her by a close friend because I was specific in asking for an Attorney that can get things done.......and she delivered. Not only is Jennifer honest and hard working, but she has taken time away from her personal life to meet with her clients on Sundays. To my family and I, that was a huge relief to have all our questions answered by someone incredibly well educated and experienced in Law. Since then, her name has always come up when we are asked about a Great Attorney in her field of practice.
MT
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04 Dec, 2015 by Anonymous
I hired because of these reviews. And I'm very disapointed. She is extremly hard to contact and does a very poor job fallowing up on paper work and filing necessary paper work on time. I do not recommend her to anyone for anything!
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29 Jan, 2020 by Robin
Hired her to assist with resolving a title issue and met with her on 2 occasions. Both meetings were confusing and unnecessarily complicated. Kept suggesting Probate and overlooked the best solution for our problem. Did nothing for us and charged an exorbitant fee with no result. Every quick e mail cost us $69.00. After 3 weeks and no satisfaction we were charged over $1600! Very disappointed and now have to start over in what should have been a simple process.
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FAQs
Questions? We have answers
What a Probate Lawyer Can Do for You
A probate lawyer assists with the legal process of administering a deceased person’s estate. This often involves guiding executors (if a will exists) or beneficiaries (if no will exists) through the probate process to settle the estate according to the deceased’s wishes or applicable laws. Probate lawyers can help validate the will, distribute assets, resolve disputes among heirs, handle outstanding debts or taxes, and ensure the estate is legally and efficiently administered.
Whether you’re an executor of an estate or an heir facing probate proceedings, a probate lawyer can help you navigate the often-complex legal process to ensure the estate is settled correctly.
When Should I Hire a Probate Lawyer?
You should consider hiring a probate lawyer when you are responsible for managing the estate of a deceased individual, especially in the following situations:
- The estate has substantial assets: If the estate includes significant assets like real estate, investments, or business interests, legal assistance is often necessary to handle the distribution properly.
- The will is being contested: If there are disputes among heirs regarding the validity of the will or the division of assets, a probate lawyer can help resolve the conflict.
- The estate includes complex or unclear provisions: If the will contains complicated instructions or there are no clear beneficiaries, a lawyer can ensure that the estate is administered according to legal requirements.
- There is no will (intestate estate): When a person dies without a will, the estate is subject to intestacy laws, which determine how assets are distributed. A probate lawyer can help navigate this process.
- Debt or tax issues exist: If the estate owes significant debts or is subject to estate taxes, a probate lawyer can help ensure debts are paid appropriately and taxes are minimized.
- Probate disputes: If family members or other parties are disputing the distribution of assets or challenging the executor's actions, legal representation is crucial to defending your rights and ensuring the estate is handled properly.
Hiring a probate lawyer early in the process can help avoid costly mistakes and ensure the estate is settled efficiently.
What Does a Probate Lawyer Do?
A probate lawyer provides a wide range of legal services to help manage and settle an estate. Their tasks can include:
- Validating the will: Filing the will with the probate court and ensuring its legal validity.
- Guiding executors or administrators: Advising the person responsible for managing the estate on their duties, including inventorying assets, notifying creditors, and paying debts.
- Filing necessary paperwork: Preparing and submitting the legal documents required to initiate and complete the probate process.
- Resolving disputes: Mediating or litigating disputes among heirs or between beneficiaries and executors, including challenges to the will or disagreements over asset distribution.
- Handling debt and tax matters: Ensuring that outstanding debts, taxes, and estate taxes are properly calculated and paid from the estate’s assets.
- Distributing assets: Ensuring that assets are distributed to the beneficiaries according to the will or intestacy laws, and that all legal requirements are fulfilled.
- Closing the estate: Completing the final steps of the probate process, including filing a final accounting with the court and formally closing the estate.
How Are Probate Lawyers Paid?
Probate lawyers typically charge for their services based on the complexity of the estate and the nature of the legal work involved. Common payment structures include:
- Hourly rate: Most probate lawyers charge by the hour, with rates depending on the lawyer’s experience and the complexity of the estate. Hourly rates can range from $150 to $500 or more.
- Flat fee: For simple estates or straightforward probate tasks, some lawyers may charge a flat fee that covers all of the necessary legal work.
- Percentage of the estate: In some states, probate lawyers are allowed to charge a percentage of the estate's value as their fee. This percentage typically ranges from 2% to 5%, depending on the size of the estate and state regulations.
- Retainer fee: Some lawyers may require an upfront retainer fee, which is billed against as the probate process progresses.
It’s important to clarify the fee structure during your initial consultation to understand how you will be charged and avoid unexpected costs.
How Much Does a Probate Lawyer Cost?
The cost of hiring a probate lawyer depends on several factors, including the complexity of the estate, the type of legal issues involved, and the lawyer’s fee structure. General cost estimates include:
- Simple estates: For estates with straightforward assets and no disputes, probate legal fees can range from $2,500 to $10,000, depending on the lawyer's fees and the state's probate laws.
- Complex estates: For larger or more complicated estates with multiple properties, business interests, or disputes, probate costs can exceed $10,000 and may reach $20,000 or more.
- Hourly rates: If charged by the hour, expect rates between $150 and $500, depending on the lawyer’s expertise and geographic location.
- Percentage fees: In some cases, a probate lawyer may charge 2% to 5% of the estate’s value, particularly for larger estates or those involving complex legal matters.
Always ask for a clear estimate of fees during your initial consultation to understand the total cost of probate representation.
Top Questions to Ask a Probate Lawyer
Before hiring a probate lawyer, it’s essential to ask the right questions to ensure you’re hiring someone qualified to handle your estate needs. Key questions include:
-
What experience do you have with probate cases like mine?
Ensure the lawyer has experience with estates of similar complexity, especially if disputes or high-value assets are involved. -
How do you charge for your services?
Ask whether the lawyer charges an hourly rate, a flat fee, or a percentage of the estate, and request a cost estimate. -
What is the likely timeline for my probate case?
While it’s hard to predict exactly, an experienced lawyer can give you a general idea of how long the probate process may take based on the specifics of your estate. -
What steps will you take to manage and distribute the estate?
Ask about the lawyer’s approach to handling debts, taxes, and asset distribution. -
Will you be handling my case personally?
In larger firms, junior attorneys or paralegals may handle some aspects of your case, so it’s important to know who will be working on your probate case. -
What are potential challenges we may face?
A good lawyer will be able to anticipate possible issues, such as will contests or creditor claims, and explain how they would handle them.
How to Check the Credibility of a Probate Lawyer
To ensure you’re hiring a reputable probate lawyer, follow these steps to check their credentials and experience:
- Verify their state bar status: Check with your state’s bar association to confirm the lawyer is licensed to practice and has no history of disciplinary action.
- Look for probate experience: Review the lawyer’s website or professional profile to ensure they specialize in probate law and have experience handling estates of similar complexity.
- Read client reviews and testimonials: Look for online reviews on platforms like Avvo or Martindale-Hubbell to see what past clients have said about the lawyer’s probate experience.
- Ask for references: A credible lawyer should be able to provide references from past clients who can vouch for their professionalism and expertise in handling probate matters.
- Look for membership in professional organizations: Membership in organizations like the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys (AAEPA) or the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) can indicate a lawyer's commitment to estate and probate law.
What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?
To make the most out of your first consultation with a probate lawyer, it’s important to come prepared with relevant documents and information. Here’s what you should bring:
- A copy of the will or trust (if applicable): Bring any estate planning documents left by the deceased, including wills, trusts, or powers of attorney.
- List of assets and debts: Prepare a detailed list of the deceased’s assets (e.g., real estate, bank accounts, investments) and outstanding debts (e.g., loans, mortgages, credit cards).
- Death certificate: Bring a certified copy of the deceased person’s death certificate.
- Contact information for heirs and beneficiaries: Have a list of all individuals or entities named in the will or who are entitled to inherit under intestacy laws.
- Questions about the probate process: Write down any questions you have about the process, costs, and potential issues you might face.
- Relevant financial records: If available, bring any relevant financial documents, such as bank statements, property deeds, and tax returns.
By coming prepared, you can ensure a productive consultation and allow the lawyer to provide the best advice for your situation.
