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10 Jan, 2018 by Joshua
Jon was professional, a lot more responsive than I had expected after working with other lawyers in the past, handled my legal matter to my satisfaction and was reasonably priced. I highly recommend his for any of your estate planning matters.
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01 Nov, 2017 by Brian
I was faced with a number of issues involving an elderly parent that required immediate action. Atty. Levin immediately understood the critical nature of my needs and initiated an action plan that enabled me to quickly move through a number of legal obstacles. His empathy, professional advice and guidance, willingness to meet at a care facility and vast knowledge on maneuvering through the legal system was greatly appreciated. I did not feel rushed or without a full understanding of the cause/effect of every decision that was necessary. Atty. Levin kept be updated as to where we were every step of the way. He made excellent recommendations and continues to "check-in" to see exactly what obstacles (if any continue) to present themselves. There are still a number of unfinished issues that require attention and I will certainly turn to Atty. Levin with great confidence as these issues require action. I find his knowledge to be vast, his mannerism to be aid-back and welcoming, and his professionalism to be superb. Without a doubt I can certainly recommend his services to family and friends.
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24 Aug, 2017 by Doug
I was referred to Jon by another attorney that I have known for years. Jon and I have never met personally but we communicated via the phone and emails as both of us reside in different states. I found Jon to be very easy to deal with. He always took the time to explain legal procedures and went over strategies as it related to my case. He assisted me with an Estate settlement involving real estate and probate of a very close relative that I contested. His expertise and experience showed as we settled the estate in a fair manner without having to go to court and pay legal fees that would have diminished the estate considerably. He also did not let the case drag on. Jon was not pushy or arrogant. He has a calm demeanor that demonstrates his ability to get the job done by allowing his knowledge and experience to stand out by his work product.
I am very pleased with Jon and would highly recommend him for Real Estate, Probate and Estate work, especially if it is contested. He was always straight forward, honest and willing to share his opinion on the best course of action to take. Jon, also like me, is a family man. He is properly grounded in his values. I highly recommend using him for legal services. Thank you.
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28 Feb, 2017 by Steve
Anthony always made me feel comfortable and informed about my case. I never felt as though I had to worry after talking and working with him. And he resolved my case with great results !!!
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04 Feb, 2016 by Aminda
Anthony has been by my side now for over a year.
He has handled many different legal issues for me.
He is always truthful with me.
I own many businesses and he has dealt with multiple
complicated legal matters for me.
His response to my call or email is almost immediate.
I have found not only a great lawyer but also a caring gentleman
who cares about me as a client.
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29 Jan, 2016 by Gordon & kathryn
During the entire Sale Process, Anthony kept in close contact with us and with the Buyers Law firm.
He communicated with us in a timely fashion and provided us with all the necessary Documents { Power Of Attorney,
Deed, HUD Statement at Closing etc}. He also attended
the Closing for us.
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16 Jun, 2018 by Amy
I went through a divorce. She was a guiding light at a very dark time. She was professional and knew what she was doing. I slept at night knowing she was in my corner. I can't say enough about her. She was the only good thing about going through a divorce.
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03 Aug, 2015 by Anonymous
I had a complicated family matter that several lawyers turned down my case. She handled my case and knew the right approach to settle my case without going to trial. She was amazing! I am so thankful for all her efforts which ultimately solved our case.
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07 Feb, 2017 by Loretta
I was very fortunate to find Lynda Furash after my father passed away in March. Although my duties and responsibilities as personal representative of the estate were pretty clear, Lynda was able to clarify the finer points and help me navigate the process in an informed and thoughtful manner. Most importantly, since I was experiencing significant emotional stress due to a hostile family member, Lynda was able to handle many communications between us in a knowledgeable and professional way that actually defused tensions on both sides. Her ability to present facts, explain points of view and weigh pros and cons while maintaining my best interests at the forefront was comforting and confidence-inspiring.
Lynda's rates were reasonable and she was consistently and accurately able to let me know what to expect at each stage of the process. I am very grateful to her for making the estate process both manageable and stress-free. Moreover, Lynda's manner is pleasant, warm and caring. If working with an attorney can actually be enjoyable, then I believe Lynda achieved that end!
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03 Feb, 2017 by Natalie
Lynda Furash handled my mother's estate in support of me, the Personal Representative, and my siblings. Lynda was assigned to our case at a very, hectic, demanding emotional time of adjustment that follows family loss. Lynda's work is excellent! She and I are both very detailed and as such, we were able to establish a relationship and rapport that made accomplishing difficult, detailed objectives pleasant. Having experienced otherwise, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of working with an attorney whose capabilities I had full confidence in. I do not take this for granted.
I immensely enjoyed working with Lynda Furash to get to the point of complete closure of the estate. I would highly recommend Lynda to anyone who is in need of an attorney who get the job done with excellence.
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31 Mar, 2019 by Audrey
Mr. Rexford is considerate, reliable and highly professional. He helped me through the complications of settling my husband's estate in a manner that made everything easier for me to understand at a time when I was feeling overwhelmed by all that needed to be done. I highly recommend him .
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26 Feb, 2016 by Anonymous
He helped us set up our Trust and set up the deed to our house. He was there for any question we may have had. We highly recommend him.
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04 Jul, 2019 by Colin
Seth was very responsive, competent, and thorough on a Massachusetts formal probate. I live out of state and he handled everything. Our petitions were granted and I never had to fly to Boston.
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12 Jan, 2019 by Anonymous
Seth Urbanoski has been an amazing help resolving the complex probate of my parents’ estate. The situation was also complicated by an elder sibling that required a conservator and a guardianship. During this difficult time for my family, he was extremely kind, and he listened. He was accessible and quickly returned calls and texts. He was very professional, but tenacious in representing me and resolving my problems.
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25 Feb, 2020 by Hayden
I consulted with John on the different types of business formation, and we went over the positives and negatives of each. He's a great person to work with as you start your business and grow it.
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08 May, 2018 by Jeff
John handled my difficult probate case in a timely manner with an excellent result. He was highly professional throughout the process. All aspects of the case were communicated clearly and any concerns were addressed promptly. John is exceptionally knowledgable and I strongly recommend him.
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10 Feb, 2016 by Katie
Michelle was a wonderful attorney to work with. My husband and I sought her expertise for our estate planning. She guided us through the process and left us feeling well prepared. Michelle was welcoming, informative, trustworthy, and thorough, and I truly felt that she had our best interests in mind. I would work with her again without question, and highly recommend her services!
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22 Sep, 2015 by Lauren
Michelle was amazing to work with! She is extremely knowledgeable in her field of work and made this very difficult topic, easier to manage and get through. Any questions I had were immediately answered; I felt comfortable and in good hands. I highly recommend Michelle and Mattson, O'Toole and Reed.
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29 Jan, 2016 by Jennifer hnatonko
He was very helpful throughout the entire process and guided us along the way to make sure we were making the best decisions. When we hit any bumps in the road, he was right by our side to walk us through any steps needed.
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26 Nov, 2012 by Nathan
Kevin is very professional and was only a phone call away. Gave me personal cell phone and was very reasonable for a closing ($850).
Helped me with personal closing as we as investments. Has stayed in touch and is very professional. Also noticed multiple things that came up during a title search and took it upon himself to fix them before they even became issues. Exactly what you want with a real estate attorney
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16 Jan, 2018 by Robert
I consulted with Attorney Lagana on a number of civil and probate matters. I found her to be insightful, diligent, very knowledgeable about her practice areas, and well versed in procedure. I enthusiastically recommend anybody seeking representation to contact Attorney Lagana and would likewise recommend any attorney to consult with her or to refer clients to her. She is a hard working and tremendous advocate!
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22 Mar, 2017 by Erica
After contacting a few attorneys to represent me for a civil matter, attorney Christina Lagana was the clear choice for me. Christina was very professional, yet approachable and direct. In addition she was prompt in her correspondence, conscience of my time and money and put her confidence and expertise to work for me throughout the entire process. There are few lawyers I feel are determined to represent your best interests in the way Christina does. She always made the time to listen and answer any questions I had and included me in the entire decision making process along the way. She was an outstanding negotiator and tough when she needed to be.
I am beyond please to have chosen her for my representation. I would highly recommend her to anyone in need of a great attorney!
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24 Jun, 2019 by Nikki
I will forever be grateful to Catharine Blake. She helped me navigate the most painful time of my life: a three-year-long high-conflict divorce. My case ended up settling. Cate is extraordinarily professional, level-headed, practical, direct in her communication, ethical, and extremely knowledgeable about the law. She is also very kind, and I always felt that she cared about me and my two young children. I never questioned Cate’s judgment or the soundness of her reasoning—and I have a standard for comparison because I worked with two family law attorneys (Cate was the second). It’s clear to me that Cate has the highest and most admirable motivation to do this work: to serve people well at an extremely complex and difficult time in their lives, and to advocate for children in the process. I recommend Cate highly and warmly.
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11 Mar, 2010 by Anonymous
If you google the firm Atwood and Cherny you would see an experienced firm with attorneys who represented some high profile cases. One of the cases being the Richard Sharpe case in which the firm represented a Mrs. Karen Sharpe. When we went to the firm for our "consultation" we expected it to be hopeless considering the divorce predicament we had fallen into. Cate was the attorney assigned to our case and through the entire proceedings has been professional, reasonable and encouraging to avoid court rather then go to court. Her knowledge of the court system and her experience with the probate courts made the modification process extremely easy. She not only handled the paper work but her unbiased perspective helped ease tensions from the very unprofessional opposing counsel at the Law Offices of Nicastro in Roslindale. As the opposing counsel purposely avoided Cate in order to up their own clients fees and fired up their client rather than diffuse their clients anger Catharine stayed poised and professional with every contact. One of the most challenging things about being an attorney must be having to deal with opposing counsel and Cate did it in a way that other attorneys would admire. When the bill came it was always a shock, but for the positive. I expected with the amount of emailing, contacting and back and forths from the opposing counsel that the bill would be much higher. Cate and her firm were fair in their minutes and hours. The opposing counsel would send 4 page letters which Im sure would cost the other side hundreds and yet, Cate would merely reply with 1-2 page letters that ignored the he/said she said and stuck to the points at hand. At one point we emailed Cate a long lengthy letter and rather then draft something imeediately that she knew would anger the opposing counsel she asked us to think about our actions and understand the consequences. Once we thought about things we changed a few decisions which resulted in larger gains. We first went to Cate because our previous attorney was a complete fraud and had cost us thousands in damages. Cate, not only made sure the damage didnt get worse but she remedied some of the most important issues we had with the opposing counsel. Because of Cate and Atwood and Cherny's counsel we ended a 6 month battle that would have resulted in thousands of attorney fees and endless court battles. We cannot thank the firm and Cate enough for their patience and courage. I am amazed that this firm was exactly as they had advertised. They are by far an amazing firm and although I cannot post what my final bill was I can definitely tell you, it was nothing compared to what we thought it would be.
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28 Jan, 2016 by William
Kelly is very professional and responsive. She did a superb job of taking a highly contentious and complex divorce and bringing it to a successfully resolved mediation. I really can't thank her enough for helping me navigate an enormously difficult process.
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01 Oct, 2014 by Anonymous
Kelly is a great attorney whose primary focus, I believe, is divorce law. As a favor to me she assisted me with a business dispute where a lawsuit had been filed against me. She successfully filed a motion to dismiss the plaintiff's complaint within 3 days of my being served with the complaint and the Plaintiff's motion for an attachment. The complaint was dismissed with prejudice on her motion (which was opposed by two attorneys hired by the plaintiff).
I contacted Kelly because more than one of her clients had told me she was an excellant attorney.
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19 Apr, 2021 by Thomas
The only attorney in the area who promptly answered my call for help. She took the time to evaluate and discuss my aging/homebound parents wishes and needs in an easy to understand, compassionate, and caring way. An attorney who makes house calls...unheard of nowadays. Truly a godsend in these difficult times. Thank you for your outstanding care and service.
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18 Nov, 2020 by Tricia
Marie went above and beyond helping with my case. I didn't have to chase her down or leave a bunch of messages. She called and emailed ME to keep me updated and instructed. Marie was willing to meet with me in my home or at my office (BEFORE COVID). She navigated me through a very difficult case. She educated and helped and supported while all the time doing her amazing professional work that produced the needed support. Her fee was very reasonable and worth far more than the investment. I am so blessed!
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19 Jan, 2014 by Anonymous
I worked with the Tony for several years on an extended settlement case in both court and arbitration. He was very knowledgeable, smart, effective, fair. He provided excellent advice on difficult situations regarding what was wrong but not worth pursuing. He listens, works with you to decide a strategy, then effectively carries it through. He is funny which helps in a long case, does not over charge and he is just top of line. I highly recommend him for divorce, for post divorce, for any issue he covers. You will be very happy with his representation. He is a rare person.
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12 Apr, 2008 by Anonymous
Tony is always cool, calm and collected. He was quite responsive and knowledgeable with respect to my complex divorce. I am happy to recommend him.
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06 Mar, 2013 by Mary
You have a very special place in my heart for all you did for me and my family after my parents died. You have many gifts, that include a special way with people and an expertise in legal matters that are difficult for families to deal with. I will never forget your abundant kindnesses, reassurances, legal knowledge and caring. You made a tough situation so much more bearable. I am forever grateful to you.
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07 Feb, 2013 by Steve
Denise has served as family attorney for me throughout the transition of placing my elderly mother in a nursing home and ultimately arranging legal guardianship for me. During this process, I found Denise to be accessible, approachable, knowledgeable and thorough in all of her work and advice. I continue and will continue to use Denise for my legal needs in the future, and would recommend her without hesitation.
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17 Jun, 2014 by Karen
Remembered all the details we had discussed and carried through with our plan. Sensitive and helpful in making short and long term estate plans. Very detail oriented.
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12 Jun, 2014 by Jenny
Brendan was fantastic, He really thinks of everything. Planning our estate was long over due and lets face it,who wants to think about these things. After our first meeting with Brendan we knew we could not wait any longer. He really explained all of things that can go wrong if something happens to both parents and do not have a solid plan in writing. We can breath a little easier now that our estate and child will be in good hands. Thank you so much Brendan for making such a tough thing painless. I would recommend you to anyone.
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12 Nov, 2017 by Magaret
Mr. Lally was our lawyer during a difficult time in my family’s lives. He patiently explained the complicated legal paperwork executing our mothers will, our mom always spoke highly of him setting up all of the will/trust information for her while she was still here. While it was under difficult circumstances we met, l would strongly recommend him to anyone looking for a capable, compassionate, and highly qualified lawyer.
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05 May, 2017 by Kim
My husband and I worked with Jeff to create our estate plan. Jeff was great to work with from the start. He took the time to explain all our option and reviewed all the documents with us. He made the whole proceeds easy. I could tell he really wanted to help use and made a difficult subject easy to handle. I would highly recommend Jeff.
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21 Jun, 2015 by Linda
My husband and I had Kristen do our estate planning in 2013. She handled what could have been a difficult time with sensitivity, tact, and discretion. She gave insightful suggestions and answered our questions with great patience. We would recommend her without hesitation.
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15 Jun, 2015 by Thomas
Kristen was everything we wanted in an attorney. Proffesional and very knowledgable she was a pleasure to deal with in planning our estate and asset protection. She presented us with several options and explained the pros and cons of each in a calm and pleasant manner. She came to our home and left us feeling relaxed and happy with our plan.
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17 Nov, 2008 by Anonymous
I would recommend Phil very highly. He helped us through a very difficult and important time or our lives and his expert legal really helped our family.
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16 Nov, 2008 by Anonymous
Attorney Summers helped me defend my position as the Executor of my uncle's estate and ensure that his final wishes were followed. He was great and his office was very attentive.
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21 Jan, 2017 by Anonymous
Attorney Massengill took on a complex situation for us with unprobated deaths, properties to be sold, trusts to set up0, brother buying from sister, etc, etc. He was calm and focused and discovered pitfalls that would have haunted us down the road. Wow!
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26 Nov, 2012 by Anonymous
We used Attorney Massengill to handle refinancing our mortgage. He was comprehensive, kept us informed, and ensured the process went very quickly and without a bump.
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15 Mar, 2018 by Amy
We have used this firm over several years to handle two different estate planning projects. My husband and I found them to be well-informed, highly responsive and well-organized. We have recommended them to friends.
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21 Dec, 2017 by Anonymous
I engaged Attorney Marshall to assist with my estate plan. His extensive knowledge and responsiveness to my questions and needs made what I had thought would be a difficult process quite easy. I am beyond pleased with his services.
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14 Aug, 2013 by Christopher
I was first referred to Donna Turley and Glickman-Turley by my now deceased partner during the sale of my condo in Boston, in January, 2012. As a result of some of life's "unexpected twists and turns", we were prompted to consequently sell the townhouse that we had purchased together, and so we naturally called upon Donna and Company to execute that transaction, as well. During the course of that sale, in November 2012, several personal challenges ensued, including the untimely death of my partner, a job change, and a relocation for me to the West Coast. Throughout it all, Donna Turley and Kristine Grimes (Office Manager, Paralegal) were concrete in their resolve to successfully navigate this process for me, even in my absence, and to provide the necessary professional (and in my case, a very personal) support to close on the sale on schedule. Aside from the expected outcomes above, this dynamic duo also uncovered a complex and confusing lot-line abnormality on the second property, and are still in the process of correcting a mis-filed poperty loan pay-off by another attorney from the purchase of my first home back in 1999.
After having hired Donna and Kristine's services for 2 consecutive home sales, I can honestly relate that they provide a level of attention FAR ABOVE AND BEYOND the norm, and that their excellent customer focus really stands out, especially in this day and age when service lapses and impersonal practices are commonplace by many companies. I am prompted to shout their praises load and clear on this forum, and will most certainly recommend their services to prospective clients whenever possible. Thank You.
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07 Apr, 2008 by Anonymous
I have been using Atty. Turley since 1997. She is excellent. Very intelligent, knowledgeable, VERY honest and trustworthy.
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12 Jul, 2020 by David lacasse
Mark Beauragard is a true professional. Me and my family have been with him a long time. So long we got old together.
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07 Jul, 2020 by Hank sundell
Quick, Competent and Professional.
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08 May, 2014 by Anonymous
I consider myself fortunate to have found Matthew Moore - after having worked with many other lawyers he is by far the easiest to work with. For the first time, I felt I was understood. He really works with you and for you. He is also very pleasant - I would recommend him to anyone.
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08 May, 2014 by Anonymous
My wife and I could not be more pleased with Mr. Moore's services. We asked Mr. Moore to create family trusts, wills etc. for estate planning purposes. We found Mr. Moore to be knowledgable, experienced and above all, patient with us. Being novices, Mr. Moore took the time to breakdown the applicable state and federal laws in order to fully explain our different options as well as the pros and cons of each option. Mr. Moore allowed us to control the process. Instead of just being told what we should do, Mr. Moore utilized his experience and expertise to educate and guide us. We will continue to call upon Mr. Moore for all of our estate planning needs.
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06 Apr, 2021 by Lucas
Attorney Modestino made the home buying process easy. He went out of his way to make sure we fully understood the entire process!
Would highly recommend.
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24 Jul, 2020 by Barbara
I've had a great working relationship with Mr Modestino since 1989, he's patient, empathetic and gets results. He's been there for my divorce, my buying my home, writing my will ,and handled my neighbor's financial issues.
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02 Aug, 2016 by Anonymous
My experience with Troy Sullivan is that he is a 'straight shooter' and gets the job done in an efficient, no nonsense way. He is also a personable fellow -- and his fees are by no means exorbitant. I would recommend him to anyone needing an attorney's assistance in settling an estate.
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17 Jun, 2016 by Sharon
Working with Troy Sullivan to develop our
estate plan and set up our trust was an excellent experience. Troy was very professional and responsive to all of our needs. He spent time gathering financial information and understanding our wishes regarding Power of Atty, DNRs, Health Care Proxies etc. He provided us with a comprehensive plan, offered to work with two out of state attorneys to deal with titles for us, and provided us with all documentation in a very timely manner.
The end product is something that really works for us. Troy even went on to assure us he was there to help us with any future questions.
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27 Mar, 2017 by Elizabeth
Mike was very helpful with my estate planning needs. He walked me through all aspects of the documents and made sure that I understood everything as we went through. His fee for the services was reasonable and his work was thorough.
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23 Mar, 2017 by Colleen
Mike was very helpful with my estate planing needs. His fee for the service was reasonable. Highly recommended!
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28 Jan, 2023 by Lauren
As trustees of my mother’s property, we hired Attorney Dixon to assist us with the sale of her home. He executed the real estate transaction flawlessly. Attorney Dixon was methodical, thorough, and extremely responsive. He explained the process and issues well and was patient and kind when responding to our questions. He added levity with his dry sense of humor. It was a pleasure to work with him. We trust Attorney Dixon 100% and unreservedly recommend him.
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27 Jul, 2017 by Cb
Attorney Dixon took time to consult with me regarding a landlord-tenant dispute. He took the time to listen to the history of the issue, was knowledgeable regarding MA rentals laws and provided helpful information. The consult gave me confidence that I am proceeding with the best course of action regarding a stressful situation.
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18 Jun, 2019 by Anna
We were happy to have Dan Wilson working with us on our preparation for the employment based GC interview and to complete the interview at the USCIS office with him. He was very attentive, well prepared, preventive and supportive.
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14 Jul, 2015 by Zuheir
I have been referred to Dan back in 2011 when I was on a student visa and was trying to change my status.
Dan worked with me explaining my options and each's success chances we had a few long sessions in his office he did not charge me for any time I had to reach out for a quick question or some clarifications either phone call or quick visit. very attentive to details and close to my case dates I assume he would be the same with other clients, as for me he would personally call me ahead of time reminding me of important dates that requires my attention and that is something I dearly appreciate. currently I have temporary residency and working toward a permanent residency.
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06 Nov, 2020 by Bernie
John Mackey has been my personal attorney for over 20 years and has always represented my interests thoroughly, professionally and compassionately. Recently I had him handle the sale of a piece of commercial real estate for me. The sale was complicated as it involved a Real Estate Trust and a complicated IRS Section 1031 agreement. John handled all of the details of the sale and transaction professionally and the sale went through without a hitch. John has handled numerous legal matters for me throughout the years, including evictions of tenants, a dog bite suffered by my son, the estate of my deceased aunt and many others and has always done so in a professional and courteous manner. I have recommended his services to many different friends and acquaintances in the past and will continue to do so without hesitation.
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05 Jan, 2011 by David
Mr. MacKey has always given me the straight talk and releived me of any worry.
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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.
