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25 Nov, 2020 by Anonymous
He was very attentive and patient with me and was extremely thorough in considering every aspect of my situation. I'm very grateful.
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03 Oct, 2019 by Jeff
Aaron has always been highly responsive when our business needed his attention. When we've had legal questions, his answers were concise, clear, and helpful. His knowledge of laws and legal business practice helps our small business fully supported, safe, and secure.
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02 Oct, 2019 by Josiah
He is all the above. I feel like he is in my corner and I feel good in the unfortunate circumstances when I need to go in to battle. Only issue preventing me from the fifth star is that he has never visited my office. I've worked with him for 4 years continuously.
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26 Nov, 2024 by Griselda iniguez
I am so thankful to have had Jim and Savannah taking care of me and dealing with insurances after my car accident. They were both so helpful and communicative throughout my entire experience, I never felt like I was lost or under informed. They both reached out to me and made me feel cared for, which is great after having to deal with the stress of being injured and trying to recover. I feel like they went above and beyond for me and I’m very content with my settlement. I would highly recommend them.
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28 Oct, 2024 by Jay j
Dealing with insurance providers can be very difficult. Pat and Stephanie did a great job negotiating a settlement after my car accident. Bridge City Law’s team kept me informed every step of the way. I appreciate the professional but caring nature of the firm and team. I hope I never need them again but if I did, I know I’d be in good hands.
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07 Oct, 2024 by Stefanie ward
These guys are wonderful to work with! Easy to get a hold of and communicate with. Even a year after my case was closed and I had a flare up and needed to get some chiropractic services, Jim Dwyer helped me by submitting my bill to the insurance and fighting for them to pay. His assistant, Savannah is great! She communicates effectively and is great to deal with. I couldn’t have done this myself, insurance companies are not fun to deal with and in my experience, they are pushy bullies! Jim went to bat for me and handled ALL of it. The price was so fair for how much he did! They even got my minor son’s settlement all hooked up with the bank to set up his account. Above and beyond constantly!!!
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22 Apr, 2010 by Tonya
My husband and I just completed our Trust through the Law Office of Katherine West. I wanted to share her contact info. with you because we were thrilled to find a competent, intelligent, patient, sincere, and completely knowledgeable attorney. We had planned to have a trust made right after our son was born (almost 4 years ago) but kept putting it off. Probably, because we knew it was exploring and answering some difficult questions. Well, push came to shove when we booked our first vacation away from the boys and literally asked ourselves, "if we crash, what happens to the boys". I know it's a morbid thought, but we certainly wanted to decide our children's fate.
We found that so much more is involved in a trust. All that you could want answered, is and by completing it, we feel very secure.
So, here is Katherine's information. Like I said, she was a complete pleasure to work with. She made it easy for us, was patient, and answered every question in a way that was clear and understandable.
(contact information removed)
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25 Jun, 2015 by Betty
Brad went above and beyond the call of duty more than once for us. Over a lengthy case he never gave up or in and never wavered. He kept us abreast of all developments and catered to our needs. We felt like family members.
His quick wit and professional diplomacy keep him in the loop with opposing attorneys a must in handling any case.
We highly recommend Brad.
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03 Jul, 2023 by Jas
28 Apr, 2023 by John robert molesworth
Joel at Park Gordon law firm is absolutely phenomenal ! Settled two accident claims for me in an effective and efficient manner. On my last settlement I needed the money quickly and he went above and beyond to get me my payment expedited. All the staff had great advice- everyone was knowledgeable and I was consistently secure that these professionals were on my side and working hard to get me the most they can.
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23 Nov, 2022 by Liliya zubko
Was a great help and overall was a great experience working with them!! Recommend to anyone looking!
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08 Mar, 2023 by Catherine palmer
Todd is absolutely wonderful to work with. He is exceptionally smart, trustworthy, honest, hard-working, experienced and an all-around great guy. I felt safe having him represent me in a business transaction and thought the billing for his services was straightforward and fair. I highly recommend him.
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08 Mar, 2023 by Catherine palmer
Todd is absolutely wonderful to work with. He is exceptionally smart, trustworthy, honest, hard-working, experienced and an all-around great guy. I felt safe having him represent me in a business transaction and thought the billing for his services was straightforward and fair. I highly recommend him.
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30 Dec, 2024 by Jakeychan m.
They helped me with my accident and took care of the entire process and walked me through everything. Being in a car accident is scary enough without having to deal with the repercussions afterward. Demi and Sara have been great overall! So give them the opportunity to represent you.
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23 Dec, 2024 by Shard stober
My team consisting of George, Demi and Sara went all out and did a better job in getting me the reasonable settlement that I deserve. I have dealt with many accident cases in my life and this company is the first one that I feel went above and beyond to make me a happy customer. I would recommend them to anyone that is going through an accident case.
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18 Dec, 2024 by Cinthya herrera
23 Mar, 2023 by Mike
Was asked to review newly revised estate and trust documents. She criticized the previous work, but ultimately didn’t change anything. 90% of scheduled meetings were cancelled or rescheduled. Lots of excuses used, not focused. We now have a $4+ invoice with only one (4 page) Trust cert document.
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27 Jun, 2017 by Pat welch
I have had the pleasure of working with Laura Vaught over the last several years to create both an estate plan for my immediate family as well as to find resolution for several complicated estate documents for my extended family.
I have had a lot of experience with other attorneys in the past, often paying double the hourly rate for half the work and attention to detail.
Laura and her office are responsive, thoughtful, and economical. She is able to take difficult concepts and translate them into clear, simple, and comprehensible solutions which result in an affordable and effective plan. I have referred many friends and business colleagues to Laura and will continue to do so.
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27 Oct, 2015 by Bruce
My wife and I had the pleasure of working with Laura on our estate and future health care planning. We presented her with several challenging issues which she handled beautifully. She also addressed tax issues which we had not even considered. We feel fortunate that Laura was recommended to us by people whose judgment we respect.
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04 Mar, 2024 by Johnso116
Thank you so much for your quick response to my sister having a stroke w/o will or POA. Since the eldest son is here from overseas, it was a great comfort to discuss his options with him. We spent most of Sunday with the family and my sister...she passed quietly in her sleep early Monday morning...once again...thank you so much..
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24 Oct, 2019 by Georg
Ms Reisman was a great help to me. I came to her with my legal problem which was also a great source of stress. She was very responsive to my request, and helped me personally. She provided relevant and useful information and also showed that she cared about me and my well-being. She is very knowledgeable and also showed that she is a kind and caring human being, and not just looking for clients, but does want to help people.
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19 Jul, 2019 by Denise
I spoke with Joanne and she really knows her stuff. She helped point me in the right direction which was more than helpful. I would definitely recommend her to fight for me on any case.
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09 Sep, 2024 by A webster
An agreement with an attorney in the office of Mayor Law was signed 2022-Oct giving Mayor Law proof of representation in an auto claim. Officially PIP was exhausted 25 April 2024. May 16 the attorney received digitally all payments; bills, notes, coding. At that time we should have sent the demand letter. I waited until July 4, 2024, contacted her, accepting the $3000 offer from April. I signed an agreement 29-July-2024. She received $3870 for costs and fees. I contacted her August 20 asking when I would get the settlement. She had been waiting on Progressive to update the Medicare liability section. She told me she still needed lien information on Medicaid, DHS, Medicare, and Med Advantage - and the 3 small businesses that treated me. I was 7 hours on the phone 20-23 August 2024 to contact insurances about liens on the settlement $3000: Medicare over the phone told me there was no lien (2nd payor and there was no hospitalization ZERO came in the mail today 9/9/2024). I called and got the procedure and fax number to Recovery for Mayor Law. Email attached attorney requesting I provide all Providence visits, summaries, billing. Attached ZERO owing PHP. DHS Medicaid (they faxed info right away which could have taken a month) in response to long email that EOB shows owing. My 3 small business folk who only take cash unless it was PIP were asked to provide the same information already given by my insurance carrier on May 16 to the attorney. 9/6/2024 Friday I received call stating the duo Advantage and Medicaid for medicare members NEVER create liens but would reversed to provider. Received a lien for $11.08 for xray would be paid correctly if Ayin Health Solutions would submit through Providence and Medicaid. Seems Mayor Law made a deal to pay 11.08 out of settlement without first notifying me! I have to deal with an attorney that would do that! HOW come they continue to argue they are still searching for a lien to take out of the settlement. It gives me the creeps. Ayin Health Solutions understood the attorney did not do the research before negotiating the cost to be 11.08 for the xray. They are voiding the lien today with Phia Group LISTEN. Mayor Law did not do the work she agreed to and I was on the phone 7 hours beginning it. Mayor Law is taking the 11.08 out of settlement anyway! Trashy company.
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01 Jul, 2024 by Scott huish
27 Mar, 2023 by Agil manizade
Stay Away. The lawyers (Liz W.) wasted my time for weeks, and dropped the case cause they couldn't bebothered with a camera subpoena. State Bar should mb disbar them for leaving Wildland Firefighters kidnaped and hurt by a KKK county.
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03 Aug, 2017 by Dwayne
Very happy to have used Gregory Gudger for my recent divorce. These things are tough for everyone, and Greg stayed focused and was extremely helpful in helping me craft a fair, equitable, and compassionate settlement...for both parties. I know that my ex-spouse would also agree with this assessment. Even though it was a non-contested proceeding, there were still a lot of moving parts that had to be dealt with, and I wanted someone who would help me make the outcome fair for us both. My ex and I are still great friends, our new lives as seperate people are working out great, and I owe Gregory's sage advice a great deal of the credit for making this happen. Side note: My will also had to be re-written after the divorce, which I was able to sail through with Gregory's help. Done and done. I highly recommend Mr Gudger, if you're looking for a committed, fair, knowledgeable attorney who will listen generously and advise honestly!
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18 Jul, 2017 by Raymond
Our family has relied on Mr. Gudger for most of our legal needs, from fighting housing related issues to creditor lawsuits. Mr. Gudger took on an old creditor that tried to take everything we own. He found a loophole had the lawsuit dismissed, saving us $100,000. The investment we made with Mr. Gudger was worth it. And, over the years, he has advised us with positive results. No lawyers are perfect, though some might think they are. Sometimes you have to pay to find out there's nothing you can really do. But, even that advise is valuable. I refer Mr. Gudger whenever I can and have recently sent two friends to consult with him. He's accessible, down to earth and is a fighter. I'll go into court with Mr. Gudger any day.
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06 Nov, 2015 by Colin williams
In the eleven month period of Mr. Gudger as my attorney I'm in the same place as I was at the beginning of my child custody case. Mr. Gudger was at first, for a couple of months in seemingly helpful, yet there were things that just didn't seem accurate that he was telling me around my case. He didn't seem to know my case, or my name even, until I was beginning to show frustration from me leaving voice mails when he was not in and it would take days to finally reach him. He did not provide me with monthly invoices for services rendered, instead it was a telephone call requesting more funds but to no explanation of what for. I personally felt no reassurance for the last six months of mr. Gudger as my attorney. He failed to provide, a note of leaving my case of any kind yet he insisted he was no longer my attorney. I came to him in hopes of some justice to my case . I am still scheduled in court in January with him as my attorney but to my surprise he let me go with not so much as a phone call, email or written statement. I also paid a deposit for a court session to mr. Gudger for a court appearance that never happened which he just kept, and now he doesn't respond to my phone calls or emails.
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10 Apr, 2024 by Anonymous
Most compassionate, helpful and knowledgeable attorney I have ever encounter ed in my life. How I wish he was where I live. If you are so fortunate to be close don’t waste your time looking for an outstanding person and attorney. He is the one.
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25 Feb, 2024 by Ysmart1
I have had the good fortune of having Gregory L Abbott answer some Property Management questions that I have posted and in each case I received a concise, thorough, and professional response. I have also read his responses to questions posted by others which has further enriched my knowledge as a Property Manager. I would not hesitate to hire him to represent me should the need ever arise as I have full confidence of his knowledge of the Oregon Landlord Tenant and Fair Housing laws.
Thank you Mr. Abbott for all the good you have done on this site.
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14 Dec, 2023 by Carrie eldred mcpeak regnier
Caveat emptor: let the buyer beware. You may get an invoice out of the blue months later for a service you didn't understand he intended to charge you for. There are much better attorneys out there, keep looking.
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11 Sep, 2021 by Rachel g
06 May, 2021 by Ken corbin
24 Mar, 2020 by :adam
He's an attorney, he serves nobody but the states interest.
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11 Sep, 2021 by Rachel g
06 May, 2021 by Ken corbin
24 Mar, 2020 by :adam
He's an attorney, he serves nobody but the states interest.
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15 Oct, 2022 by Anonymous
Jeffrey failed me in every way and it's my opinion that he lacked empathy or respect for the difficulties I was facing. It is also my honest opinion that I do not recommend him for legal services. He took advantage of me during a time I was vulnerable, while incurring excessive fees without providing the help I needed. Jeffrey Frasier increased his wages in the middle of our litigation without proper notice. He racked up a higher price tag with tasks that should have been completed in a shorter time frame, especially with his background and experience. He added billable hours to my invoice, then later sued me for his fees. He made no reasonable offers to settle our fee dispute, and even failed to attend our scheduled mediation.
When making an important decision to hire a lawyer to represent your important legal matters... you need to ask yourself..... do you want someone who is willing to bring a suit against the client vs. assigning their fee claims to a collection agency? I really wish I would have done my homework, before being damaged and financially ruined by Jeffrey Frasier
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19 Jun, 2018 by Alexis
We had contacted Jeffrey when we were referred to him by another Oregon lawyer & after I read about him on the site FindLaw. He is extremely courteous, very knowledgeable, sharp minded and is a very good listener. He acted promptly with our case and was able to put our minds at ease with a very stressful situation. His charges were very reasonable and affordable; We were very delighted with his services and would definitely rehire him again as well as recommend him to others.
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11 Mar, 2013 by Anonymous
I have been involved with a case for which Jeffrey Frasier was the attorney. Unfortunately, I found him to be unfriendly and somewhat terse. Some of the clients he works for are very unprofessional and it made the entire process difficult for everyone involved. This was the first time I had been involved with his group, and unfortunately I found it to be a troublesome experience and I would not recommend working with them.
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15 Feb, 2016 by Anonymous
Ms. Peterson was hired by me in relation to descrepencies on my credit report. During our initial consultation, she appeared competent and knowledgeable. After she was hired, she did not follow through on promises she made to attempt to contact the companies regarding my case, she did not return my phone calls or emails. I had to
Physically go to her office twice. The first time I showed up, she apologized for not returning my calls stating that things got extremely busy. She admitted that she had not even started on my case and it had been almost a month since she was hired. After our meeting , I heard from her via a letter she sent to the companies on one occasion and then another "letter" that actually was an invoice for time accrued. Well it's been 6 months and I have heard nothing else from her. I just recently emailed her requesting the valve of my retainer: $44.00. This attorney is awful and I am extremely surprised she has remained in business. I only stumbled upon her through my employer's EAP Program...if you need a lawyer, beware of this one....in fact, run the other way.
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22 Jun, 2021 by Anonymous
I engaged Caitlin for a small project. She estimated the time to complete at roughly 3 hours. Caitlin initially sent me an email stating that she would begin the research immediately and check in by the end of the week. A month later, I've heard nothing - no status updates, no work product.
I then write her an email on a Tuesday checking in to ask for a status update and to request that she have the project completed within the next 10 days. She writes back that she'll have it to me by the end of the current week. End of the week arrives, nothing.
Tuesday of the following week, she emails me to she had a multi-day emergency the previous week but that she would get it to me the following morning. She did not. She also did not send me any notice that she would be delayed by the emergency.
A few days after that, I emailed her to terminate my engagement with her and asked for a refund. Ignoring my email, she sent me the work product for the project soon thereafter.
If you're looking for a responsible, responsive attorney who will complete work in a timely manner, I strongly recommend that you look elsewhere. Caitlin exhibited a clear pattern of excuse making throughout the engagement that I would have never tolerated from any of my own employees. I suspect that if I hadn't followed up the project would have never been completed.
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01 Apr, 2014 by Anonymous
In my opinion Bill Keeler is one of the most evil men I have ever encountered in my entire life. I think that he is arrogant, selfish, inconsiderate, incompetent, and will do just about anything for money. I caught him lying to me on three occasions. He never kept any promise he made to me. He hunted me down like I was a wild animal, defamed my character and forced me against my will to testify in a civil case that had absolutely nothing to do with me and he knew it.
The civil case was all because someone at his law firm had written a living trust incorrectly and did not list and give money to anyone who might contest the trust. Because of that when their client died, someone previously listed on another living trust contested the trust. Everyone knows or should know that you have to list anyone on a trust who might contest the trust and give them $1 which shows you considered them and didn't want them to get any money. Any competent attorney would have listed any and all people listed on previous trusts and given them a $1. This is standard practice in the industry. Yet Bill Keeler's law firm did not do that. And one of the people listed in a previous trust contested the trust. Surprise, surprise. NOT The case couldn't be thrown out because he wasn't listed on the trust that Bill Keeler's law firm had written. So instead of owning up to the fact that they had written the living trust incorrectly, he decided to supeona anyone who might correct his mistake. A good person doesn't force other people against their will to correct their mistake. A good person corrects their own mistakes.
I was one of the people subpoenaed on their fishing expedition to correct their mistake. However, Bill told me excruciating details about the case. Attorneys are not allowed to tell details to a witness because it might sway their testimony. But Bill did exactly that to me. In my opinion he was trying to get me to lie under oath.
He also sent a process server to go to all my neighbors and tell them that I was being served papers. That process server hunted me down for over a month. I work a lot so I was never home when she tried to serve me. That gave me many sleepless nights during that month because all my neighbors were coming up to me telling me that someone was trying to serve me papers. I knew that I had done nothing wrong to get someone to serve me papers. He had never sent me a letter in the mail to tell me what was going on in advance. His first effort without giving me a chance to volunteer to testify was to serve me papers to get me to testify against my will. Again it is extremely rare for a person to be supeonaed in a civil case. Yet, because Bill, in my opinion, has no morals, it didn't bother him that he had made my life hell by defaming my character to all my neighbors.
When he finally got a hold of me, I figured out right away he wasn't owning up to the fact that they had made a mistake. And they wanted me to correct their mistake. I was so furious when I found the truth about why the process server had defamed my character for over a month.. To make matters worse, he and one of his staff threatened to throw me in jail if I didn't do exactly what they wanted. Knowing they would be throwing a completely innocent person in jail didn't bother Bill and his staff one bit. In my opinion, the person who should be thrown in jail is Bill and his staff. In my opinions they are criminals.
I sent Bill two certified letters telling them not to contact me and I sent over 50 emails telling them not to contact me. And the next day Bill would always contact me out of complete disrespect, arrogance and selfishness. I couldn't sleep for four months over a case that was 100% caused by Bill Keeler's law firm's incompetence, in my opinion. Now you know why I think Bill Keeler is one of the most evil men I have ever encountered.
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07 Feb, 2014 by Anonymous
Mr. Keeler told us we would not be liable for anything but our own attorneys fees but infact he joined us to a petition that held us responsible for over 100 grand of all the other partys fees. He filed responses we never agreed to or even signed just to rack up more charges. Mr. Keeler was all about the money rather then having a close bond with his clients or even standing up and showing compassion for a deceased individual who deserved justice! NOT TRUSTWORTHY! I do NOT reccomend and would NOT ever use again! Please research thoroughly before you just think because of his age and how long he has been practicing law he must be good at what he does.
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29 Nov, 2018 by Anonymous
Do not go to this guy! If he's appointed to you, fire him! He comes across as "Do whatever dhs says if you want your kids back." What about dhs shouldn't have ever taken them?? What happened to defending your client?? It took me 8yrs fighting the injustice system. I finally got full custody just in time to find out my son had a brain tumor the size of an orange on his brainstem & was close to death. Ya this "lawyer" was the first mistake. Hiring one of his parters, mistake #2. Good luck out there!!
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11 Mar, 2016 by Wendy
DO NOT HIRE ERIN KEELER (RICKARDS) AS YOUR DIVORCE ATTORNEY.
Erin Rickards failed me in every way that a divorce attorney could fail. She failed to give me good advice. She failed to critique every level of the valuations done of shared assets. She failed to ensure that premarital assets were attributed to me. She failed to account for money that could have and should have been deducted from the equity of assets. She failed to go after my ex when we really had him with his lying and concealing of assets. She failed me. I trusted her and thought she knew what she was doing. But she did not. She had barely been out of school three years when taking my case she had NO business being my divorce attorney. She made mistake after mistake and failed to protect me from total financial ruin.
The results of Erin Rickards failure towards her client is that I am about to go into bankruptcy because of the insurmountable debt that I have incurred because of the huge divorce judgement against myself. I owe more on my divorce judgement today then I did in 2010 because at 9% interest I can barely make the interest payment each month. Furthermore, the emotional and physical stress that I have suffered since my divorce trying to run the business that I unhappily own and be a single mother and pay my ex-husband every extra cent I have has had a terrible toll on my physical health to the point that I can no longer even work in the restaurant as I am physically unable.
Please take my advice and do not use her if you want to come out on top on your case.
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05 Jan, 2011 by Anonymous
"Whoever wrote this did not know what they were doing" said a Multnomah County Judge to me in 2010 regarding my simple bill of sale Mrs. Burns crafted expensively for me in 2009. The judge also said "This document is not legally binding" and "If I were you I'd seek legal advice against your lawyer."
After my lawsuit was thrown out I approached Mrs Burns for a return of my money. She refused, and gave me the name of her malpractice insurance company. My new lawyer told me its expensive and fruitless to go up against another lawyer like this, and it's not really worth the money that I spent already.
(As a side note, I should have known better, for at my first meeting there, there was dog poop all over her office and meeting room floors and it stank horribly. Completely unprofessional.)
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Discover the ideal lawyer
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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.
