Reviews

We are contemplating a move back to Washington state where we lived for many years. Without proper estate planning we would potentially be subject to the Washington estate tax. n our initial contacts with the firm, we clearly identified that we were residents in another state. We were instructed to provide our detailed financial picture as well as our current estate planning documents which we provided promptly and told that our information would be forwarded to the attorneys for evaluation. The following is the email response. “Thank you for filling out and returning your Questionnaire. I will forward your information to our attorneys for review. Once they have completed their review, I will be back in touch with you regarding a quote for services and the next steps for scheduling.” Well over a month went by with no word back from STIB. I finally contacted them by email requesting a status update. Within minutes, I received the following reply. “Thank you very much for contacting our firm. Unfortunately, we are not able to take on your case. Our firm does not advise out-of-state residents on tax issues. Our focus is estate planning and long term care planning.” The STIB website clearly tax issues as part of estate planning. I also found no restrictions on attorneys in Washington state providing consultation to out-of-state residents considering residency in Washington. Needless to say, I was astounded by what I consider to extremely poor communication and timely follow-up. If it is indeed not their policy to advise out-of-state residents on tax issues, I would have expected to have been informed of that policy up front thus saving us the time of compiling and sending detailed and confidential financial and estate planning information. In my opinion, this represents incompetent and totally unprofessional behavior.

As someone who has no experience with wills or lawyers and doesn’t understand the process, this was a bad fit. It’s quite possible that if you know what to ask or what’s happening that they will be great for you, but for me I ended up with a $120 invoice for two emails I didn’t understand what to do with, going to look for someone else to help us setup out family will.

Very experienced attorneys who truly care about their clients

The law firm of Betts Patterson & Mines helped my Mother set up and record her Living Trust. She contracted lung cancer and a mere nine months later moved on to be with her Lord. As one can imagine, it was a shock to go from always being strong and healthy to frail. The excellent attorneys at this firm became almost family. Their knowledgeable partners not only handled Mom's Trust but also her lawsuit with Quest. A few months prior to her diagnosis, she was out with one of her good friends when her friend's car was struck by a Quest truck that was making an illegal turn. If you value the finest in representation, Betts Patterson and Mines should be your choice.

Sean Bleck assisted both my mother-in-law and my father. His office was a pleasure to work with. They asked us to fill out comprehensive paperwork before meeting. They actually used the paperwork to prep for our meeting! Mr. Bleck save us worry, time, money and heartache. I highly recommend him.

Barbara Isenhour helped answer some legal questions for me, courteously and efficiently. She asked me the questions that matter most upfront, and helped me figure out the best course of action to take.

Great experience.