How to Find a Good Estate Attorney
Estate planning is the process of making final personal, financial and legal arrangements for your property, according to the Ohio State University Extension Bulletin. Because estate planning encompasses knowledge of federal and state tax laws, retirement plans, insurance policies, types of property and the handling of real estate issues, finding an experienced estate attorney is critical. There are four main steps necessary to find a good estate attorney.
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Instructions
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Identify your specific needs. Whether they involve drawing up a simple will, establishing a trust or choosing an estate administrator, you should have a clear idea of what you need the estate attorney to do for you. Write a brief list summarizing the specific services you need from an estate attorney, as well as any complicating factors or circumstances that may affect your estate. Identifying exactly what you want from an estate attorney up front will help you find exactly the kind of attorney you need.
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Check bar association resources--state bar associations and the American Bar Association offer legal referral services as well as extensive search tools to help you find a good estate attorney. Tools can range from the ABA's Martindale Lawyer Locator--which searches the Martindale legal directory for lawyers in your area who practice estate law--to clickable maps, directories segmented by city and specialty and toll-free numbers that allow you to speak with trained referral staff. Note that although search tools and directories will provide a comprehensive list of estate attorneys in your area, referral services will take into account your individual needs before producing a list of possible estate attorneys.
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Ask friends and family for recommendations. Family members, neighbors, colleagues and friends may have an estate lawyer who helped them with a similar problem, so it never hurts to ask for a recommendation. You can also ask friends or family members to look at a list of nearby estate attorneys and give you feedback based on your circumstances and needs.
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Confer with potential estate attorneys. A critical step to finding a good estate attorney is a brief conversation, either in person or over the telephone. Not only will a conversation with the attorney help you evaluate whether she has the background or experience to help you with your specific needs, but it will also help evaluate her work style and approach to legal problems. Although many bar association referral services allow you a free half-hour meeting with an estate attorney to determine whether you want to work together, be sure to ask when you set up your meeting if the initial consultation is free. Take the initial list of specific needs that you produced and use it in your meeting--find out how often has she handled such problems. Does she get good results for clients? Does she hold a particular certification in estate law? What kinds of training or coursework has she taken to complement her professional experiences? The responses that you receive from the attorneys you evaluate will help you choose a good estate attorney.
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