Find a Lawyer who will not lose their Appeal!
We live in a nation of law. If every aspect of my life is governed by law, can I afford not to have a lawyer? Just as much as I need a trusted accountant for tax filing and a value congruent advisor for financial planning, I need an attorney, to be prepared for life. Just like I have a general physician for medical wellness reasons my lawyer is my trusted advisor in making sure my choices are prudent for leading a prosperous life. If you are wondering how this could even be relevant to your life, let me pause and present a real life situation I had witnessed.
One morning, I received an emergency call from the spouse of my employee requesting I send my employee home right away as there had been a family tragedy. I did not want to let me employee drive home under such circumstances; I drove her home and tried to be of assistance in dealing with the family tragedy. A young husband and wife had been gunned down while a 6-month old baby and a toddler were in the back seat of the family vehicle. The wealthy young parents died on the spot and every family member was fighting to take responsibility for the children in an effort to take control of the wealth left behind. Amidst the horrific tragedy, I learned my lesson number-1: DO NOT ever put my loved ones in a position to be pawns in a feud; be responsible and establish a will. Say what you may, but Michael Jackson’s children are caught amidst such a battle due to money as well …. It is irresponsible on the part of adults to not prepare a will and establish the rules of engagement to protect their children as well as loved ones.
1. Be a responsible parent and protect your children by establishing a Will to
- Appoint legal guardians
- Set up Trusts for children
- Determine inheritance
- Make final arrangements
2. There is a compelling financial reason to make a Will
- You can decide how your assets are shared out, else the law says who gets what
- Provide for your partner; unmarried partner will not inherit automatically
- If you're divorced or if your civil partnership has been dissolved decide if an ex-partner inherits
- You can make sure you don't pay more Inheritance Tax than necessary
3. There is a compelling medical reason to establish a Living Will
- Save your children and loved ones from the agony of having to decide what you would want
- Make your wishes known to make sure your life is always based on your choice
Every business owner also needs a trusted attorney to insure proper business incorporation, maintenance of a corporate book to separate the personal and business liabilities, establish effective contracts, and general risk mitigation.
A good attorney who has your best interest at heart will guide your navigation through all the personal legal scenarios as well as be able to refer you to a reliable business attorney if it is not their area of expertise. Selecting a lawyer could be daunting, but here are the top 10 tips to remember:
- Think bottom line
- Find a people person
- Find someone with good business connections
- Think of your business lawyer as your part-time VP legal
- Look for a deal maker not a deal breaker
- Look for someone open to a fixed fee arrangement
- Look for business experience
- Look for someone you would be happy to have a drink with
- Don't focus only on the billable hour rate; focus on value and total price
- Don't assume you need a big blue chip firm
When I explored my options for a local law firm to assist me with my business needs, I found RothMelei Attorneys At Law a good fit to function as my Chief Legal Officer team. I spent time getting to know the attorneys and determined if I could have a drink with them, share my thoughts to seek their professional council, and if they will be effective strategic partners in making good deals. I can say with confidence that, by applying the Top 10 Tips, I have a team of Lawyers with a broad bench strength working for me. I find their ability to relate to people a plus. I even love to drop in at my attorney’s office with donuts because they make me feel a part of one strategic business team focused on mutual prosperity.
**Do share your thoughts and lessons learned on selecting an Attorney so that we can all learn from each other’s experience. By collaborating we can work in tandem to grow our economic viability, building financially stable families and local communities. I look forward to an engaging discussion! **
Timothy Fraser
8:48 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
I must say that as a Financial Planner I have seen my fair share of poor situations made worse due to lack of properly established wills and trusts. These items are not just for the super wealthy. Just having life insurance and a family member who knows they are to care for your kids is not enough. That life insurance money needs to be used the way you would want. The person you want to have your kids may be more than willing but may suddenly have competition from another family member. Make sure to plan for your passing just as you would your ret. Sit down with a competent estate attorney like Sam Melei and put your documents together.
Dr.Kas - Tips for Financial Health
11:50 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
You make a very important connection of having a trusted financial advisor who effectively partners with a good attorney and vice versa, putting the interest of the mutual client.
Steve Smith
9:20 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
What a tragic story. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family. In such litigious times it is important to have your personal and business houses in order. I also use RothMelei for my business matters and appreciate their council. It is nice to pick up the phone and be able to talk to them. Their expertise and precision in handling matters is comforting to know that my team is working for me. Plus as far as lawyers go, Sam is a good guy, who cares. That is hard to find in a lawyer!
Dr.Kas - Tips for Financial Health
11:52 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
Thanks Steve, the family referenced is now doing well having dealt with the tragic circumstances. My hope in sharing this personal story is to make a compelling case for the need of a solid family lawyer.
Mike Daniele
9:46 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
That is horrible! Here is my question: what differentiates your services from someone from other services where they include a "free will"? (aka legal shield).
Dr.Kas - Tips for Financial Health
12:02 am on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Mike, as a finance professional, I would question if there is really a “free Will”…. In the case of Legal Shield, individuals have to pay monthly premiums to be enrolled in a legal plan to be able to access the network for advice and then pay an out of pocket portion when legal representation is needed. The premiums, therefore, pay for the “Will” as well as limited initial advice.
Someone always pays for everything since there is no such thing as a “free lunch”:-( If there is no opportunity to make a profit, the business would not exist and it would be set-up as a charitable organization. Even then, funds raised should be sufficient to cover the cost of service delivered to be a viable non-profit organization.
Mike LaComb
9:32 am on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Correct Dr Kas, everything offered for "FREE" is a marketing strategy to attract customers. Somewhere along the line the free offering is paid for, even if it's not you paying for it! In these economic times everyone is trying to come up with different creative strategies to market their products or services
Jim Christensen
9:34 am on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
If you are not going to die, you do not need a will. If accidents never happen, you do not need a will. If you know all the intricacies and nuances of business deals and contracts, you don't need an attorney. However if any of those three statements are not true for you, you do need an attorney. You need an attorney that you know, really know and TRUST. You need an attorney that is knowledgeable, someone that you and the world respect. You want an attorney who either has the answers and advice or knows where to find them. You need an attorney who will go to the mat for you and will have your best interest at stake. Sam Melei of RothMelei Attorneys at Law is such an attorney. I have used Mr.Melei's services for several years and have also confidently referred others to him. Sam does a good job of addressing both business and personal needs. On top of that, compared to Downtown firms, his charges are reasonable. Jim Christensen
Sam
10:18 am on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Thank you Kas, Tim, Steve and Jim for the votes of confidence! Much appreciated! To address Mr. Daniele's question, at RothMelei, we strive to really get to know our clients so that we can properly advise them based on their goals and needs. These means that we take the time to ask questions and listen to what the client has to say, and then offer advice which best suits each client's situation. While everyone who doesn't have one might need a will, for example, not all wills are the same and other documents, such as powers of attorney, might also be necessary or beneficial. We want to make sure that we are providing a solution, not just a product.
Dr.Jeff Moore
10:23 am on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
All three of the above items do not apply to me because I am a natural health care provider and I plan to live forever!! But just in case the Universe does not agree with me, then I will have no hesitation in using Roth and Melei for these important documents.
Ken N
5:10 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
We all know lots of lawyer jokes, but that doesn't change the fact that most of us need solid counsel to "do things right". And when we don't take those steps, it's our loved ones who stand to pay a price. This is an area where there's no excuse for not being a grownup.
I've had the pleasure of working with Sam Melei in several capacities, and can vouch for his mature judgement, patience, and excellent communication skills.
Jared Silver
8:14 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Great article Kas. As Jim Christensen has eluded... and
Dr Jeff blatantly stated, none of us expect to have the kind
of life issues that would require the services of an attorney.
Just treat people fairly and YOU will always be treated fairly. Bad things don't happen to good people. If you
maintain your health you'll live forever, yada-yada. Guess what... life just doesn't work that way. I'm fully aware that
I could be run down by a stage coach at any time. So I have an attorney who I've worked with on "small" issues
and know that I can count on him for any big issues that
may encounter along the path of life. Thank you Sam.
Jeff Sims
4:56 pm on Friday, August 31, 2012
Well done article Dr. Kas!
A year ago, I called upon Sam for some help regarding a former employer. His understanding and legal advice was very reassuring and right on the money. Sam has impeccable integrity and moral character. Amen.