Our Practice Areas

PROBATE

Well, that is all the probate process is. It is putting in place a plan for our families, children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, spouses and friends that the courts will ensure is executed per our instructions. This is known as the Last Will and Testament. It gives us power to speak beyond the grave for the benefit of our families. The probate process gets the court involved to ensure that our wishes are carried out just the way we want, even in our physical absence.

What if there is no Last Will and Testament to probate? That means the court will decide what happens to your assets and can determine who gets what, even if it goes against your wishes because if we die without a Will the court will have no independent idea of what we want. The court will also decide who gets to manage your estate.

ESTATE PLANNING

How much do you care about your family? What happens to them in the event of your death? What do you want to happen to your family and your assets if you are unable to make decisions while you are alive? These are the questions that estate planning will answer.

Many of us put plans in place in the event of our deaths, and I can assure you that over 24 years of practice and drafting estate planning documents, no one has died simply by drafting a Last Will and Testament or any other estate planning document. Chances are, you will live long after you engage in your estate planning and the benefits to your family will be invaluable. Estate planning takes out of the hands of the judge or the court certain decisions about your assets and what should happen to them upon your passing. If you have minor children, you can dictate what should happen to them in the event of your death. Estate planning also takes out of the hands of your medical professionals medical decisions when you are unable to consent. If you are unable to act because of a medical condition, you get to guide your doctors, the court and your families about what medical care you want and the person(s) you want to make decisions for you.

What should happen to your assets in the event you need to be in a nursing home or access government benefits, or what if you have a disabled child? Estate planning covers all these eventualities. The benefits of ensuring that your affairs are in order today can be life changing not only to you but also your loved ones.

FAMILY LAW

Family law includes custody, domestic violence, child support, abuse and neglect, guardianship, adoption, visitation, juvenile delinquency, paternity and persons in need of supervision. Matrimonial law is also a part of family law.

Family law matters are generally emotion driven and often requires an attorney to help resolve the conflicts. The very introduction to family court often conjures up emotions, usually negative that need to be managed so that litigants can come out of family court with dignity and something that they can consider a win.

GUARDIANSHIP

Dementia has become a real issue in our society, and this makes the issue of adult guardianship important to many families. It is no longer good practice to turn our heads and pretend that our aging loved ones can make their own decisions or giving them space to be the adults they are.

Sometimes we must act to help preserve the autonomy of our aging families while keeping them safe and protecting their assets. Guardianship is often the only way to do that. Once a man, twice a child is real, and we must all be prepared to step in to help our aging family and friends.

REAL ESTATE

Buying, selling or leasing real estate often requires the assistance of an attorney to help protect your legal rights. While realtors and title agents have a role in the real estate transaction, a lawyer also plays a dynamic and important role. We negotiate contractual terms to protect our clients, we draft contracts, we guide clients through the process of inspections, mortgage approval, complying with city codes while ensuring that at closing there are no outstanding legal issues.