Does the Attorney Focus on Estate Planning? There are many attorneys that say that they do estate planning. And of course there are many that do. The real question to ask however is “do they practice exclusively in this area of the law”? Just as there are doctors that specialize in certain areas of medicine such as general practice, cardiology or oncology, there are attorneys that are generalists and ones that limit their practices to a specific area of the law. The benefit to this is that the attorney is much more likely to be abreast of the current law and issues that surround that practice area. They are also more likely to correctly identify areas that could be problems down the road if the proper planning is not done.
Beware of Bar Association Referral Hotlines: The Bar Associations have lawyer referral services (in San Diego County, we have the San Diego County Bar Association Referral Service and North County San Diego County Bar Association Referral Service). Understand that lawyers have signed up and paid a fee to be listed in certain specialties with these referral services. Their names come up on a rotating basis. And also note that the bar association is not making any judgment about who is a good attorney and who is not. They are simply connecting a bar member in good standing with a prospective client.
Ask family and friends for recommendations. Your friends and family are a good place to start because they know you and can anticipate who you would personally like.
At the same time, be wary of possible ulterior motives, especially if you have a relatively large estate and the person you’re asking for a recommendation stands to gain or believes she’ll be listed as an heir. Always carefully vet an attorney before hiring him, even if he was recommended by a close friend or relative.
You may have an attorney you use for other matters. If so, ask her if she knows an estate-planning attorney she could recommend. An attorney would have a good understanding of another attorney’s status, experience, and professional reputation
Looking for a Estate planning attorney in Sacramento area ? The Law Offices of Brian D. Russ is a full-service law firm serving clients throughout the Sacramento region in estate planning and general litigation support. Brian earned his Juris Doctorate from the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California. Brian passed the California bar on his first attempt and is licensed to practice law in California (Bar #318281).. Call or text me today to discuss your situation: (916) 750-5155. Or send me an email at brian@brianrusslaw.com.