So, the last few days I’ve been preparing for some upcoming travels. I’m headed to Florida for a little bit and then I have to go up to Philadelphia. It’s always exciting for me to get out and about, network, meet new people, and connect with new clients. I’m really looking forward to that.
In the midst of all this planning, I came across a question from someone who asked, “What attorneys should I work with?” More specifically, they were asking about estate planning attorneys.
It’s a pretty straightforward answer: You should work with someone that you trust. But the real question is, how do you develop that trust? I think there are a few ways to go about this.
First, just ask around. Talk to the people in your life—friends, family, financial advisors, your insurance agent, your CPA, or maybe even another attorney you’ve worked with in the past on a different type of matter. A lot of times they know quality attorneys or they’ve had relationships or experiences and can provide feedback on what to look for, what went well, and what didn’t go well. That review of previous experiences is pretty invaluable.
But I think there are two main things that stand out when it comes to trusting an attorney. At the most basic level, first and foremost, you need to be able to trust that your attorney is going to communicate with you. I can’t tell you how often I have clients or prospective clients come in and tell me they had previously worked with another attorney maybe five years ago, 10 years ago, or even 20 years ago, and they never heard from that attorney again. Since then, they’ve followed up with emails, text messages, phone calls, left voicemails, and they’ve never heard anything back. So, I think that right there—you’ve got to trust that your attorney is going to keep open the most basic lines of communication.
Next, it’s really important to understand that estate planning is a very vulnerable process. It’s a time where, if you’re going to develop an effective estate plan, you need to be able to share with your estate planner a few different things, but most importantly, your financial situation and your family situation. That includes family dynamics, family personalities, and your relationships with your children or whoever you might be leaving your estate to. If you don’t trust your attorney, if you can’t really open up with them about those details, then you’re probably not going to end up with an estate plan that’s best for you and your family.
So, how do you really accomplish this and build this trust? Sometimes, you can do it in a matter of seconds or minutes—you just kind of have that chemistry with the attorney you’re sitting across the table from. But for me personally, I offer a free initial consultation because I want the client to be comfortable with me, and I want to be comfortable with the client. I’m not going to take on every client that comes through the door just because they’re willing to pay. Sometimes there are bad fits, and sometimes there are really great fits.
During that initial meeting, you can sit down, ask some preliminary questions, go back and forth, and try to understand the attorney and their background. I think it’s reasonable for a client or prospective client to drill down and ask the attorney, “What separates your practice and your background from another attorney’s practice or background?” If they can’t really give you an answer, then maybe they’re probably not the right attorney for you.
It’s also important that the attorney has an openness and a servant spirit—that they’re there to serve you and take care of you. So, when you’re looking for an attorney, just make sure it’s someone you trust.