Selecting The Right Trust AttorneyWhen you are searching for a lawyer to handle your trust or estate planning you are often left finding the most dishonest lawyers possible. How to you avoid being scammed by your own lawyer? Sometimes this is hard to avoid, however with some basic research you should be able to select a good trust attorney that will fit your needs, without scamming you for your money. While there is a difference between the proper legal fees and scamming, many lawyers heavily overcharge clients for administrative fees, which is a form of scam. To help protect yourself ask around for references. Often times you can find wonderful references from your friends, however if they do not have a good reference and you know they have a trust, ask who their lawyer is as well as why they do not recommend them. Many times a bad reference is just as valuable as a good reference so you know to investigate heavily before selecting that lawyer. When you are armed with some references and referrals from friends and family, you should contact your local bar association and ask them for references. Once you have this list, start doing some research to see if any of the lawyers on your list have been under investigation for unethical behavior, or suspected fraud. If they have been, you should avoid them at all costs. Once you have narrowed down your list to remove the obviously bad lawyers, you can start calling to schedule interviews with each of your prospects. You should seek interviews only with those lawyers that provide a free consultation and are willing to speak to you themselves. You should not interview with their associate, or even their secretary. When you are interviewing trust attorney's you want to seek someone who you feel very comfortable talking to. While at the interview, you should insist upon asking for an approximate price based upon your exact needs. You should also insist upon getting a copy of their retaining contract if you will be retaining their services so you have plenty of time to look over the contract before actually signing. You want to ensure you always know exactly what you sign. Never sign a contract if you feel as if you are being pressured by the trust attorney. Another thing to watch for is a lawyer who insists upon you signing a power of attorney. You should be able to retain complete control over your assets while you are alive, or at the very least be able to select your own executor. Your lawyer should never insist upon being the executor for your estate, which is generally a red flag that should be carefully considered before proceeding any further. As you can see, finding the perfect trust attorney for your needs is not an impossible task. With some careful selection, you will find a lawyer whom you trust, and is highly knowledgeable in trusts and estate planning. Never rush into the decision over which trust attorney to hire, always carefully make a selection after interviewing at least 4 trust attorneys. |