EXPERIENCE
I have practiced law in the State of Florida for more than 38 years. Over the course of my career, I have represented thousands of clients in a variety of areas of law such as real estate, civil litigation of many kinds, estate planning, probate, business law, contracts, personal injury, and guardianship. I currently limit my practice to estate planning, probate, guardianship, business planning, and business/real property litigation, but my broad background in the law allows me to bring a depth of legal experience to my work that another attorney may lack.
COMPETENCE AND EXPERTISE:
I have been rated “AV Preeminent” in the areas of Estates and Litigation by the national attorney peer review rating service, Martindale Hubbell. Only a small percentage of all attorney have this rating, which is established by ratings from attorneys and judges. I have been a Florida Bar Board Certified Lawyer in the area of Civil Trial or Business Litigation since 1993. This certification indicates that I have special knowledge, expertise, and experience in this area of the law. I graduated from one of the top law schools in the country, the University of Michigan Law School, in 1978. I have a post graduate degree from the University of Montpellier in Montpellier, France and a BA with High Honors from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida.
INTEGRITY, CLIENT RELATIONS:
I also have a “Very High” rating from the Martindale Hubbell Peer Review service in the area of lawyer ethics and the highest rating for its Client Review Rating. I have never been disciplined by The Florida Bar.
FRIENDLY, RELAXED OFFICE ATMOSPHERE:
I have been practicing law in Winter Garden, Florida, as a sole practitioner since 1979. We maintain a friendly neighborhood atmosphere in our office where clients feel comfortable dropping by without appointments. We don’t stand on formalities. I don’t wear a suit and tie unless I’m going to court. I try hard to return my client’s phone calls promptly. I do not subject my clients to any high-pressure sales pitch to convince them to purchase expensive estate planning. I do not attempt to sell them life insurance or anything other than my personal legal services. To sum it up, we treat our clients as our friends and neighbors, which they often are.
CONVENIENCE AND EFFICIENCY:
Over the years, I have utilized and adapted information technology to make my office more productive and efficient. For example, I have created a library of computer-generated probate forms which dramatically reduces the amount of time involved in producing the documents that are required to be filed with the court in a probate proceeding. This allows me to charge less for probate proceedings. I also make extensive use of voice recognition software, document scanning, computer data storage, estate planning and case management software to produce documents, store and retrieve my files, manage my cases, and communicate with my clients in the most productive manner.
For estate planning clients who are unable to travel, we can make special arrangements to visit them at their home, hospital, or assisted living facility. For other clients who are short of time or have difficulty in traveling, we offer our “Will While You Wait” service, whereby, with prior notice, we can prepare and have you sign basic wills and other estate planning documents in a single visit to my office of approximately one hour.
REASONABLE FEES/NO COST PHONE CONSULTATION:
Most estate planning work and probate proceedings are handled on a flat-fee basis which is discussed and agreed to up front. Compared to what other attorneys charge for similar services, I believe that my charges are quite reasonable and compare well to other attorneys with my experience and qualifications. Although I have no desire to be the cheapest attorney in town, I strive to keep my charges reasonable. I provide a no cost phone consultation to discuss your legal needs and how I can help.
COMPETENT AND FRIENDLY STAFF
My paralegal, Lynn White, has been with me since 1990 and is knowledgeable and experienced in the areas of probate and guardianship administration. She epitomizes our relaxed and friendly approach to the practice of law.
