Recently, I caught up with a friend
who is a former lawyer (if one can ever truly become a “former” lawyer). Having since moved on to other ventures, he began to reminisce about past
cases and past clients. His greatest frustration, he confided to me, was having
a client contact him after the client's problem had become too far gone to be salvaged. Often, this was because clients were hesitant to spend the
money to hire a lawyer at the outset, instead attempting to deal with
problems on their own.
As
an example, he told me of a particular client who had attempted to publish a
book without first seeking his advice. The client was subsequently sued over
some infringement issues that could have easily been avoided on the front end, and
my friend found himself in a position of trying to mitigate, rather than trying
to eliminate damages for his client. When the client asked why my friend could
not absolve him of all responsibility for what he had done, my client’s honest
answer was, “because you acted before you came to me.”
Lawyers
are problem-solvers. It’s in our DNA. It’s a skill we are taught in law school
and that skill is sharpened each day we practice. It can become an
all-consuming urge that we apply to situations we shouldn’t. It drives our
spouses crazy and it causes communication disconnects with non-lawyers. But we
are also problem-avoiders. In fact, contrary to popular belief, most of what
lawyers do is designed to help our clients avoid
problems in the first place, rather than to “bail them out” later.
Unfortunately,
life is messy. Conflicts happen. Drivers crash into other drivers. Contracts
are breached. Marriages fail. And when those things happen, people call lawyers
to help solve their problems. People seem more hesitant, however, to think
about calling your lawyer to avoid problems before they arise. But you should
do just that. It will cost you far less in the long run. Below are some common
ways people cost themselves more because they try to save on the front end by
not consulting a legal professional.
#1: Using Cheap Online Estate Planning (Wills & Trusts) Forms
These
forms are easily available online. When faced with the possibility of getting a
free or cheap Will online or paying a legal professional to do it, the
temptation of the free form is undeniably strong. After all, you tell yourself,
you end up with a Will either way, right? Well, yes. You will have a Will. And
heaven help you if that Will is contested. Consider the following:
§
The identity of the person(s) who drafted the Will forms
you find online is usually not apparent. They could have been drafted by anyone.
§
It is a commonly held belief that
estate planning is for the wealthy. But people of all economic levels benefit
from a Will drafted by a qualified legal professional. A Will is designed to
distribute your property to your beneficiaries with as little tax consequence as
possible. Lawyers with extensive legal education provide the best advice on the
distribution of an estate. As for those
who have few assets, there is a heightened importance of making sure that every
asset is distributed as intended.
§
There are numerous rules to estate disposition,
and every state has different rules. The online form you choose may have been
drafted for North Carolina, Kansas, or California. An online Will, available to
residents of Tennessee, may not include the specifics that are needed here.
§
Not only does your Will need to be written properly,
there are very specific rules on how it must be executed. This service is
already provided at an attorney’s office, so you do not have to worry that
improper execution will invalidate your Will.
§
If your Will is challenged after you are
deceased, the lawyer who helped you create it can attest to your intent and
your state of mind at the time of execution. The fact that you created your
Will in the presence of, and with the aid of, a legal professional, is solid
evidence of your true intent.
So
yes, you can get a Will online at little to no cost. But the more relevant
question is whether or not you have a solid Will that does its job after you
die. If you choose not to work with a legal professional in disposing of your
estate, you open up the possibility of causing problems after death that your
Will was supposed to eliminate for your heirs. And you also eliminate that
peace of mind that the Will was supposed to provide you in the first place.
#2: Attempting To Start A Business
What
business format is best suited for your particular situation? Which format
helps you best achieve your long term goals? What does the language in the various business creation forms mean? Will it have an unknown effect down the road that
prevent you from accomplishing your business objectives? Do the provisions on
the form apply in your state? It is best not to find out the answers to these
questions when problems arise. A lawyer can tailor the forms exactly to your
needs and help you avoid costly, even disastrous, problems down the road.
Again, this is an area where online forms are easily available, but should not
be counted on to properly meet your needs as an entrepreneur.
#3: Attempting To Execute A Quitclaim Deed
Quitclaim
forms are easily accessible and fairly easy for anyone to execute. But they are
not ideal for all real estate transfers. Furthermore, they often come with
unforeseen implications. When transferring real property, it is always best to
consult with a lawyer who knows real estate. And even if, after discussing the desired
transfer with your lawyer, you decide a Quitclaim Deed is the best option, it
is best to have that lawyer assist you in the creation of the deed and with the
filing of that deed.
#4: Entering Into Contracts
Boilerplate
contracts are easy to find online. But few situations requiring a contract are
one-size-fits-all. Again, the question arises as to which state’s laws apply to
your contractual arrangement and how do they relate to the boilerplate
language in the form? What are the implications of that language? Which party
bears the responsibility of loss, for example, if a piece of real property is
destroyed after contracting for it,
but before closing? In a sales
contract, which party bears responsibility of the loss while a good is in
transit? What are the obligations of each party going forward? These are
important questions, among many others, that should be addressed before any contract is signed. The
language of your contract should be read and interpreted by a professional
before entering into any contractual arrangements.
#5: Power Of Attorney
Many
people deal with a POA at some point in their lives, either by agreeing to
become an Attorney-in-Fact for a loved one or by having another do so for them.
Many who enter into a POA arrangement do not understand exactly which powers
are being transferred. Which powers can be granted and which powers can be
retained? How will the powers the Grantor decides to grant be granted and how
can those the Grantor decides to retain be retained? What do those powers mean?
How does your situation relate to these powers? In what situations are these
powers transferred and in which situations are they retained? Reliable answers
to these questions are requisite if one is to make informed decisions with
regard to the creation of a sound Power of Attorney document. Once these
answers are obtained from a lawyer, and once the resulting decisions are made,
that lawyer can craft a personally-tailored Power of Attorney document that
achieves your wishes and puts your mind at ease.
Bottom
line, your lawyer’s greatest skill set is his or her ability to prevent you
from incurring problems before they arise. But you have to give that lawyer a
chance to do so. If you are looking to plan for the
dispensation of your estate, start a business, or have a real estate need, I
hope you will consider giving me a call to put you in the best position to
achieve your goals and avoid problems down the road.
Houston
Akin, The Maloney Law Firm, 615.627.3845.