Practice Areas
Our attorneys assist clients in the following areas of law:
Estate Planning Attorneys - Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Trusts
Wills. Our experienced attorneys provide counseling and guidance to clients in the process of planning the distribution and management of their estates. We discuss your wishes and concerns in order to tailor an estate plan to fit your needs.
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Powers of Attorney. A comprehensive estate plan includes more than just a will. It should also include documents to handle your affairs if you become unable to do so. Powers of Attorney can be used to appoint a trusted individual to handle your financial and medical affairs if you become unable to do so, whether by injury or illness. The documents are made before you become incapacitated, and allows another person to make decisions on your behalf. It is important to create these documents while you have the capacity to do so.
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Trusts are common instruments used by estate planning professionals to help meet their clients' needs. There are many different types of trusts that can be used to meet estate planning goals, including revocable trusts, Miller trusts, and special needs trusts. A trust can be used before and/or after death to distribute property in accordance with the grantor's wishes. To make the best use of a trust, a qualified and reliable trustee should be appointed to manage the trust.
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Special Needs Trusts are special trusts designed for the benefit of individuals with disabilities, either physical or mental. They are written in such a way that the disabled can enjoy the use of the assets held by the trust without jeopardizing his or her rights and entitlement to receive needs-based government benefits.
Probate and Estate Administration
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Probate simply refers to the process of finalizing the affairs and transferring the property of a deceased person to the rightful heirs. The type of probate depends on several factors. One of the most important factors is whether the deceased person had a will. A will typically names a person to serve as Executor. This is the the person who must carry out the wishes of the deceased. An executor can act independently in many situations. In Texas, the process can be very simple. It is meant to help the heirs clear title to property as quickly and easily as possible. That said, the time immediately following a loved one's death is a difficult time for any family. There are many decisions to be made, including how best to handle outstanding affairs of the deceased. The right attorney can help you make the decisions regarding the probate of an estate, and assist you through the entire process.
Business Legal Services
Our attorneys are well-versed in business matters, and assist our clients in getting their businesses started, keeping them licensed, and dealing with the host of issues that can arise in running a business in today's complex world. We are especially well-equipped to deal with tax issues that may arise, including federal and state audits. Carolyn Dove is a Texas licensed Certified Public Accountant in addition to being and attorney. Jeff Lerner has a Masters of Law in Taxation in addition to his Juris Doctorate degree. They have taught extensively in the areas of business and tax at the college and graduate levels.
Mediation
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Disputes are a part of life. In marriage, in business, in politics, in virtually anything and everything. Often, they are difficult to resolve. Resolving a dispute through court litigation is a costly, time consuming, and public process, with an outcome that is often unpredictable and unsatisfactory. Mediation, on the other hand, keeps the outcome of the dispute in the hands of the parties involved. With the help of a skillful and impartial mediator, the parties can usually craft a satisfactory solution quickly, quietly, and far less expensively than through litigation.
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Jeff Lerner is a certified Texas mediator, trained and qualified to mediate disputes of virtually any nature and kind. Mediations may be held in our offices, conveniently located in the center of the DFW metroplex.