I have discussed durable power of attorney and other testamentary documents before.
Last week I received a call from a client for whom I had prepared wills, power of attorneys and living wills years ago. She is now a financial advisor and has a client who needs a will, durable power of attorney, living will and healthcare surrogate appointment. She went to my website and could not find whether I still drafted these documents. I do!
I have been a trial attorney for over 47 years. I started with testamentary documents (Last Will and Testament and Power of Attorney) my first year of practice. It was not until much later that Kentucky and other States began recognizing Living Wills.
In representing the families of individuals who have lost their lives through the negligence of third-parties, I have had to open estates so the surviving family member (usually a spouse or parent) can go forward with a wrongful death claim. This experience has given me the expertise to handle estates of those who have passed – even if the estate is not needed for a wrongful death claim.
My litigation experience has given me a unique perspective on drafting testamentary documents. My experience as a mediator has given me the experience and training to navigate sometimes hostile family disputes over an estate. As I told my long-term client, yes, I draft testamentary documents and I can advise her clients, and mine, on what they may need going forward.
