The Ugly Truth About Hiring A Lawyer

Hiring A Lawyer

On many occasions, we are consulted by people who have experienced a family breakdown and they have undertaken a significant amount of research online – the legal equivalent to consulting “Dr. Google” when we feel unwell.

Whilst there is undoubtedly a large amount of information available via the internet, much of it of high quality, there is also an enormous amount of misleading, inaccurate, or irrelevant information available.

In principle, of course, it is a good thing that people become better informed and better able to understand their situation. But just as “Dr. Google” won’t replace your local GP or hospital specialist any time soon, the internet rarely enables even the most diligent researcher to replace the skills and experience of an experienced, knowledgeable solicitor.

Going It Alone

We have sometimes been consulted by people who have attempted to draft Court documents themselves, only to have them rejected, sometimes more than once, by the Court because despite their best efforts they simply cannot get the documents correct. 

At other times we are consulted by people who have formed a clear and definite view about what the outcome should be to their family law situation, based on their online research. Our real-world experience and legal knowledge may provide a different perspective and help them see alternative solutions. On many occasions, we have seen homemade wills that have a serious technical error that renders them invalid.

Value For Money

Whilst legal fees may be expensive, a good solicitor will give you value for money. They will listen to you and understand your situation, use their experience and commercial good sense to apply the law, and assist you to find practical, sensible, personalized solutions to your circumstances. 

Many times we have been able to save our clients money by providing sensible advice or by using our experience to find solutions that they were otherwise unaware of. We consider this part of our obligation to keep our clients ‘Ahead Of The Game’.

For a no-obligation, free 20-minutes initial consultation with one of our experienced solicitors, please call us on 1800 217 217 

Article Source: Hiring A Lawyer

SHOULD YOU USE A DIY WILL KIT OR HIRE AN ATTORNEY?

 

DIY will kits are becoming increasingly more popular and many are available for purchase online. Having a will is important on many levels, particularly if you have a sizeable estate, and even people with not much in the way of material possessions and money should still have some sort of will.

Do Your Own Will? Hire an Attorney?

But should you attempt to transcribe your own will just to try and save some money, or is that a task best left to a professional; hire a solicitor or hire an Attorney who specializes in wills and estates?

A DIY will kit can be handy in the sense that it’ll give you an idea of the types of things to include in your will, but it’s still highly advisable to have a trained professional prepare the will and distribute your estate.

Below are just a few reasons why DIY will preparation is not in your best interests.

The Cons of DIY Will Kits

DIY wills can often be unclear and ambiguous. They can even be misinterpreted and therefore left open to challenge by those in disagreement with the will.

Generally, when one prepares their own will, they are doing so to avoid involving a law firm. Therefore, they appoint a friend or family member as the executor of the will. Unfortunately, this person with their newfound responsibility likely doesn’t have the knowledge, experience or expertise to act as an effective executor, and therefore struggles to adequately fulfill the obligations bestowed upon them.

There is also the chance the executor has a conflict of interest, such as a business partner of the deceased.

If there is disagreement over the will between siblings, for example, how will you plan a resolution to that conflict and challenge when writing your own will?

Another common mistake is to leave assets to people that you either don’t actually own, or don’t fully own, such as a joint business or family trust.

And one of the most common problems with DIY wills is they get misplaced or lost and are unable to be found when the time comes.

Wills are an extremely important document and should be treated as such.

Call An Expert for Will Preparation

Don’t take chances. Have your will prepared and executed by a professional. At Aylward Game Solicitors in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast,

We specialize in wills and estate planning, so trust one of your life’s most important legal documents to us and give yourself complete peace of mind.

Article Source: Wills and Estate Planning