Finding an attorney who is a “real person” can be difficult. Many attorneys surround themselves almost exclusively with other attorneys and are accustomed to speaking in ivory tower legalese. You should be able to connect with your attorney on a personal level, and he or she should speak to you in plain language that you can understand. You will be working very closely with this person on issues that are very important to you. It is important that he or she be down-to-earth and someone that you connect with.
The most common complaint that clients have of their attorneys is that the attorney is unreachable, does not communicate with them regularly, or does not promptly return your calls. Your attorney should reach out to you about your case regularly and respond within 24 hours to calls and e-mails. An open line of communication between you and your attorney is essential to building trust.
Your attorney’s goal should not be to win at all costs. Rather, it should be to achieve a favorable outcome for you as efficiently as possible. It is important that your attorney set realistic expectations at the outset as to the costs you should expect, the concerns that the attorney has about the outcome of your case, and the length of time that you should expect your case to take.
Regardless of the nature of your case, we have an experienced attorney who will focus on your individual needs. Our team of attorneys works closely together, bringing each of their different fields of experience to bear in order to optimize our client care.
Kevin's firm handled setting up my will and trust recently. They took something that seemed intimidating and made it easy to understand. I've also referred a couple clients to Kevin - he's trustworthy, approachable and very fairly priced.
"I've used Kevin and his firm's services since 2011. He gave undivided attention to my cases, advised me on different options and..."
"Kevin was extremely professional, responsive and knowledgeable when I came to him for help. I would definitely recommend O'Flaherty Law!"
If you are the executor, trustee or administrator of a loved ones estate, you do not have to do it alone. Our experienced Des Moines probate attorneys are here to guide you through the process. Our excellent communication with our clients, extensive experience, and affordable rates make the experience of probate or estate administration as easy as possible for you and your family.
Please contact our friendly lawyers to Schedule a Consultation.
The purpose of a consultation is to determine whether our firm is a good fit for your legal needs. Although we often discuss expected results and costs, our attorneys do not give legal advice unless and until you choose to retain us.
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Des Moines, IA 50312
I am personally committed to ensuring that each one of our clients receives the highest level of client service from our team. Our mission is to provide excellent legal work in a cost-effective manner while maintaining open lines of communication between our clients and their attorneys. Many of our clients are going through difficult times in their lives when they reach out to us. They should feel comfortable leaning on the experience and knowledge of our attorneys as their counselors and advocates. We are here to help!
In this video our Des Moines probate litigation attorneys explain the recent changes to Iowa state and probate. The Iowa State Legislature modified a Iowa Law as it relates to the transfer of real estate. A “transfer” under Iowa Law, for the purposes of real estate disclosures, is the transfer or conveyance by sale, exchange, real estate contract, or any other method by which real estate and improvements are purchased, if a property includes at least one but not more than four dwelling units. A written disclosure usually must be given by the transferor to the person interested in being transferred the real property.
The legislature created provisions for the creation of directed trusts. In traditional trusts, the trustee is the only party responsible for managing and diversifying investments. In directed trusts, the trustee is responsible for administrative duties, but another party manages the underlying assets and is responsible for how the investments perform. The new law creates methods for appointing trust directors and protectors through the creating instrument, who have fiduciary powers.
In this video, our Des Moines probate litigation attorneys explain how probate is the official manner in which an estate is settled under supervision of the court. When a person dies without an established will, an executor is appointed (typically a surviving spouse or adult child of the deceased) to gather and value owned assets, settle remaining debts, and distribute assets to heirs. Probate prevents fraud and theft after a death. Without it, debts could go unpaid and assets could be improperly distributed.
In this video, our Des Moines probate litigation attorneys explain how civil cases normally fall into one of three categories: contract law (contracts and agreements between persons or businesses), family law (divorce, child custody, alimony), and tort law (property damage claims, personal injury, liability). Generally, the process of civil litigation is the same for each category, with some slight differences for family and small claims. Also, in 2015 Iowa made some dramatic changes to portions of its civil litigation process. One being its Fast Track litigation process and the other being changes in the general discovery rules for civil cases.