Joel A Bernstein

Joel A Bernstein

4.8
Rating: 8.6

Licensed for 39 years

Estate planning Lawyer at Lexington, MA
Practice Areas: Estate Planning, Trusts, Probate

33 Bedford Street., Suite 13, Lexington, MA

About Joel

Biography

Practice Areas

3

Practice Areas

Estate Planning 90%

34 years | 2,500 cases

90%
Probate 5%

34 years | 160 cases

5%
Trusts 5%

34 years | 2,100 cases

5%

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer


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Licenses

Licensed in Massachusetts for 39 years

State: Massachusetts

Acquired: 1986

Active

No misconduct found

Location

MA Wills and Trusts - Joel Bernstein

33 Bedford Street., Suite 13, Lexington, MA, 02420

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Joel A Bernstein's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.8 /5.0

66 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (66) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 26 - 30 of 45 reviews | Practice Area Knowledge

Posted by Michael | February 14, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Estate Planning

Will and Trust

Attn Bernstein , whom I did not know prior to our consultation and Hiring was very clear and specific. He responded to my Family's specific trust and will needs. He dealt with us personally and was very upfront on Costs , fees etc. He spent the time needed to get the documents understood and signed.... I recommend Attn Bernstein

Joel Bernstein

Replied last February 14, 2018

Michael - Thanks for your thoughtful comments. I take communicating the estate planning concepts as well as I can to be my personal challenge and try hard to make it understandable. Again, thanks. Joel Bernstein

Posted by Justin | February 14, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Estate Planning

Estate planning made simple

Joel was extremely easy to work with and we were able to create a will and living trust in just a few hours with him. Before we started, he took time to explain all the differences among the various options available to us. When all the documents were complete, he went through each item in detail to ...ensure we understood everything. He also made it clear that we could reach out to him with any questions and come back if we ever needed to make changes to any of the documents or moved out of state.

Joel Bernstein

Replied last February 14, 2018

Hi Justin - I'd like to thank you for your very positive review. Because I focus so intently in this area of law, our motto is MA Wills and Trusts: The Only Law We Practice. It allows me to answer questions relatively easily because I've been intimately involved with so many clients over the past 25 years. Again, thanks! Joel

Posted by Frederick | February 14, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Estate Planning

Five Stars: Excellent

I worked closely with Joel for an extended period of time on my elderly parents' estate plan. The plan required a series of amendments to address various changes in their circumstances. He provided timely, practical legal advice on a series of issues and quality work product throughout. He earned ...my business. I engaged him to advise and draft an estate plan for my wife and me. Joel stays involved. He regularly sends us a client advisory letter and reminds us of the importance of keeping our estate plan updated if necessary.

Joel Bernstein

Replied last February 14, 2018

Frederick - Many thanks for the great review. Yes, we here at the law office of Joel Bernstein have written to clients 2x each year for the last 25 years - to remind people how life can throw us curves and we should act, not react, in general. Again, many thanks - hope you are well. Joel

Posted by Hank | February 14, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Real Estate

Estate Planning and Wills

Joel Bernstein is an exceptional lawyer. He is extremely detailed regarding every facet of his legal work. I have known Joel for more than 40 years and have seen him excel in legal areas including real estate and wills and trusts. Joel understands both the law and how to most effectively and effic...iently execute documents like wills and trusts. Executing trusts is a very complex area that few lawyers get right. Joel knows how to do this. he is a teacher to many other groups including lawyers and CPAs about how to do this correctly. Joel recently executed flawlessly all the legal paperwork for updated wills for me, my wife and my wife's parents in one meeting.

Joel Bernstein

Replied last February 14, 2018

Hello Hank! I am so pleased you thought highly of our work - as you are a very long term client that I have know for 30+ years! Time is flying by - again, thanks from us here at the law office of Joel Bernstein.

Posted by Katrin | February 14, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Estate Planning

Performance matched expectations

I met with Joel after attending one of his presentation of the important factors to consider when developing an estate plan. Given my situation, he helped develop a strategy to fit my particular needs that will provide a clear path for my heirs when it is necessary. I found Joel to be personable and... creative, making the process much less stressful than I had imagined it to be.

Joel Bernstein

Replied last February 14, 2018

Hello Katrin! - Thanks so much for the great review. Developing an appropriate estate plan is important to us here at the Law Office of Joel Bernstein in Lexington, MA. I try to be a real person when we discuss your estate planning and take whatever time we need. I keep a phone and computer out of the conference room on purpose - it helps us concentrate. And like you said, it makes it all less stressful.

See All Client Reviews

Joel A Bernstein's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Joel
Rahul Aggarwal headshot
Rahul Aggarwal

Unknown lawyer | Mar 19

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"An excellent lawyer who treats clients with patience, care, understanding, and utmost professionalism - an even better person and I wholeheartedly recommend for future services."

John R. Hope headshot
John Hope

Estate planning lawyer | Mar 08

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"What I like about Joel is his intelligence, compassionate personality, and comprehensive systems approach to providing legal services. Joel is good at helping his clients prioritize their goals and understand the various legal estate planning options to best accomplish them. In the past Joel and I have collaborated in reviewing and editing some of each others complex trust document templates. I found Joel to be extremely detail oriented and thorough - he doesn't miss anything. I think his great personality, his technical savvy, and his legal knowledge are a winning combination. Also, he gets his work done in a timely manner, no unnecessary delays. "Estate planning done in three weeks" is his mantra. If my parents lived in Massachusetts I would send them to Joel for their estate planning needs. Joel also handles Estate Administration and the Probate of Estates in a caring sensitive way."

Steven R Graham headshot
Steven Graham

Estate planning lawyer | Mar 02

Relationship: Supervised lawyer

"I endorse this lawyer. I have know Joel for over thirty years. Initially, as an employee and colleague, and subsequently, as a trusted professional to whom I have referred clients with estate planning needs. I have found Joel to be thorough, responsive to client needs and very knowledgeable."

Timothy Brewster Borchers headshot
Timothy Borchers

Unknown lawyer | Mar 02

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have known Joel for more than 5 years as an estate planning attorney and friend. As proof if you will of his quality has an attorney I need only think about the intelligence he brings to his cases and to the deep thinking he gives to the law. As for his ability with clients, it is second to none. He has developed a terrific rapport and a system for working through estate plans and administration that would make anyone feel at home with his practice. I am only glad he is not my one-on-one competitor!"

Allan L. Knowles headshot
Allan Knowles

Estate planning lawyer | Dec 13

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Joel is an excellent estate planning lawyer and an expert on trusts. His professorial as well as kind and compassionate manner perfectly suits his area of legal practice. I have and will continue to recommend clients to him with the utmost confidence. Attorney Bernstein is a true professional and always a pleasure to work with."

View All Endorsements
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Experience

Rating:  8.6 (Excellent)

Associations

2013 - Present

Cary Library Professional Advisers

Lawyer on Board

1993 - 1996

American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys

On Board of Governors

1986 - 1989

American Bar Association

Editor of Real Property Technology

Sample of Legal Cases

Saved $99,000 in taxes

Tax Savings

See More Legal Cases

Education

1989

Boston University School of Law

LL.M - Master of Laws

1981

Vermont Law School - Environmental Law Center

Masters in Law

1979

Western New Englahd School of Law

Juris Doctor

1975

Hobart and Wm. Smith Colleges

BA

Speaking Engagements

2014

Washington Society of CPAs

Income Taxation of Trusts and Estates - Washington State

2014

Mastering the Fundamentals of Estate Planning for CPAs

Estate Planning for CPAs

2014

Massachusetts Society of CPAs

Federal Estate and Gift Tax

2014

Estate and Life Planning

Estate and Life Planning for Middle Class Clients

2014

CPA Fiduciary Income Taxation - Advanced

Fiduciary Income Taxation

2014

CPA Education

Advanced Income Tax for CPAS of CT

2014

Advanced Trusts and Estates Law

Advanced Fiduciary Income Taxation

2013

Basics of Trusts for Lawyers and CPAs

Trusts

2011

Mass. Society of Enrolled Agents

Trusts and Estates: Income Taxation

2000

Charles Schwab Inc. Workshop

Advanced Planning for Retirement Assets

1988

Cambridge MA Entrepreneurs - Guest Speaker

Automation of Law Documents

1987

Co-participant of Video

Automating Real Estate Video for ABA

1986

Mid-Year Annual Meeting

Economics of Computer Driven Real Estate Law

1986

Annual Meeting

Computerized Real Estate Conveyacning

Publications

2015

Loring/Rounds on Trusts Co-wrote Chapter in Loring on Trusts

1990

Real Estate Computer User Group Newsletter Editor for American Bar Association

1990

Callaghan's Law Office Economics and Management Journal Economics of Computerized Real Estate

1987

American Bar Association Probate and Property Journal Editor for American Bar Association

1987

ABA Probate and Property Journal A Primer on Computerized Real Estate Conveyancing
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