Jean Kathryn Moskow

Let me preface by stating that my spouse and I have over 45 years experience in business and have successfully dealt with all types of people and situations. I genuinely appreciate the ability to offer my comments to this forum. My remarks are not meant to be critical. They are offered with candor..., and an understanding and appreciation of the fact that thoughout life, all of us can improve the way we do business and handle our clients. With that said: Ms. Moskow, I believe, achieved her law degree in her mid-forties. From my vantage point, I just feel strongly that this may have resulted in a lack of crucial knowledge which she might have gained through many years of on the job training and hands on experience. According to her own profile, Probate/Estate Administration are not Jean's specialty. Ms. Moskow's firm was retained merely as a courtesy to the deceased, who had previously retained an attorney there, who had departed to work with another law firm. Continuing: On the first day my husband and I met with Ms.Moskow - at a time of great emotional distress for us - and she seemed distant, removed, lacking in compassion, and harried. She haughtily tossed her office door shut when that initial meeting was completed. Having previously worked with attorneys who shook hands reassuringly and walked me to the door when I departed, this petulant move stood out in was a stark contrast. As I am well dressed, clean, articulate, college educated, and approachable, I was left wondering what I might have done to elicit a response of that nature - but realized it was nothing generated by myself. From that first contact onward, at no time did we feel fully confident in Jean's abilities. She just didn't seem to have it all together - in my humble opinion - she was awkward - not knowledgeable enough in Estate Administration and Probate to effectively handle the complexities of our case. I feel one should be able to reasonably expect that a professional would recognize their insufficiencies, and refer cases requiring more comprehensive handling to a properly qualified, experienced contemporary. Jean did not. Further: I feel Jean did not respond to communications in a timely manner. Also: I was left to flounder adrift, unprotected and without guidance as an Estate Executrix, for an unacceptably lengthy period of time. I was proactive enough to laboriously comb the Internet for "operating instructions" and peruse online codes from Orphan's Court and Pennsylvania Law. In addition, I felt Jean was brusque and somewhat demanding when she requested information, which I readily provided without delay - but elusive and unresponsive when I myself requested information. Her office staff was reasonably businesslike, but I felt them to be vague and uncooperative - my requests were few - and they were not answered. Bottom line: regrettably, I cannot recommend Jean Moskow to anyone. Paid in Full, lesson learned, will never retain again! However: I do recommend AVVO. Thank God for this website, where for the past year, I have been fortunate to receive firm, no nonsense guidance from caring, knowledgeable attorneys that prevented me from making some serious mistakes. While most wisely stated that my best course of action was to engage a qualified attorney, and some offered to serve in that capacity, all generously gave the few moments of their time I needed to stay afloat. I offer a caveat to those who may have agreed to serve as the Executor of an Estate: be absolutely certain you understand to what you are committing. After several years of caring for my critically ill parent from a distance, and six arduous months caring for him in my own home 24/7, I was emotionally and physically exhausted when he passed. More than a year afterward - my daily life is still liberally peppered with the responsibilities of finalizing his affairs; and I am far from closing the Estate and moving on with my own life.