I would highly recommend Joseph Mathis to anyone considering an attorney for a matter. Period. I have been a paralegal for the past 25 years in Washington state, but lacked a referral from any sources to handle the probate of my stepmother in Maryland. I found Mr. Mathis just as you are doing now by reading his reviews on AVVO. I was compelled by the online review to contact him and I was not disappointed in any area of representation.
My case involved the probate of my stepmother’s estate. My father pre-deceased my stepmother, but my father’s estate was not probated based on the assumption that my stepmother would “do the right thing” by my father. This was my father’s third wife, but he also had been married to her for over 30 years. She had no children of her own, her parents had pre-deceased her and she was estranged from her sister for over a decade, if not longer.
My step-mother did sign a will within months of my father’s passing that accomplished doing the “right thing”, however, due to either her severe alcoholism or undue pressure/influence from “friends”, she changed her will to exclude all three of my father’s children and leave her estate to three of her “friends”. Two of these friends hadn’t been part of her life for over five years and one of them was my father’s friend who she had been “dating” after my father’s passing.
After she passed away, we discovered that my stepmother’s alcoholism was more severe than anyone thought it to be. It was on this fact that I pursued investigating a will contest, aka caveat proceeding, with Mr. Mathis. Based upon my stepmother’s severe change in behavior, her self-isolation, and new discovered high level of alcoholism, I truly believed that my stepmother was not in her right state of mind when she signed the second will. . In addition to my stepmother signing the new will two years after my father’s passing and 4 years before she passed, we were told by her attorney that she had sent a letter to him that stated that none of her deceased husband’s family were to inherit from her estate.
In the end the land my grandfather gifted to my father in the early 70s (pre-marriage to my step-mother) where he and my father built the only home my father’s children knew, and the only piece of land my father grew up on from age 12, was sold and the proceeds split between “friends”.
I was forced to purchase a few of my father’s guns from my stepmother’s estate. I found out about the auction of my father’s items the morning of the auction. Obviously, I couldn’t get to Gettysburg from the West Coast in time. I emailed and called Mr. Mathis’ office at 6:00 am (PST) and Mr. Mathis called the personal representative’s attorney to see about stopping the auction or what options might be available to us. There was nothing I could do but bid on my father’s property. I called Mr. Mathis in tears this day to tell him how things went. I had to leave him a message with my crying voice. He was so kind, he called me after hours to see how I was doing.
All of this hurt my heart wickedly, but I cannot say enough positive things about Mr. Mathis’ handling of this case. When we discovered the letter plus the new will of my step-mother, Mr. Mathis was very honest with me about worrying about the amount of money it might take to fight the will with this new information plus the probability of not being able to “win”. Mr. Mathis could have simply told me a retainer amount and taken my money, however, he admitted he was concerned about the costs versus the probability of winning. This is the mark of a truly great attorney. Based on my experience, a great attorney is more concerned about the negative affect on his/her client’s versus being paid a fee in a probable no win situation.
I recommend Mr. Mathis for any legal matter you seek counsel on without any reservation!!!
Mr Mathis is a very knowledgable, easy going estate planner. He was able to explain many things in simple terms and my 87 year old mom thought he was great too!
I assist clients with developing a plan to make sure that their wishes are carried out in the event of a disability or death and prepare the documents (such as wills or trusts) that they need to carry out their planning objectives.
I am very experienced with the probate process and in the administration of estates and trusts. I frequently represent personal representatives, trustees, and beneficiaries through the course of the administration of an estate or trust.
I advise my elder law clients about how to best protect assets and qualify for benefits that may be available to help with the payment of caregiving expenses and I help guide them through the complex issues and challenges that they may face.
I represent clients in seeking to be appointed as the guardian of an adult who, because of a disability, is unable to make responsible decisions regarding their finances or personal and healthcare matters.
I primarily focus my practice in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, and elder law. I believe that everyone should have a well-structured and carefully thought out plan for disability and death. As a result of this philosophy, I have built my practice by representing a wide range of clients, including parents with young children, parents with special needs children, business owners, retirees, elderly individuals, and others. I do not believe in a “one size fits all” approach to planning. I take time to learn my clients' needs and objectives and then develop a plan that is customized for their unique situations. If you would like an experienced attorney to represent you in one of these areas of law, or even if you think you may have some other legal need, I welcome your call and am happy to discuss your specific situation with you.
Client's Choice is an Avvo award granted to attorneys with a significant number of client reviews over 4 stars in a given year.
Posted by Diana | January 6, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Compassionate attorney for those difficult cases
I would highly recommend Joseph Mathis to anyone considering an attorney for a matter. Period. I have been a paralegal for the past 25 years in Washington state, but lacked a referral from any sources to handle the probate of my stepmother in Maryland. I found Mr. Mathis just as you are doing now by reading his reviews on AVVO. I was compelled by the online review to contact him and I was not disappointed in any area of representation.
My case involved the probate of my stepmother’s estate. My father pre-deceased my stepmother, but my father’s estate was not probated based on the assumption that my stepmother would “do the right thing” by my father. This was my father’s third wife, but he also had been married to her for over 30 years. She had no children of her own, her parents had pre-deceased her and she was estranged from her sister for over a decade, if not longer.
My step-mother did sign a will within months of my father’s passing that accomplished doing the “right thing”, however, due to either her severe alcoholism or undue pressure/influence from “friends”, she changed her will to exclude all three of my father’s children and leave her estate to three of her “friends”. Two of these friends hadn’t been part of her life for over five years and one of them was my father’s friend who she had been “dating” after my father’s passing.
After she passed away, we discovered that my stepmother’s alcoholism was more severe than anyone thought it to be. It was on this fact that I pursued investigating a will contest, aka caveat proceeding, with Mr. Mathis. Based upon my stepmother’s severe change in behavior, her self-isolation, and new discovered high level of alcoholism, I truly believed that my stepmother was not in her right state of mind when she signed the second will. . In addition to my stepmother signing the new will two years after my father’s passing and 4 years before she passed, we were told by her attorney that she had sent a letter to him that stated that none of her deceased husband’s family were to inherit from her estate.
In the end the land my grandfather gifted to my father in the early 70s (pre-marriage to my step-mother) where he and my father built the only home my father’s children knew, and the only piece of land my father grew up on from age 12, was sold and the proceeds split between “friends”.
I was forced to purchase a few of my father’s guns from my stepmother’s estate. I found out about the auction of my father’s items the morning of the auction. Obviously, I couldn’t get to Gettysburg from the West Coast in time. I emailed and called Mr. Mathis’ office at 6:00 am (PST) and Mr. Mathis called the personal representative’s attorney to see about stopping the auction or what options might be available to us. There was nothing I could do but bid on my father’s property. I called Mr. Mathis in tears this day to tell him how things went. I had to leave him a message with my crying voice. He was so kind, he called me after hours to see how I was doing.
All of this hurt my heart wickedly, but I cannot say enough positive things about Mr. Mathis’ handling of this case. When we discovered the letter plus the new will of my step-mother, Mr. Mathis was very honest with me about worrying about the amount of money it might take to fight the will with this new information plus the probability of not being able to “win”. Mr. Mathis could have simply told me a retainer amount and taken my money, however, he admitted he was concerned about the costs versus the probability of winning. This is the mark of a truly great attorney. Based on my experience, a great attorney is more concerned about the negative affect on his/her client’s versus being paid a fee in a probable no win situation.
I recommend Mr. Mathis for any legal matter you seek counsel on without any reservation!!!
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Posted by Mark | October 25, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Could of not been a better experience
Mr Mathis is a very knowledgable, easy going estate planner. He was able to explain many things in simple terms and my 87 year old mom thought he was great too!
Posted by Carol | January 29, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Update of estate planning documents
Mr. Mathis was courteous and efficient in updating our documents. He took the extra step of referring us to an attorney in a different field who could answer specific questions which fell out of the purview of estate planning. I recommend his services and appreciate his professional expertise.
Posted by anonymous | October 15, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Attorney Services
Excellent customer service. Very attentive to our needs and very professional.
Posted by Sandra | October 1, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Updating will and trust
Joseph guided us on updating our will. He provided valuable input on how we structured the trust. He explained the different scenarios that we might encounter and the different types of trusts. He gave suggestions on money distribution and how to best protect the money. He was knowledgeable, professional, and friendly.
Posted by Laura | September 26, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Estate planning
Mr. Mathis was recommended to us for estate planning and we are incredibly happy with his service. He is able to explain legal matters in a clear and concise way that is easily understood by us and our parents. He can offer examples of good estate planning and provide suggestions for wills, power of attorney documents, medical directives, etc. that are very helpful when deciding how to set up an estate. Mr. Mathis is very personable and a delight to work with and is highly recommended by us.
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Posted by Frank | September 23, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Estate planning
I was thoroughly pleased with my experience with Mr Mathis. Excellent work at a fair price.
Posted by Daniel | July 11, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Friendly and professional service.
All my needs for various aspects of a will were met in a courteous and professional manner.
Posted by anonymous | July 9, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Very informative, understanding and considerate!
Mr. Mathis is a very caring, understanding and considerate attorney. He has great people skills and was very approachable when discussing my situation. In addition, he was very informative and demonstrated a professional manner all the time. He also made himself available when I had questions. I would definitely recommend him as a real estate attorney.
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Posted by Eric | July 9, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Trust Set Up
Joseph was extremely knowledgeable and patient with me and listened thoroughly to my wants and needs pertaining to Estate Planning. He helped guide me to a solid plan I feel very comfortable with.
Posted by Tom | July 9, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Very satisfied client
Upon the unexpected passing of my spouse, I contacted my family practice law firm and Joseph Mathis. Joe was new to me as my original attorney with this firm had retired. From the outset I was reassured about the estate matters that were before us. Mr. Mathis provided very clear instruction and advice about the probate and estate process in line with our wills. All matters were addressed quickly and efficiently, all filings made without delay and I was kept fully informed all along the way. I also found Mr. Mathis to be a careful listener to the questions and needs of his client (me) and I always received precise answers. Mr. Mathis the demeanor and compassion that makes him, and his firm, the first choice for estate planning and probate. He will be my attorney for what I hope is a very long time.
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Posted by anonymous | April 10, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Easy estate planning
Worked with Joe on a few occasions to prepare wills and trusts. He made it as painless as possible. He was easy to work with & relate to and provided us with honest advice. All documents were accurately prepared. We’ll happily call him for our future needs.
Posted by Tom zabetakis | April 6, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Service
Joe spent a lot of time with us answering all of our questions. He and his staff promptly answered all of out questions. He also recommend financial advisors and a CPA.
Posted by anonymous | February 24, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Very thorough, great experience!
Mr. Mathis helped us create a will when we were expecting our first baby. He made sure to use language that would account for any family members we may add later on. He was very thorough and very clear, and we rest easy knowing that our family is taken care of.
Posted by anonymous | February 18, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Recommendation
Not long ago I was trying to navigate through the Medicaid process on behalf of my mother. This was a daunting task, and I needed expert help. Joe's expertise in elder law put me at ease. He outlined the process beginning with the collection of documents, assisted me with the multi page application and streamlined communication with the county caseworker. I am grateful for Joe's expert advice and assistance in this very complicated process.
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Posted by Sandy | February 5, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Eminently capable
Joe is personable, knowledgeable, efficient and thorough. I would use his services again without hesitation.
Posted by Christine | February 4, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Great Attorney!
My family and myself have asked Joe to help us on several occasions for estate planning
He gives great advice and answered all our questions. First he helped my dad with the revision of his will, secondly he helped us with the process for my Mom's Medicaid application who was in a dementia unit in a nursing home. He is very easy to talk to honest, straightforward and upfront. I asked him to help me with my estate planning and will. I referred my Mother-in-law to Joe she was very impressed with his knowledge and kindness she was in the process of getting her estate planning set up but sadly she passed away before Joe could finish, so now her sons are using Joe's expertise to close the estate. I would highly recommend him!
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Posted by Sharon | January 30, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent Lawyer
When my mom died suddenly, Joe was incredibly helpful and professional in helping my sister and I through all the intricacies of mom's estate. We had a conflict with her negligent accountant and he really went to bat in helping us navigate a tough situation. He knows the law and yet is also kind and personable. I highly recommend Joe Mathis!
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Posted by Colin Cope | January 30, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Best Estate Planning Attorney in Town - Hands Down !
If you are in search of an ‘exceptional' Estate Planning attorney, go no further, as Mr. Joseph Mathis Esq. will provide you with professional service you will not regret. We had interviewed a few other very well respected local Estate Planning attorneys, but our decision to select Mr. Joseph Mathis Esq. is one we will never regret, and you will not either. From the first time we met and Mr. Mathis Esq. he projected a friendly level of confidence that instantly resonated a positive comfortable feeling with myself and my wife. Mr. Mathis Esq. approaches each task with utmost professionalism; listens to every concern and provides recommendations based on his broad experience in Estate Planning. Mr. Mathis Esq. will present and clearly guide you through the various steps of each Estate Planning processes for your personal needs, providing the ‘pro & cons' to each process; furthermore, Mr. Mathis Esq. will ensure you are not rushed into making the best and right decision for you. For us, working and creating our Estate Planning documents with Mr. Joseph Mathis Esq, was truly a wonderful and memorable experience.
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Posted by Alycia | January 29, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Will Planning
Joe helped my husband and me with updating our Wills. Since we procrastinated doing this for so long and then needed it asap, Joe was able to get the needed paperwork completed so quickly. He was very thorough and extremely professional with his inquiry to match our wants to our needs and then suggested other pertinent information that we didn't even think of especially with regards to our minor children. Additionally he suggested that our adult child also set up their own legal documents which put our minds at ease. I appreciated how much detail he placed on making sure all of our bases were covered.
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Estate planning Attorney | Oct 26
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"Estate planning is stressful, and can be fraught with emotion; it takes a certain breed of attorney to guide his clients through the process so they are confident that they've made the right decisions. Joe is that attorney. His calm demeanor allows him to skillfully navigate the most arduous planning. I do not hesitate to send both my clients and friends to Joe for their planning needs."
Elder law Attorney | Oct 26
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"I've known Joe for 11 years and he is an outstanding lawyer and person. Joe cares about his clients and I fully trust him to work with mine. There are many types of lawyers out there, but Joe stands apart from the rest. I highly recommend Joe if you need an Estate Planner or Elder Law Attorney."
Elder law Attorney | Jan 25
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. He will go the extra mile to try and get results his clients desire. He's passionate about the work he does and is well-respected in the legal community."