Destiny A. Brown

I started my private practice after working for a medium sized law firm.  Unfortunately, my first client was my step-father as we navigated the administration of my mother's estate.  Upon completion of her estate, I decided that I had all the skills necessary to help others for a reasonable cost.

I found that traditional law firms charge for every minute they work on (or think about) a particular matter.  I felt that type of billing was beneficial to the firm, but not necessarily fair to the client.  For most estate planning matters, it made more sense to me to set a fee for each client after an initial meeting to determine the scope of their individual needs.  This way the client knows up front how much it will cost to set up their estate plan.  There are certain cases which have extenuating circumstances that require more work than the average client, in which case, I enter into an agreement with the client based on an hourly fee.  I always give the client my best estimate for how much their matter will likely cost.  I have found over the years that clients appreciate a set fee when possible and understand if their matter requires an open-ended hourly arrangment.  In either case, I do my best to charge a fair amount for my services.  I know there are a lot of larger firms that charge much more than I do, but I am comfortable with the amount I charge and I hope it incentivizes more clients to properly prepare their estate rather than leaving it to their loved ones to deal with after the fact!

It is always my goal to avoid probate as much as possible by proper estate planning, but when necessary, I assist the Personal Representative in the adminstration of the Probate estate.  I meet clients in their home if they wish - this usually puts the client more at ease and minimizes the anxiety that most people feel after the passing of a loved one.  I streamline the process to minimize the costs and time required to finalize the Probate estate.  

I have also helped clients in the sale or purchase of their home.  I review and/or draft contract of sale documents and help walk the client through the process of the sale or purchase of their home.  In addition, I help clients transfer existing properties either outright, through a trust, or with a life estate deed.  There are many times when an outright gift is not beneficial from a tax perspective, in which case I will advise clients of the best way to accomplish their goals.  

Overall, my philosophy is to make legal advice accessible to all by offering the client a quality service at a reasonable price.  My hope is that by offering estate planning services at a reasonable cost, people will not put off setting up an estate plan because they don't think they can afford it.  The cost of not properly planning before death can far outweigh the costs associated with creating an estate plan during your lifetime! 

I look forward to helping you or your loved one with your legal needs.  Please feel free to call or email me to set up a complimentary consultation