Legal Solutions for You,
Your Family & Your Business
Find a Lawyer >
Wills, Trusts & Estates lawyers serving Pima County, AZ >
Robert Fleming
Back to Search Results
Robert Fleming
Fleming & Curti PLC
Fleming & Curti PLC
Tuscon, AZ 85701
Phone: (520) 622-0400 | Fax: (520) 622-0400
http://www.elder-law.com
Estate planning for special needs--and life's challenge
Legal Topic
Wills, Trusts & Estates
Preferred New Clients
When there is a family member with a disability I particularly enjoy getting involved in planning with the family. I frequently prepare special needs trusts and advise trustees on how to manage the trusts and make distributions. Our firm takes pride in helping to educate trustees, and we hold regular seminars for our clients and their family members. We pride ourselves on plain language and useful advice.
Sub-Categories
Taxes
- Tax Planning
- Charitable Giving
- Charitable Trusts
- Drafting Trusts
- Drafting Wills
- Estate Administration
- Estate Planning
- Living Trusts
- Living Wills
- Probate
Legal Topic
Family Law
Preferred New Clients
My practice emphasizes elder law, with a focus on dealing with seniors, individuals with disabilities, and their families and loved ones. My first effort is usually to try to avoid guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, but sometimes there are not other good alternatives. We appreciate clients who are primarily concerned with quality care for their family member.
Sub-Categories
Elder Law
- Competency Hearings
- Guardianships & Conservatorships
- Long-Term Care
- Nursing Homes
- Powers of Attorney
- Medicaid & Medicare Planning
Bar Admissions
AZ, Oct 1976
Bar Number: 004697
Specialty Certifications
Certified Elder Law Attorney, Certified Specialist in Estates and Trusts
Other Court Admissions
Arizona, Montana, U.S. Supreme Court, Arizona District Federal Court
Association Memberships
Arizona State Bar; Montana State Bar; Pima County Bar Association (Tucson);
Continuing Education
I lecture at legal seminars around the country, typically speaking in another state about ten times per year and in Arizona on at least a monthly basis.
Papers and Publications
The Elder Law Answer Book (Aspen Publishers) and Alive and Kicking: Legal Advice for Boomers (Carolina Academic Press) plus numerous journal and magazine articles.
Example Cases
I was not only counsel, but a party in the landmark Arizona right-to-die case of Rasmussen v. Fleming, 154 Ariz. 207 (1987), in which I (as guardian of Mildred Rasmussen) directed removal of a feeding tube--a choice which was ultimately upheld by the Arizona Supreme Court.
I was also counsel in Matter of Estate of Johnson, 168 Ariz. 108 (Ariz. App. 1991), which involved a will contest proceeding in which the nephew of the decedent claimed that his mother's share of her brother's estate should have been vested in her upon her brother's death. I represented the Church of Christ and successfully argued that the plain language of the will should be followed instead of the nephew's creative interpretation.
Education
Degree:
B.S.
School:
Utah State University
City:
Logan
State:
UT
Year:
1974
Focus and Accomplishments:
Political Science/Chemistry
Degree:
J.D.
School:
University of Arizona College of Law
City:
Tucson
State:
AZ
Year:
1976
Number of Attorneys
5
State Licensed In
Arizona; Montana
Firm Focus and History
Estate planning; planning for special needs (clients' and family members'); guardianship/conservatorship; probate; long-term care planning; elder law
Current firm established in 1994; Tom Curti and Robert Fleming were previously partners (in Vincent, Fleming & Curti) from 1976 to 1979.
Previous Employment Summary
Private practice of estate planning and elder law since 1986. Prior to that, I was the Pima County Public Fiduciary from 1981-1986, and a Tucson City Magistrate from 1979-1981.
Activities and Awards
AV-Rated by Martindale Hubbell; Prof. John Regan Writing Award (National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys) 2000; State Bar of Arizona Speakers Award 1998; Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys since 1994
What is your opinion regarding clients educating themselves on legal issues?
Educated and informed clients are a great boon to the lawyer, saving considerable time in the representation in most cases.
Are you willing to review documents prepared by clients?
We are willing to review prepared documents, but except in the simplest of cases we find that it does not save us much time and therefore does not save clients much money.
Are you willing to coach clients who want to represent themselves?
We are happy to give clients information that they can use on their own.
Why did you decide to be a lawyer?
To Kill a Mockingbird--it was the closest contact I had with the legal system before college, and had a significant impact on my view of lawyering and the law.
What work experience and education helps you be a better lawyer?
I was brought up in a working-class family, and held a variety of jobs (railroad worker, radio announcer, lab assistant) before going to law school. That background has served me well; I can frequently relate to clients based on shared work or personal experiences, and I believe that I have a real-world orientation that benefits my clients.
Why did you decide on your primary area of practice?
Working with more mature adults was a strong draw for me. I enjoy helping people in a way that (in most cases) they appreciate, and in a non-confrontational manner.
What do you like best about your career?
I love dealing with clients and staff. While most lawyers (in my experience) complain about the pressures and demands of an active practice, I look forward to going to work every morning.
Tell us about your law firm:
Our office, with five lawyers and 17 support staff, relies heavily on legal assistants and paraprofessionals. We find that delegating work to those staff members saves us considerable time (monitoring and reviewing takes much less time than drafting and preparing) and makes us more efficient; those savings are passed to clients as lower overall fees.
What are your strengths and style?
I am personally most proud of my ability to communicate complicated ideas in plain English.
Personal Interests:
I am a parent, a spouse, a pilot, a scuba diver, a martial artist and owner/companion of a special-needs dog.
Office Manager/Assistant
Currently vacant position
Fax
(520) 622-0400
Office Hours
Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Emergency After Hours
No
Foreign Languages
On staff: Spanish & Vietnamese
Fixed-Price Services and Fees
We do most of our estate planning work on a fixed-fee basis. Our fee structure is online at www.elder-law.com/fees.html
Hourly Rates
$280/hour for my services, with lower rates for non-lawyers.
Free Initial Consultation?
We charge $400 for an initial consultation (except in long-term care/Medicaid planning cases, when our consultation fee is higher).
Typical Retainer
We do not require a retainer in most cases.
Nolo's Licensing Check
Attorneys have passed a licensing check. Nolo has confirmed that every member attorney has a valid license and is in good standing with the applicable bar associations upon joining the directory.
Directory lawyers are required to notify Nolo immediately if they become the subject of any disciplinary action by any bar association.
