Wills, Trusts & Estates

I prefer to work with any clients who are looking for well-considered, individualized advice and assistance with any aspect of estate planning (planning for protection of dependents, and/or preservation and transfer of assets, in the event of incapacity or death), or with issues arising after the death or during the incapacity of others (e.g., probate and trust administration, guardianship/conservatorship).

• Annuities
• Health Insurance
• Life Insurance

• Estate Taxes & Gift Taxes
• Income Taxes
• Tax Planning

• Charitable Trusts
• Drafting Trusts
• Drafting Wills
• Estate Administration
• Estate Planning
• Living Wills
• Probate
• Asset Protection
• Power of Attorney
• Business Succession Planning
• Supplemental Needs Trust
• Revocable Trust & Irrevocable Trust

HI, Aug 2008
Bar Number: 008977

NY, Jan 1993
Bar Number: 2530814

New York State, January 1993; Hawaii State, August 2008; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (Patent Attorney), 1991.

Hawaii State Bar Association, including Probate and Estate Planning Section; Kauai Bar Association.

I devote several hours every month to attending continuing education seminars in the areas of estate planning, taxation, and probate law and procedure, reviewing recent publications (online and in print) and pending legislation, and expanding the breadth and depth of my knowledge in the areas in which I practice. I also attend many web-based seminars and attend (via teleconference) meetings of the Probate and Estate Planning section of the Hawaii State Bar Association.

Working with a trust beneficiary to obtain the assets to which he was entitled, from a recalcitrant and procrastinating trustee/relative; working with an individual to obtain guardianship and conservatorship of her mentally incompetent parent, and to shield the parent's assets from a potential creditor; designing and implementing an estate plan for an individual who wanted to make substantial charitable gifts, and shield his assets (which consisted substantially of notes payable, retirement benefits and valuable personal property) from his children's potential creditors.

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Hawaii and New York

The firm focuses on matters involving estate planning, probate and trust law, including related civil litigation, striving to provide the highest quality legal services to residents of Kauai, Hawaii, in a convenient location and for a reasonable price. Whether in the area of estate planning, administering a simple estate, or resolving a complex dispute, my goals are to assist people in learning about the law, exploring the available options in detail, selecting the course that will best serve their interests, and implementing that decision in a skilled and efficient manner.

The firm was established in August 2008, when I fulfilled a long-time dream of relocating to the lovely island of Kaua'i. I chose to work as a solo practitioner so that I could have the flexibility necessary to provide exceptional service for my clients (including in-home consultations, and flexible office hours), and the ability to maintain the highest standards of quality in all aspects of the practice.

From 1992 to 1998, I worked as legal assistant to an appellate level judge, researching complex cases and drafting appellate decisions in all areas of the law. From 1998, I held a similar position in the chambers of a civil trial judge, resolving motions and other matters in connection with complex civil litigation including corporate, contract, matrimonial, personal injury, real property, and other matters. In addition, I conducted pre-trial and settlement conferences, and assisted self-represented litigants and attorneys with issues of law and procedure.

Adjunct professor (legal writing), Cornell Law School (2004); Volunteer judge, Cornell Moot Court and Mock Trial competitions (2004-2005).

(866) 245-9660

Office hours are flexible; appointments can be scheduled anytime, including evenings and weekends, if necessary. There is usually someone in the office for drop-off or pick-up of documents from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Yes

I try to charge fixed, flat fees whenever possible, because I understand that it can be unnerving to have to agree to pay for something when you don't really know how much it will cost.

For estate planning, all work is done on a flat-fee basis. After an initial consultation, I will quote a fee for the planning process, which is generally between $300 and $1,000, depending on the complexity of the estate and the client's goals. (Very simple estate planning situations can be handled without a planning fee, for example, the preparation of a simple will and power of attorney only.) The planning fee covers all consultations, document review, correspondence, and other services that culminate in a detailed written report of the client's current situation, relevant issues and concerns, and planning recommendations, often with the pros and cons of different options outlined. The report will also set forth the fees for completing document preparation and execution for the options discussed.

For preparation of a simple will, the cost is generally in the $300-500 range; more complex wills and trusts can range from $850 up. Preparation of a second set of essentially similar documents for a spouse is discounted.
Cost of preparing deeds, durable powers of attorney, advance health care directives, assignments, and other ancillary documents range from $50 to $200, but these rates may be discounted if a full estate planning package is being prepared at one time.

For other matters (e.g., probate administration, guardianship, some types of litigation), flat fees may be quoted after an initial consultation. By way of example, a simple, informal probate proceeding can often be completed for around $2,000.

For matters that cannot be charged on a flat-fee basis, my rate is $200 per hour.

Yes, the initial consultation (which typically lasts for ½ to 1 hour) is always free.

The necessary retainer deposit depends on the nature of the matter. For estate planning, the planning fee is deposited in advance, and is earned (taken out of trust) upon completion of the planning report. If the client decides to pay for additional services (e.g., document preparation), one-half of the flat fee for those services is paid up front, with the remainder paid when the documents are executed.

Payment:
I accept Visa and Mastercard.