Elder Law

The Problem

Lawyers are costly. We have been clients of law firms, receiving legal bills that reflect, for instance, substantial hourly rates for a professional to review the file, have an internal meeting with a colleague (who likewise is billing the time), answer an email or return a call (which may have been partially or even mostly social), or research an issue that we neither raised nor knew about. This will not happen in working on legal matters with us.

The solution

We charge on a monthly basis for our suite of services. Under our fixed monthly pricing, you may contact us with legal questions as often as you wish and need not worry about the ticking of a clock. (There are limits, of course: our fixed fee does not, by way of example, cover suing your business rival or representing you in a hostile takeover of a public company. The limitations to our included services are outlined in the agreement between us and we discuss the parameters with you before you commit to work with us.)

Moreover, it is not simple to find a capable lawyer with the skill set to advise on the myriad of issues affecting older adults.  We work daily on issues of concern to you –whether you want a complex generation-skipping trust reviewed, whether you wish to understand your spouse’s and children’s choices for receiving distributions from your retirement plan after you pass, or whether you simply want to stop an annoying charity, to which you made a modest contribution some years back, from constantly contacting you.

Breadth of our Services

We consult on all areas of law, particularly those relating to aging. We review and prepare agreements and other documents. The focus of our practice is business, tax and estate planning.  

1. Perhaps you would like to participate in your son-in-law’s start-up company “friends and family” financing round. But you want to make crystal clear that the outlay is an arm’s-length investment. We would ensure that the provisions of the stock purchase agreement or convertible note are fair, contain standard rights negotiated by investors, and offer state-of-the-art economics.
    
2. Perhaps you are asked to join the board of directors of a young company in your field of specialization. What questions should you ask before making your decision? Should you receive remuneration and/or stock options? Should you be expected to provide funding to the company? Should you insist on D&O insurance before being seated on the board? What are your legal obligations, and what information should you obtain periodically from management? How do the answers differ if the company is a non-profit or if the board is an advisory board?
    
3. Perhaps you want to make a gift to one of your three children. He may be struggling while your other two are thriving. Should you make equal gifts to all three children? If not, should the gift to the one child be treated as an advance against his potential future inheritance? Does the size of the gift change the answers?