FAQs
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
When I was in law school, my parents hired an attorney to draft their estate plan. They told me what they had asked for and asked me to review the document. What I read was no reflection of what they wanted. Their attorney was so pompous and arrogant that he did not truly listen to them. Instead, he provided a cookie-cutter approach that may have been the most common way of writing a trust in his state, but did not take into account my parents real wishes. I swore that when I became an attorney, this would never happen to my clients. Since that time, my career has presented me with many opportunities for learning and personal growth. And through this growth, my views on what it means to be a lawyer have evolved. I once had client for whom I had written an estate plan. She also happened to be the head of a once-successful major corporation which was about to enter bankruptcy. Although I had not before provided corporate legal services for this client, in her time of need and not knowing where else to turn, she asked for my help. I cleared my calendar and we immediately got to work trying to make sense of the situation and come up with a plan. Over the next several years, I helped her at every turn, through thick and thin, as we managed the dissolution of her business. All along, I kept asking myself, If this were happening to me, what would I want my lawyer to do? The answer is this: in addition to providing top-notch legal services, I would want my lawyer to be there for me for whatever I need as a source of guidance and comfort. This is the philosophy under which I have developed my law practice. At Matsen, Miller, Cossa & Gray PLLC, we aim to develop meaningful, life-long relationships with our clients. We do this by getting to know every client personally and by working with you to make the best decisions for your business and for your family. We go the extra mile to be there for you.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
Search for an estate planning or business attorney who, first and foremost, stays abreast of the current law to ensure that your plans will keep you protected. Your attorney should also take the time to get to know you personally. If an attorney presents you with a cookie-cutter legal plan, he/she is not doing a good job of representing your best interests. Also look for an attorney who strives to develop an ongoing relationship with you. An estate or business plan is a living and breathing document which needs to be revisited -- definitely if there is a change in your life (birth of a child, acquisition of a new asset, disability, formation of a new business, etc.) but also periodically to assess whether or not the laws have changed requiring an update to your plan. At Matsen, Miller, Cossa & Gray we provide a complimentary 3 year review of all plans.