Jeff Lally

When people meet me for the first time and learn that I am a lawyer, many are surprised. Their expectation is that lawyers are “flashy, slick operators” and that’s just not who I am. I like to think my calm and caring demeanor and desire to educate and truly do the right things for my clients will set me apart from the stereotypical lawyer. Being to some extent the “anti-lawyer” has its pitfalls. Let me give you some examples – one of my law firms areas of focus is Estate Planning. I’m in competition with the “do it yourself online” resources all the way up to and including the big law firms that give the clients “just what they ask for” (not what they need). On one end of the spectrum, you get what you pay for, the cheapest possible “estate plan“. But here’s the problem, most of those “plans” are inadequate and truly do not address all of the needs of the “virtual client” and guess what – the virtual client will never know or be able to rectify the problem because they’re dead before anyone finds out. The responsibility to get the estate straightened out then falls to loved ones at more legal expense typically than doing it right in the first place! Never mind that this time should be reserved for allowing the family to grieve. Have you ever had a Sam Kinison moment? Remember the comedian who used to punctuate his jokes by screaming the punch line? The client will never know BECAUSE THEY’RE DEAD! But this is no joke! Never mind that his estate was a shambles, this is all too often the reality of “cheap, online” solutions. At the other end of the spectrum is the client that says “Can you draw me up a will” and that’s exactly what the lawyer does, without understanding or explaining the full scope of the clients’ estate. I call this “the path of least resistance” type of law firm. They’ll make a bit of money, but guess what, if it is not completely adequate the client will never know BECAUSE… you get the idea.

I believe that we provide a truly unique, needs-based approach to Estate Planning and the other areas of law we practice. I look at the entire scope of the estate and make recommendations that are intended to save money in the long term. I make every effort to educate my clients on exactly what they need and why. I make myself available (Yes – I personally will call my client back) and leave them with an understanding of the process that so few people are familiar with – probate. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll help a family through the probate process if the estate plan they have is incomplete, but my goal is to help the family avoid probate and the costs associated with it.