FAQ

The short answer is you should pick someone you trust and who you feel you could have a good working relationship with.

My recommendation would be to talk to two or three different attorneys about your matter. I offer initial free consultations. Most attorneys do not. Even still, if the matter is important to you, I recommend that you pay one or two consultation fees so that you can be as informed as possible about the legal implications of your issue, the services that might be offered and what an attorney may be able to do, or cannot, do for you. The purpose of speaking with multiple attorneys would be:

1. To develop a comfort level with the attorney under consideration;
2. To get an independent opinion about your issue; and
3. Develop an understanding of the scope and duration of legal services needed.

Finally, two or three consultations will give you perspective on the viability of your case if it is a contested matter. If you speak with three different attorneys and they all tell you that your case is not viable, then that is valuable information in advising you how to proceed.

My chief areas of practice are:

1. Family law. I handle separation agreements, uncontested divorces, child support and equitable distribution, which is the term for property distribution in North Carolina.

2. Estate law. I draft wills and related estate planning documents. I have informally settled estate disputes. I assist in the administration of estates, which means advising the legal representative of an estate on collecting the decedent's property, paying debts and distributing the property. In estate administration, I also file the necessary documentation with the Court. I have also represented contestants in estate disputes.

3. Tax Law. I have handled audits and tax examinations in income tax matters. I have reduced or eliminated tax penalties and sought "innocent spouse" relief for spouses who are unaware of their husband's, or wife's, tax errors. Please be advised that you should not consult me on tax matters unless all your applicable income tax returns have been filed with the Internal Revenue Service. I do not prepare tax returns.

In short, no. In the legal context, an attorney should know the law concerning your matter, the legal procedures involved and should exercise independent judgment to advise you as to what is in your best interest. When I see people representing themselves in court, the main mistakes they make are incorrect legal procedure and failing to exercise appropriate judgement about their case.

The truth. No attorney can do a good job for the client unless the client fully cooperates with everything the attorneys asks. I once saw a cartoon that brilliantly illustrates this. The picture is of two men in a prison cell and the caption says: "I knew who the surprise witness was, but my attorney didn't."

Disaster is always the result when a client is not fully forthcoming to his or her attorney.

At the start of legal representation, most attorneys, including me, have the client sign an engagement letter which describes what services will be performed and the cost for those services.

Most attorneys, including me, will represent to you that they will do their best to resolve your matter. No attorney can guarantee you that you will have a successful result.

My fees are set by the applicable market rate in Greensboro, Guilford County, North Carolina. In this market, legal fees in the areas I practice in are anywhere from $300 to $500 per hour.

1. Family law. I handle separation agreements, uncontested divorces, child support and equitable distribution, which is the term for property distribution in North Carolina.

2. Estate law. I draft wills and related estate planning documents. I have informally settled estate disputes. I assist in the administration of estates, which means advising the legal representative of an estate on collecting the decedent's property, paying debts and distributing the property. In estate administration, I also file the necessary documentation with the Court. I have also represented contestants in estate litigation.

3. Tax Law. I have handled audits and tax examinations in income tax matters. I have reduced or eliminated tax penalties and sought "innocent spouse" relief for spouses who are unaware of their husband's, or wife's, tax errors. Please be advised that you should not consult me on tax matters unless all of your applicable income tax returns have been filed with the Internal Revenue Service. I do not prepare tax returns.

There are the fields in which I have acquired the greatest amount of experience.