[Bonanza]

Originally Posted by 784caroline

Bonanza...sorry but I am not following your reasoning. I would agree that I would not go to a real estate lawyer to handle my will/trust documents. However, the law firm of McLin Burnsed is much larger than having lawyers who only do real estate closings. Its more than "just staff that handle other matters."

Jeff Skates is the partner who heads up the Estate Planning Group and he has been expanding the number of laywers who prepare estate planning documents. His sole practice focuses on Estate Planning and Corporate law....this is not a side business. He (or his practice) does not "multi-task" or deal with real estate closings. Their association with the Villages really has no bearing on their competence, independence or professionalism on preparing Estate planning documents that are personal to you.

Which firm you decide to use is a personal one but you should have all the facts before you pick or eliminate one.

Caroline:

I do agree with your reasoning and there is a lot of truth in what you've said.. I am not familiar with Jeff Skates so would not make any comment regarding him -- pro or con.

I think one of the things that bothers me about that entire group is the fact that the firm seems to have gotten on the band wagon of trying to accomodate every aspect of legal matters because of the ongoing souce of older people here, many of whom for the most part, take the path of least resistance or what I see as the easy way. It's the only law firm they know of so, "I'll go to them."

Through Morse, they sat back and have had business handed to them because of the connection. Years ago, obviously, they saw dollar signs in their future, and got on the band wagon of adding other attorneys to their group, who could handle things other than real estate closings.

I see so many signs of gimme, gimme, gimme and take, take, take in the overall community, that it has soured me on many fronts. It is hard for me to get the bad taste out of my mouth. I find it difficult accepting that just because they are big and do things for the developer, they are the best. In most cases, that kind of association is usually not true.

Personally, I much prefer to deal with a smaller firm or individual where I am not just a number who is filed away the moment I walk out the door.