Unforgettable learning experiences!
This one-hour course provides attorneys and legal professionals with a practical, step-by-step framework for conducting an effective initial estate planning client consultation. Participants will learn best practices for pre-meeting preparation, including running conflict searches, and will explore how to set realistic client expectations from the outset. The course walks through a simulated live client consultation, demonstrating how to build rapport, read client cues, gather essential background and asset information, and uncover the client's underlying goals and concerns - all while identifying potential legal issues and risk factors unique to their situation.
Building on this foundation, the course covers how to translate client concerns - such as special needs planning, asset protection, blended family dynamics, and spendthrift beneficiaries - into a coherent estate planning strategy. Participants will receive a preliminary overview of key estate planning documents including the Last Will/Testament, Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy and Living Will, and Irrevocable Asset Protection Trust. This course will also cover an introduction to long-term care Medicaid concepts including Community and Institutional Medicaid, the look-back period, and eligibility requirements. The course concludes by outlining how to deliver recommendations, confirm client goals, and guide clients through next steps, including the engagement letter, retainer, and information needed to begin document preparation.
- Preparation for the consultation: Explain why a conflict search should be run on a prospective client as early as possible, and describe how to set realistic expectations with clients before and during the initial consultation.
- How to conduct an effective client intake: Demonstrate rapport-building techniques, including reading client responses and body language, and apply methods for gathering thorough information on a client's family background and personal/real property assets.
- Identify goals and underlying risk: Elicit a client's goals and concerns, and identify potential legal issues and risks relevant to their specific situation.
- Formulate a preliminary estate planning strategy: Develop a gameplan that addresses a client's needs and concerns, including special needs planning, asset protection, blended family dynamics, and spendthrift beneficiaries.
- Better understand core estate planning documents: Give a clear, preliminary explanation of a Last Will and Testament, Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy/Living Will, and Irrevocable Asset Protection Trust.
- Explain long-term care Medicaid fundamentals: Distinguish between Community Care and Institutional Medicaid, describe the look-back period, and summarize eligibility based on income, assets, and medical need.
- Close the consultation and set next steps: Deliver recommendations, confirm the client's goals and wishes, explain the engagement letter/retainer process, and identify the information (family names/spellings, addresses, deed copy) needed to begin document preparation.
Talented, Professional Team
Lea Moalemi, Esq.
JUNIOR PARTNER | VAN HORN & FRIEDMAN
Lea is a Junior Partner with Van Horn & Friedman, P.C. practicing in all areas of matrimonial and family law. Understanding the challenges her clients face during a divorce and other family matters, Lea zealously advocates for her client’s needs in their most challenging times and approaches every case with empathy and compassion to ensure their needs are met. Lea regularly counsels clients involving complex divorce...
Karen Eng, Esq.
ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY | OFFIT KURMAN
Karen values the deep connection she cultivates with clients through her trusts and estates practice, fostering bonds that transcend the typical attorney-client relationship. She is committed to providing comfort and support while preserving and protecting her clients’ legacies...
I simply want to applaud you both for such stellar and entertaining
performances in the mock ethics scenarios. The diversity of situations
presented was truly eyebrow-raising and memorable. The discussion format
was also quite entertaining and digestible. Overall, a great CLE.
Very good course, instructor and materials. I took another course with
this instructor and she comes across as very knowledgeable and
experienced. She enlivens the course with numerous anecdotes and
examples from cases she has handled.
I found the way the material was presented made it interesting but also
was effective in modeling how to analyze and discuss these issues with a
colleague. This was the most interesting CLE that I’ve ever taken. Kudos to the presenters!
