Amy Lazas
N/A
Licensed for 7 years
Law Degree
Awards
Primary Practice Area
Estate Planning
Language
English
About
Amy is the founding member of Providence Law Group, LLC. Her practice provides an integrated approach to estate planning. She provides clients peace-of-mind, with planning to preserve their life-savings and family harmony for years to come. Amy is a graduate of the University of Maryland University College, The Johns Hopkins University – Carey Business School, and The University of Baltimore School of Law, graduating cum laude. She is a member of the Maryland Bar Association, the Howard County Estate Planning Council, The Howard County Bar Association, the Howard County Women's Bar Association and the prestigious American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, which has been recognized as a top legal source by Money Magazine and Suze Orman in her book, “9 Steps to Financial Freedom”. Amy grew up in Maryland and resides with her family in Columbia.
Practices Areas
Estate Planning
Probate
Language
English
Contact
Providence Law Group, LLC6990 Columbia Gateway DriveSuite 240Columbia, MD, 21046
Office: N/A
Website: N/AReviews
My husband and I knew we had procrastinated for far too long and needed to start our search for an estate planning attorney. As it happened, we received an invitation in the mail to Amy’s estate planning seminar. It was nothing short of a godsend. During the seminar Amy covered almost all our concerns with a great deal of clarity so we were convinced that Amy was the right choice for our estate plan. We were so grateful for the opportunity to work with Amy. We were amazed at her wealth of knowledge and attention to details. She asks questions and listens to everything about your personal situation before offering her guidance. She has the perfect combination of warmth and professionalism and carefully walks you through every step of the process, advising you with all your options, benefits, and/or consequences of every step of your plan. We were very pleased and confident in the final package. It was also comforting that we were assured Amy would be available for any questions or issues that might arise in the future. We were so happy with our experience that we are happy to give Amy our highest recommendation for her services.
I attended a seminar sponsored by Amy Lazas and signed up for a consultation after the seminar. At the consultation for Estate Planning and Living Trust Amy answered my questions and provided guidance to assure my estate would be handled to my wishes. She explained legal terms in a way that were easy to understand, offered suggestions to make it easier for my beneficiaries and I hired her that day. The day that we finished signing the final documents, I left feeling that a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I had crossed an item off of my list that had been pressing me to complete. Amy and Lori (legal assistant) are wonderful to work with, very patient, responsive and both go above and beyond to make you feel comfortable in completing a task that isn't always easy. Thank you!
I requested a phone consultation with an attorney, through the AllLaw website. A few minutes later, I received a call from Amy Lazas, who provided excellent help. She asked key questions, in a manner that exemplified professional knowledge, as well as warmth and accessibility. I asked questions pertaining to my mother's estate and a Florida home she had purchased. Some rather complex issues pertain to the situation. Ms. Lazas scheduled another callback and offered some valuable advice regarding my intentions for the Florida home. Ms. Lazas gave me such confidence in her expertise, quick response, willingness to extend herself, and her personable manner. I am truly grateful.
I receive at least one “invitation” in the mail each week to all kinds of financial or retirement planning presentations. Most go directly into the recycle bin, but I had been keeping my eyes and ears open for a referral to an estate planning attorney for two important reasons. The first reason: More than fifteen years ago, I had basic estate planning documents prepared for me. I should have updated those documents every five years or so, but I did not and over the years, with the birth of grandchildren and other significant changes in family circumstances, those documents became outdated. The second reason: I had experienced first-hand the limitations of basic boilerplate documents and I wanted a more comprehensive estate plan for myself. I had been executor for the estate of a family member who had a simple Will. Administering his estate was a tedious and time-consuming job that lasted more than a year because there was no way to avoid probate with all the attendant court filings, accountings and costs. So it was my good fortune to receive a postcard invitation to a workshop conducted by Amy Lazas of Providence Law Group. At the workshop and I was impressed by her expertise, professionalism and caring manner. I noted Amy’s membership in the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys to keep apprised best practices in this area of law. Her workshop thoroughly covered crucial elements of comprehensive estate planning and I learned a great deal. At the end of the workshop, I made an appointment for an individual consultation. During the consultation, Amy patiently elicited details of my personal situation and, near the end, she recommended a comprehensive estate plan tailored to my circumstances and that would address the deficiencies in my out-of-date, boilerplate estate plan. I knew I had found the attorney I had been looking for and I retained her services. She provided a “roadmap” with dates to achieve various milestones in the process during which I worked closely with legal assistant, Lori Katawczik. Despite COVID restrictions, after a few emails, telephone conversations and meetings, I had my well-drafted estate plan in hand and I am confident my estate will be distributed according to my wishes without being overly burdensome to my trustee. I am very pleased with all the services provided by Amy Lazas and Lori Katawczik at Providence Law Group. I highly recommend them.
Upon receiving a postcard invite to a seminar for Wills and Trusts I became interested in hearing what Amy Lazas had to say about how to handle affairs for my aging mothers estate. After attending the seminar, under Covid restrictions, we were so impressed with the information Amy provided, my husband and I decided to update our own Will and create a Trust prior to dealing with my mothers affairs. The experience was very professional and thorough. We covered every aspect of finances, real estate and what to have included from our business. If Amy did not have enough experience on a specific detail, such as the business aspect, she assured us that her vast group of professionals with Providence Law would be there to help. In addition, Amy and Lori added sense of truly caring about us and that factor was highly appealing to me. We completed the signing of our new Will and Trust and promptly made an appointment to bring my mother in to update her Will and Trust. If you're looking for a law firm that cares about what they do and the people they do it for, you should look into hiring Amy Lazas and her team.
After talking about doing a trust and will for a long time, we finally decided to go a seminar presented by Amy. She was recommended to us through friends of friends. The seminar was incisive, and to the point. Her examples were appropriate and descriptive. It was a great overview of what goes on once a person passes. Having dealt with my parent’s estate, we definitely wanted to make sure that our family was going to be taken care of, without the added burden of probate or confusing asset distribution. We made an appointment and proceeded to establish a trust, a will, and a medical directive, which stated exactly what we wanted. My husband being the engineer that he is had lots of questions, and requests. Amy met every question with great answers and was incredibly patient with his requests. We were in capable and professional hands. We now have peace of mind about our estate, and feel confident that it will be an easier process for our family once the occasion arises.
I first met Amy Lazas during a recent business transaction, and was immediately impressed with her! I knew that I wanted to hire Amy to do our estate planning, as my wife and I were looking to have this done! The whole process was handled seamlessly and professionally, despite the fact we hired Amy in the midst of the Covid19 Pandemic. Providence Law Group didn't miss a beat. We attended the seminar, albeit virtually, and after the seminar had our initial consultation with Amy. We hired Amy after the consultation, and they look care of everything. They gave us our "homework" and provided us a schedule as to when things had to be done. Within a couple of weeks, and after some virtual meetings and calls, our estate planning was complete. Amy and Lori were terrific to work with, and were always available to answer any questions we had during the process. My wife and I expect a lot from people that we work with, and Amy and Lori were very professional and accommodating throughout the entire transaction! Not to mention if was done during the pandemic! Thank you Providence Law Group ! I would highly recommend them!
We had been advised by our financial planner that it was time to update our wills and consider estate planning. Shortly after that discussion, we received a flyer in the mail for a free group presentation about Estate Planning to be held nearby. Attending that workshop was incredibly smart on our part. It was excellent! We left with a feeling of greater understanding on how to proceed. Amy is very thorough and knowledgeable, and totally put us at ease throughout the entire process. We are pleased with the results. You will be as well.
After receiving a postcard advertisement/invitation in the mail from the Law Offices of Kirk Halpin & Associates, we decided to attend a seminar that Amy Lazas taught on Living Trusts. We went with the expectation that we were only there to gather information and honestly had no intention of pursuing a consultation. However, Amy won us over with her upbeat, friendly, down-to-earth demeanor and her knowledgeable attitude. As guests were arriving and signing in, refreshments were available on a back table and a slide show on the estate taxes that had been garnered on famous actors, actresses and other well-known personalities was silently running in the front. It was quite interesting and enlightening. Amy began right on time and, after introducing herself, narrated a power point presentation on asset management, the distinctions between living trusts versus wills and how to avoid probate court. Although it sounds dull, her slides were creative and funny and she was congenial and informative. Even with allowing for questions, which she welcomed and answered knowledgeably, she kept to her allotted time frame. After the presentation, we decided to sign up for a 60 minute personal consultation which we had several weeks later. Amy warmly welcomed us and could not have been more winsome or encouraging. Never once did she try to pressure or manipulate us. Instead, she patiently guided us through a discussion of our personal and family situation and helped us to design a plan based on our priorities. It was only at the very end of our time that she asked if we would like to pursue an estate planning roadmap with her. By that time, we were very comfortable in agreeing to hire her for that purpose. We left that afternoon with list of necessary information to gather along with an Asset Information Booklet. We were given a week to collect and return the Asset Booklet and Statements via a stamped addressed envelope provided at our consultation. Two weeks later we had a telephone review meeting with Joan, a paralegal, to confirm our information and plan choices. Thereafter, Amy and her legal team drafted our plan documents so that everything was ready for our final signing about three weeks later. Our final meeting lasted about 1.5 hours during which Joan reviewed all of the legal documents and then asked another colleague to come in so all of the paperwork could be signed, witnessed, notarized and then copied. Amy arrived at that point to ensure that everything was in order and that we were comfortable with the results. She reassured us that we could call her at any time with questions and that she would continue to have future review meetings to ensure that our plan would support our changing needs. We left with all of our original documents, an Estate Planning Portfolio binder containing copies of our documents and some funding letters to retitle assets into our Living Trust. This was a very smooth and surprisingly easy process that resulted in the knowledge that we have legally made things much easier for our family and our beneficiaries. The accompanying peace of mind is well worth the expense. We would highly recommend Amy Lazas and the Law Firm of Kirk Halpin and Associates.
My husband and I knew we had procrastinated for far too long and needed to start our search for an estate planning attorney. As it happened, we received an invitation in the mail to Amy’s estate planning seminar. It was nothing short of a godsend. During the seminar Amy covered almost all our concerns with a great deal of clarity so we were convinced that Amy was the right choice for our estate plan. We were so grateful for the opportunity to work with Amy. We were amazed at her wealth of knowledge and attention to details. She asks questions and listens to everything about your personal situation before offering her guidance. She has the perfect combination of warmth and professionalism and carefully walks you through every step of the process, advising you with all your options, benefits, and/or consequences of every step of your plan. We were very pleased and confident in the final package. It was also comforting that we were assured Amy would be available for any questions or issues that might arise in the future. We were so happy with our experience that we are happy to give Amy our highest recommendation for her services.
I attended a seminar sponsored by Amy Lazas and signed up for a consultation after the seminar. At the consultation for Estate Planning and Living Trust Amy answered my questions and provided guidance to assure my estate would be handled to my wishes. She explained legal terms in a way that were easy to understand, offered suggestions to make it easier for my beneficiaries and I hired her that day. The day that we finished signing the final documents, I left feeling that a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I had crossed an item off of my list that had been pressing me to complete. Amy and Lori (legal assistant) are wonderful to work with, very patient, responsive and both go above and beyond to make you feel comfortable in completing a task that isn't always easy. Thank you!
I requested a phone consultation with an attorney, through the AllLaw website. A few minutes later, I received a call from Amy Lazas, who provided excellent help. She asked key questions, in a manner that exemplified professional knowledge, as well as warmth and accessibility. I asked questions pertaining to my mother's estate and a Florida home she had purchased. Some rather complex issues pertain to the situation. Ms. Lazas scheduled another callback and offered some valuable advice regarding my intentions for the Florida home. Ms. Lazas gave me such confidence in her expertise, quick response, willingness to extend herself, and her personable manner. I am truly grateful.
I receive at least one “invitation” in the mail each week to all kinds of financial or retirement planning presentations. Most go directly into the recycle bin, but I had been keeping my eyes and ears open for a referral to an estate planning attorney for two important reasons. The first reason: More than fifteen years ago, I had basic estate planning documents prepared for me. I should have updated those documents every five years or so, but I did not and over the years, with the birth of grandchildren and other significant changes in family circumstances, those documents became outdated. The second reason: I had experienced first-hand the limitations of basic boilerplate documents and I wanted a more comprehensive estate plan for myself. I had been executor for the estate of a family member who had a simple Will. Administering his estate was a tedious and time-consuming job that lasted more than a year because there was no way to avoid probate with all the attendant court filings, accountings and costs. So it was my good fortune to receive a postcard invitation to a workshop conducted by Amy Lazas of Providence Law Group. At the workshop and I was impressed by her expertise, professionalism and caring manner. I noted Amy’s membership in the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys to keep apprised best practices in this area of law. Her workshop thoroughly covered crucial elements of comprehensive estate planning and I learned a great deal. At the end of the workshop, I made an appointment for an individual consultation. During the consultation, Amy patiently elicited details of my personal situation and, near the end, she recommended a comprehensive estate plan tailored to my circumstances and that would address the deficiencies in my out-of-date, boilerplate estate plan. I knew I had found the attorney I had been looking for and I retained her services. She provided a “roadmap” with dates to achieve various milestones in the process during which I worked closely with legal assistant, Lori Katawczik. Despite COVID restrictions, after a few emails, telephone conversations and meetings, I had my well-drafted estate plan in hand and I am confident my estate will be distributed according to my wishes without being overly burdensome to my trustee. I am very pleased with all the services provided by Amy Lazas and Lori Katawczik at Providence Law Group. I highly recommend them.
Upon receiving a postcard invite to a seminar for Wills and Trusts I became interested in hearing what Amy Lazas had to say about how to handle affairs for my aging mothers estate. After attending the seminar, under Covid restrictions, we were so impressed with the information Amy provided, my husband and I decided to update our own Will and create a Trust prior to dealing with my mothers affairs. The experience was very professional and thorough. We covered every aspect of finances, real estate and what to have included from our business. If Amy did not have enough experience on a specific detail, such as the business aspect, she assured us that her vast group of professionals with Providence Law would be there to help. In addition, Amy and Lori added sense of truly caring about us and that factor was highly appealing to me. We completed the signing of our new Will and Trust and promptly made an appointment to bring my mother in to update her Will and Trust. If you're looking for a law firm that cares about what they do and the people they do it for, you should look into hiring Amy Lazas and her team.
After talking about doing a trust and will for a long time, we finally decided to go a seminar presented by Amy. She was recommended to us through friends of friends. The seminar was incisive, and to the point. Her examples were appropriate and descriptive. It was a great overview of what goes on once a person passes. Having dealt with my parent’s estate, we definitely wanted to make sure that our family was going to be taken care of, without the added burden of probate or confusing asset distribution. We made an appointment and proceeded to establish a trust, a will, and a medical directive, which stated exactly what we wanted. My husband being the engineer that he is had lots of questions, and requests. Amy met every question with great answers and was incredibly patient with his requests. We were in capable and professional hands. We now have peace of mind about our estate, and feel confident that it will be an easier process for our family once the occasion arises.
I first met Amy Lazas during a recent business transaction, and was immediately impressed with her! I knew that I wanted to hire Amy to do our estate planning, as my wife and I were looking to have this done! The whole process was handled seamlessly and professionally, despite the fact we hired Amy in the midst of the Covid19 Pandemic. Providence Law Group didn't miss a beat. We attended the seminar, albeit virtually, and after the seminar had our initial consultation with Amy. We hired Amy after the consultation, and they look care of everything. They gave us our "homework" and provided us a schedule as to when things had to be done. Within a couple of weeks, and after some virtual meetings and calls, our estate planning was complete. Amy and Lori were terrific to work with, and were always available to answer any questions we had during the process. My wife and I expect a lot from people that we work with, and Amy and Lori were very professional and accommodating throughout the entire transaction! Not to mention if was done during the pandemic! Thank you Providence Law Group ! I would highly recommend them!
We had been advised by our financial planner that it was time to update our wills and consider estate planning. Shortly after that discussion, we received a flyer in the mail for a free group presentation about Estate Planning to be held nearby. Attending that workshop was incredibly smart on our part. It was excellent! We left with a feeling of greater understanding on how to proceed. Amy is very thorough and knowledgeable, and totally put us at ease throughout the entire process. We are pleased with the results. You will be as well.
After receiving a postcard advertisement/invitation in the mail from the Law Offices of Kirk Halpin & Associates, we decided to attend a seminar that Amy Lazas taught on Living Trusts. We went with the expectation that we were only there to gather information and honestly had no intention of pursuing a consultation. However, Amy won us over with her upbeat, friendly, down-to-earth demeanor and her knowledgeable attitude. As guests were arriving and signing in, refreshments were available on a back table and a slide show on the estate taxes that had been garnered on famous actors, actresses and other well-known personalities was silently running in the front. It was quite interesting and enlightening. Amy began right on time and, after introducing herself, narrated a power point presentation on asset management, the distinctions between living trusts versus wills and how to avoid probate court. Although it sounds dull, her slides were creative and funny and she was congenial and informative. Even with allowing for questions, which she welcomed and answered knowledgeably, she kept to her allotted time frame. After the presentation, we decided to sign up for a 60 minute personal consultation which we had several weeks later. Amy warmly welcomed us and could not have been more winsome or encouraging. Never once did she try to pressure or manipulate us. Instead, she patiently guided us through a discussion of our personal and family situation and helped us to design a plan based on our priorities. It was only at the very end of our time that she asked if we would like to pursue an estate planning roadmap with her. By that time, we were very comfortable in agreeing to hire her for that purpose. We left that afternoon with list of necessary information to gather along with an Asset Information Booklet. We were given a week to collect and return the Asset Booklet and Statements via a stamped addressed envelope provided at our consultation. Two weeks later we had a telephone review meeting with Joan, a paralegal, to confirm our information and plan choices. Thereafter, Amy and her legal team drafted our plan documents so that everything was ready for our final signing about three weeks later. Our final meeting lasted about 1.5 hours during which Joan reviewed all of the legal documents and then asked another colleague to come in so all of the paperwork could be signed, witnessed, notarized and then copied. Amy arrived at that point to ensure that everything was in order and that we were comfortable with the results. She reassured us that we could call her at any time with questions and that she would continue to have future review meetings to ensure that our plan would support our changing needs. We left with all of our original documents, an Estate Planning Portfolio binder containing copies of our documents and some funding letters to retitle assets into our Living Trust. This was a very smooth and surprisingly easy process that resulted in the knowledge that we have legally made things much easier for our family and our beneficiaries. The accompanying peace of mind is well worth the expense. We would highly recommend Amy Lazas and the Law Firm of Kirk Halpin and Associates.
My husband and I knew we had procrastinated for far too long and needed to start our search for an estate planning attorney. As it happened, we received an invitation in the mail to Amy’s estate planning seminar. It was nothing short of a godsend. During the seminar Amy covered almost all our concerns with a great deal of clarity so we were convinced that Amy was the right choice for our estate plan. We were so grateful for the opportunity to work with Amy. We were amazed at her wealth of knowledge and attention to details. She asks questions and listens to everything about your personal situation before offering her guidance. She has the perfect combination of warmth and professionalism and carefully walks you through every step of the process, advising you with all your options, benefits, and/or consequences of every step of your plan. We were very pleased and confident in the final package. It was also comforting that we were assured Amy would be available for any questions or issues that might arise in the future. We were so happy with our experience that we are happy to give Amy our highest recommendation for her services.
I attended a seminar sponsored by Amy Lazas and signed up for a consultation after the seminar. At the consultation for Estate Planning and Living Trust Amy answered my questions and provided guidance to assure my estate would be handled to my wishes. She explained legal terms in a way that were easy to understand, offered suggestions to make it easier for my beneficiaries and I hired her that day. The day that we finished signing the final documents, I left feeling that a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I had crossed an item off of my list that had been pressing me to complete. Amy and Lori (legal assistant) are wonderful to work with, very patient, responsive and both go above and beyond to make you feel comfortable in completing a task that isn't always easy. Thank you!
I requested a phone consultation with an attorney, through the AllLaw website. A few minutes later, I received a call from Amy Lazas, who provided excellent help. She asked key questions, in a manner that exemplified professional knowledge, as well as warmth and accessibility. I asked questions pertaining to my mother's estate and a Florida home she had purchased. Some rather complex issues pertain to the situation. Ms. Lazas scheduled another callback and offered some valuable advice regarding my intentions for the Florida home. Ms. Lazas gave me such confidence in her expertise, quick response, willingness to extend herself, and her personable manner. I am truly grateful.
I receive at least one “invitation” in the mail each week to all kinds of financial or retirement planning presentations. Most go directly into the recycle bin, but I had been keeping my eyes and ears open for a referral to an estate planning attorney for two important reasons. The first reason: More than fifteen years ago, I had basic estate planning documents prepared for me. I should have updated those documents every five years or so, but I did not and over the years, with the birth of grandchildren and other significant changes in family circumstances, those documents became outdated. The second reason: I had experienced first-hand the limitations of basic boilerplate documents and I wanted a more comprehensive estate plan for myself. I had been executor for the estate of a family member who had a simple Will. Administering his estate was a tedious and time-consuming job that lasted more than a year because there was no way to avoid probate with all the attendant court filings, accountings and costs. So it was my good fortune to receive a postcard invitation to a workshop conducted by Amy Lazas of Providence Law Group. At the workshop and I was impressed by her expertise, professionalism and caring manner. I noted Amy’s membership in the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys to keep apprised best practices in this area of law. Her workshop thoroughly covered crucial elements of comprehensive estate planning and I learned a great deal. At the end of the workshop, I made an appointment for an individual consultation. During the consultation, Amy patiently elicited details of my personal situation and, near the end, she recommended a comprehensive estate plan tailored to my circumstances and that would address the deficiencies in my out-of-date, boilerplate estate plan. I knew I had found the attorney I had been looking for and I retained her services. She provided a “roadmap” with dates to achieve various milestones in the process during which I worked closely with legal assistant, Lori Katawczik. Despite COVID restrictions, after a few emails, telephone conversations and meetings, I had my well-drafted estate plan in hand and I am confident my estate will be distributed according to my wishes without being overly burdensome to my trustee. I am very pleased with all the services provided by Amy Lazas and Lori Katawczik at Providence Law Group. I highly recommend them.
Upon receiving a postcard invite to a seminar for Wills and Trusts I became interested in hearing what Amy Lazas had to say about how to handle affairs for my aging mothers estate. After attending the seminar, under Covid restrictions, we were so impressed with the information Amy provided, my husband and I decided to update our own Will and create a Trust prior to dealing with my mothers affairs. The experience was very professional and thorough. We covered every aspect of finances, real estate and what to have included from our business. If Amy did not have enough experience on a specific detail, such as the business aspect, she assured us that her vast group of professionals with Providence Law would be there to help. In addition, Amy and Lori added sense of truly caring about us and that factor was highly appealing to me. We completed the signing of our new Will and Trust and promptly made an appointment to bring my mother in to update her Will and Trust. If you're looking for a law firm that cares about what they do and the people they do it for, you should look into hiring Amy Lazas and her team.
After talking about doing a trust and will for a long time, we finally decided to go a seminar presented by Amy. She was recommended to us through friends of friends. The seminar was incisive, and to the point. Her examples were appropriate and descriptive. It was a great overview of what goes on once a person passes. Having dealt with my parent’s estate, we definitely wanted to make sure that our family was going to be taken care of, without the added burden of probate or confusing asset distribution. We made an appointment and proceeded to establish a trust, a will, and a medical directive, which stated exactly what we wanted. My husband being the engineer that he is had lots of questions, and requests. Amy met every question with great answers and was incredibly patient with his requests. We were in capable and professional hands. We now have peace of mind about our estate, and feel confident that it will be an easier process for our family once the occasion arises.
I first met Amy Lazas during a recent business transaction, and was immediately impressed with her! I knew that I wanted to hire Amy to do our estate planning, as my wife and I were looking to have this done! The whole process was handled seamlessly and professionally, despite the fact we hired Amy in the midst of the Covid19 Pandemic. Providence Law Group didn't miss a beat. We attended the seminar, albeit virtually, and after the seminar had our initial consultation with Amy. We hired Amy after the consultation, and they look care of everything. They gave us our "homework" and provided us a schedule as to when things had to be done. Within a couple of weeks, and after some virtual meetings and calls, our estate planning was complete. Amy and Lori were terrific to work with, and were always available to answer any questions we had during the process. My wife and I expect a lot from people that we work with, and Amy and Lori were very professional and accommodating throughout the entire transaction! Not to mention if was done during the pandemic! Thank you Providence Law Group ! I would highly recommend them!
We had been advised by our financial planner that it was time to update our wills and consider estate planning. Shortly after that discussion, we received a flyer in the mail for a free group presentation about Estate Planning to be held nearby. Attending that workshop was incredibly smart on our part. It was excellent! We left with a feeling of greater understanding on how to proceed. Amy is very thorough and knowledgeable, and totally put us at ease throughout the entire process. We are pleased with the results. You will be as well.
After receiving a postcard advertisement/invitation in the mail from the Law Offices of Kirk Halpin & Associates, we decided to attend a seminar that Amy Lazas taught on Living Trusts. We went with the expectation that we were only there to gather information and honestly had no intention of pursuing a consultation. However, Amy won us over with her upbeat, friendly, down-to-earth demeanor and her knowledgeable attitude. As guests were arriving and signing in, refreshments were available on a back table and a slide show on the estate taxes that had been garnered on famous actors, actresses and other well-known personalities was silently running in the front. It was quite interesting and enlightening. Amy began right on time and, after introducing herself, narrated a power point presentation on asset management, the distinctions between living trusts versus wills and how to avoid probate court. Although it sounds dull, her slides were creative and funny and she was congenial and informative. Even with allowing for questions, which she welcomed and answered knowledgeably, she kept to her allotted time frame. After the presentation, we decided to sign up for a 60 minute personal consultation which we had several weeks later. Amy warmly welcomed us and could not have been more winsome or encouraging. Never once did she try to pressure or manipulate us. Instead, she patiently guided us through a discussion of our personal and family situation and helped us to design a plan based on our priorities. It was only at the very end of our time that she asked if we would like to pursue an estate planning roadmap with her. By that time, we were very comfortable in agreeing to hire her for that purpose. We left that afternoon with list of necessary information to gather along with an Asset Information Booklet. We were given a week to collect and return the Asset Booklet and Statements via a stamped addressed envelope provided at our consultation. Two weeks later we had a telephone review meeting with Joan, a paralegal, to confirm our information and plan choices. Thereafter, Amy and her legal team drafted our plan documents so that everything was ready for our final signing about three weeks later. Our final meeting lasted about 1.5 hours during which Joan reviewed all of the legal documents and then asked another colleague to come in so all of the paperwork could be signed, witnessed, notarized and then copied. Amy arrived at that point to ensure that everything was in order and that we were comfortable with the results. She reassured us that we could call her at any time with questions and that she would continue to have future review meetings to ensure that our plan would support our changing needs. We left with all of our original documents, an Estate Planning Portfolio binder containing copies of our documents and some funding letters to retitle assets into our Living Trust. This was a very smooth and surprisingly easy process that resulted in the knowledge that we have legally made things much easier for our family and our beneficiaries. The accompanying peace of mind is well worth the expense. We would highly recommend Amy Lazas and the Law Firm of Kirk Halpin and Associates.