Becoming a Client

Legacy Estate & Elder Law of Louisiana, LLC is a Louisiana law firm with a mission to provide compassionate guidance and excellent legal service to people in all stages of life so they will experience peace of mind knowing their legacies and loved ones are protected. We know that people who are seeking our services are often in difficult situations or in a place in life where they are having to make some tough decision. With nearly 40 years combined experience, we guide our clients through the legal maze. We also share the concerns and burdens of our Elder Law clients who are caring for a loved one, counsel our estate planning clients in ways to preserve the harmony that is easily lost upon the disability or death of a loved one and comfort our probate clients after the death of a loved one. In short, we strive to treat our clients in the same manner that we would like to be treated. Thank you for considering us.

OUR PROCESS

• You contact our office. When you contact us for the first time, our Client Services Coordinator will be glad to assist you. The CSC will gather some basic information from you to find out if our firm is the right fit for you at this time. This call typically takes between 10-15 minutes.
• We schedule your Legacy Navigation Meeting. Once we determine that our attorneys can serve you, we will schedule a Legacy Navigation Meeting (LNM) at a time that works for you. These LNM’s usually occur about 2 weeks from the date of your contact to ensure you have time to complete our worksheet. At the time of scheduling, we also collect a consultation deposit to ensure your appointment spot is reserved.
• You complete the Legacy Navigation Worksheet. Once your LNM is scheduled, we will send you a confirmation email and a Legacy Navigation Worksheet to get more details about your particular situation. We ask that you return this to us 3 days prior to your appointment so our attorneys can review all of your information and start outlining some options for you.
• We prepare and present. At your LNM, your attorney will present you with the options available to you and explain the reasons a particular plan is a good fit for you. You will have ample time to ask all of your questions and explore your options. During this meeting, your attorney will present you with a quote, (unless additional information is needed to determine the cost of your work).
• You make a decision. At the end of the meeting, you will be presented with the attorney’s recommendation(s) so that you can choose the plan that is best for you.
• We get started on your work. When you’re ready to hire us, we will prepare an engagement agreement for you to sign. Once the document is signed and your payment is received, we begin work right away.

FAQ ABOUT THE LEGACY NAVIGATION MEETING

What should I expect at the Legacy Navigation Meeting?
Like its name suggests, this meeting will serve to help you create a roadmap to protect you and your loved ones. You will meet with an attorney who is a specialist in estate planning and administration. With nearly 40 years of combined experience, our attorneys can help you with everything from simple wills to trusts, healthcare directives and advanced tax planning.

How long does the meeting last?
Our LNM usually lasts about an hour to an hour and a half. That gives our attorneys enough time to walk through your options and answer any questions you may have.

Where will my meeting take place?
The majority of our LNM’s occur via Zoom or telephone so you don’t have to travel to a physical office. However, if you prefer an in-person meeting, we can accommodate you at our Baton Rouge, New Orleans, or Lake Charles office, subject to safety concerns. However, all meetings to sign documents must occur in person at this time.

Who should attend the LNM?
This meeting should be attended by anyone involved in the decision making process for the client. If you are a single person doing planning, you may be the only one in attendance. For couples, we ask that both parties attend. If you are uncertain, we can help you identify who should attend. If you have other professional advisors, we welcome you to invite them as well.

What do I need to bring to this meeting?
Since we should have all the information ahead of time, you won’t need to bring anything else to the meeting unless specifically requested.

What does my $450 consultation fee pay for?
The cost of your consultation includes the time it takes your attorney to review the information you’ve provided and come to your meeting prepared to recommend strategies to protect you and your loved ones. Because we do this work in advance, you can spend the meeting discussing your goals and asking any questions you have.

Why should I pay for a consultation when some other attorneys do theirs for free?
There are typically two ways other law firms conduct free consultations: 1) You meet with someone other than an attorney for your first meeting. Non-attorneys are not qualified to give legal advice. Therefore, at this first meeting, this non-attorney is determining whether the firm’s attorneys can assist you. We do this on your first call to our firm. 2) They use the meeting to gather information, instead of presenting options. We get as much information as we can ahead of time so you’re getting the most out of your meeting. We know your time is valuable, so we’ve streamlined our process so that the time you spend speaking to anyone in our firm, you’re moving forward in the process.

What if I’m coming to see you for a succession/probate or other estate administration work; will this process be the same?
Yes! The process is very much the same; however, your meeting will be the Legacy Guidance Meeting. Our Legacy Guidance Meeting is the initial meeting for all of our estate administration work.

What if I’m coming to see you for an interdiction or because I have a loved one with immediate long-term care needs?
Again, the process is similar; however, your meeting will be the Legacy Care Meeting. Our Legacy Care Meeting is the initial meeting for interdictions and long-term care planning. Additionally, the cost of this meeting will vary from the traditional estate planning meeting.

What if I can’t wait 2 weeks to meet with an attorney?
We understand that sometimes these issues can’t wait. If there are special/emergency circumstances where immediate attention is required, we would be glad to see you sooner than two weeks, but there may be an additional charge as our attorneys will have to work you in with the existing appointments.