Family Law, Trusts and Wills, and the New Year

Happy New Year! Jennifer Moore here.

FAMILY LAW, TRUSTS AND ESTATES, AND THE NEW YEAR

What are your New Years’ Resolutions?  Mine is to carve out time for a morning routine.  Commuting from home to our offices in Plymouth is not always my idea of fun!  Maybe your resolution involves a bigger change….  Perhaps you are contemplating a change in family structure, such as marriage, divorce, or a change of custody of your children.

Family law attorneys such as Emily Matson and me here at Moore Family Law, observe that requests for initial consultations increase dramatically after January 1st.  We do still have openings for initial consultations, but they are filling up fast.  Call to reserve your time now!

YOUR INITIAL CONSULTATION AT MOORE FAMILY LAW

What can you expect during an initial consultation?  Moore Family Law offers free consultations.  You can expect to be greeted at our office by our Office Manager or our newly-hired Paralegal who will ask you to fill out a short form and will offer you a bottle of water or a cup of coffee.  Once you complete your form, you will meet with an attorney – Emily Matson or me – who will give you real legal advice regarding your custody, alimony concerns; or, alternatively, regarding your trust, estate Divorce attorney Minnesota, or probate issue.  We will give you our best estimate as to the cost, effort and time we believe your matter will take.  We will advise you about steps you can take to resolve your family law or trust and estate matter without involving an attorney, as well as if your matter is one that really does require the services of an attorney.

If you are concerned about costs, we will brainstorm with you ways to keep the costs down and to obtain the funds necessary to retain us.

Once the consultation is over, we will send you a letter and a proposed legal representation agreement.  You have no obligation to retain us for your family law or trust and estate matter, although we hope you will.

JOINT CUSTODY IN THE NEWS

On another note, I was flipping through the December 14th issue of Newsweek yesterday and discovered the following article about joint custody arrangements:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/174698

This is an interesting article.  In our family law practice we have definitely noticed a trend towards joint custody arrangements.  Often, these arrangements are the result of both parents coming to an amicable agreement about custody.  However, we have had success in obtaining joint custody arrangements for our clients even where the parties have not necessarily been able to agree about what’s in the best interests of the child.  One of the keys is involving an attorney early on in the process who can advise you as to the best way to approach the issue with an eye towards possible litigation.

Next week, I will discuss how focusing on the best interests of the children is the best litigation strategy in a divorce, no matter whether the immediate.  And, yes, we have a link for that too! See Minn. Stat. Sec. 518.17. https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/statutes/?id=518.17

Thank you!  You can return to www.MooreFamilyLawMN.com for more information on family law, divorce, alimony, custody, and child support, Spousal Support lawyer MN.  There you will also find information on our will drafting, legacy planning, trusts and estates and probate practice.

About Author

Jennifer graduated from the University of Minnesota cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in speech communications. In 2006, Jennifer achieved her life’s dream; owning her own family law practice. She practices every day as Divorce lawyers Minnesota with the intention of representing her clients’ future.

Moore Family Law and Family

FAMILY LAW, TRUSTS AND ESTATES and… FAMILY

One of the best things about working in a small firm like Moore Family Law is that the firm itself feels like a second family to me. The firm doesn’t follow a traditional hierarchy typically found in a large law firm; rather, Moore Family Law has an organization similar to the equilateral roles of a family, with complementary roles for each family member.

JENNIFER MOORE and LITIGATION

Jennifer’s role is as the head of the family. She talks to the family about what our goals are, and then makes choices for the firm about how to get there. In our legal work, Jennifer is the litigation-focused one. She loves going to court and arguing our side of the case to a judge.

 

EMILY MATSON and THE SETTLEMENT TRACK

My role is as supporting partner to Jennifer. I help Jennifer accomplish the goals the firm has set, and I follow through on the tasks delegated to me. I’m also the settlement-focused one in the group. I like to solve the child custody or Divorce attorney Minnesota issues with the other side, to try to keep us out of court. However, when it’s clear a settlement isn’t going to be in our client’s best interest, Jennifer usually takes over in the courtroom.

TOM MOORE and BARB HAGBERG

Our family includes good supporting members as well. We have Tom, who makes sure the house (office) is maintained and that we have the resources we need to function to the best of our ability for our clients. We also have a new member of the family, our paralegal Barb, who can also take on some of the supporting tasks, and who can be a convenient contact for our clients.

TRUSTS AND ESTATES and FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY MINNESOTA — IT’S MORE THAN A JOB

Most people are lucky to have a job at all these days, and I count my blessings that not only do I have employment, but that I get to work with people who are like a second family to me.

About Author

Jennifer graduated from the University of Minnesota cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in speech communications. In 2006, Jennifer achieved her life’s dream; owning her own family law practice. She practices every day as Divorce lawyers Minnesota with the intention of representing her clients’ future.

Happy Holidays and Family Law

I’m Jennifer Moore of Moore Family Law in Plymouth, Minnesota. Our legal practice encompasses trusts, estate law and probate as well as family law. But the holidays present a special challenge for families that are going through a divorce, a process which often brings with it disputes over emotional hurts, property, child support and alimony, custody and visitation, Spousal Support lawyer MN.

DIVORCE AND HOLIDAYS DO NOT MIX

I advise my clients to try to put matters involving family law “on hold” during the peak of the holidays. It’s not just that the children need to be protected from the divorce during the holidays. The parents do, as well.

 

During a divorce, you may find yourself more emotional, clumsy or forgetful, and not quite yourself. The holidays bring the stress of a heavy social calendar, added expenses, and interactions with helpful family and friends. Nothing good can come from adding a divorce proceeding to this combination of stressors.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW

Divorce attorneys Minnesota routinely experiences a December slump and a January surge, especially regarding divorce matters. We’re no different here at Moore Family law attorney Minnesota, but there are steps you can take now that will get you ready for January. You can start gathering your financial documents. Make copies of tax returns. Get current pension / retirement account statements. Collect your bank statements for the last 2-3 years. Run a credit report. Open your own bank account at a bank other than the one you use for joint finances.

Schedule an appointment with a therapist, for some “fun-for-me time,” or at a spa.

Schedule a face-to-face consultation with us at our offices in Plymouth, MN, just so you know what you can expect if you do decide to act in January. Our consultations take about an hour, they are usually free of charge, and we will be glad to help you in this joyful yet difficult season.

WE WISH YOU THE BEST

Moore Family Law: Advocating Your Family’s Future

About Author

Jennifer graduated from the University of Minnesota cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in speech communications. In 2006, Jennifer achieved her life’s dream; owning her own family law practice. She practices every day as Divorce lawyers Minnesota with the intention of representing her clients’ future.

A Community of Trust in Family Law and Estate Planning

A Community of Trust

Moore Family Law works hard and long and carefully to build a community of trust with you, the Court, and the opposing party.  Trust is based upon:

Achieving results:  In some cases it’s necessary to give in on small points in order to prevail on large ones.  Sometimes you must accept temporary hardships in order to achieve the best results later on.  We work on your case under your direction; based on a strategy and a legal theory designed to do you justice in whatever conflict or problem you are involved in:  Divorce attorney Minnesota, child custody battle, and Spousal alimony MN and support payments. We will explain to you what we are doing and why and we will help you past the rough patches and complexities.

 

In our estate planning practice, we are versed in the powerful techniques of incapacity planning, wealth transfer planning and beneficiary protection. We are equipped to deal with the most straightforward estate plan as well as complex legacy planning involving the handicapped, a blended family, you will, trusts, durable powers of attorney and health care directives.  It’s a new and complex world in estate planning and we are well equipped to guide you through life’s transitions.

·         Acting with integrity:  If we cannot help you we will say so.  If what you want from us is not possible for us to deliver, we will tell you.  We will also work to provide you the best family law and estate planning legal advice of which we are capable.

·         Caring:  We know that you, our client, may be upset, angry and hurt; and justifiably so.  Sometimes it’s all rough patches.  We know that.  We also know that what works best is the careful application to your case of a ‘tough love’ attitude combined with an application of our knowledge of family law and estate law, our skills in litigation, our ability to work hard and our ability to work smart in advocating for your family’s future.

·         Communicating bad news as well as good:  Family law especially is built on concepts of equity and concern for the children involved.  This may mean that you get less than or different from what you want and even from what you actually need.  We will not hide this from you.  We will also work to achieve the best outcome practicable for you and yours.

Prevailing in your family law case, no matter how difficult; or drawing up the estate planning documents you need, no matter how complex; depends on establishing a community of trust between us.  We are confident we will prove worthy of that trust.

About Author

Jennifer graduated from the University of Minnesota cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in speech communications. In 2006, Jennifer achieved her life’s dream; owning her own family law practice. She practices every day as Divorce lawyers Minnesota with the intention of representing her clients’ future.

Family law Attorney Firm Located in Plymouth MN

Plymouth Minnesota Attorney Firm

Welcome to the Moore Family Law blog. I’m Tom Moore, the Office Manager here at our offices in Plymouth, MN.  I’d like to write briefly on something important for our practice of Family law Attorney Minnesota dealing with divorce, custody, alimony and support; and also to our estate planning practice dealing with wills, trusts, estates, and legacy planning.  My thanks to “Professional Legal Management Week” magazine for the articles which inspired this post.

Efficiency

You may never meet me in person, but the important result of the work I do for you is that Moore Family Law can always provide superior legal advice and that we can do so at the lowest practicable cost to you.

Family Law MN

As Office Manager, my job is to handle the business side of the firm – finances, computer systems, paying the bills. This helps ensure that our attorneys, Jennifer Moore and Emily Matson, have the time and energy to focus on what they do best – representing you and our other clients at a difficult time. Since Jennifer and Emily are not interrupted by the details of the business, they are more able to focus on the strategy, legal issues, and details of your case.

Thank you!

I plan to post weekly to the Moore Family Law blog. We hope that by providing some relevant behind-the-scenes information on the practice of family law and estate planning law, you will come to better understand how and why we do what we do the way we do. It’s all part of advocating your family’s future.

 

About Author

Jennifer graduated from the University of Minnesota cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in speech communications. In 2006, Jennifer achieved her life’s dream; owning her own family law practice. She practices every day as Divorce lawyers Minnesota with the intention of representing her clients’ future.