Friday, June 11, 2010
There Is No Replacement For The Personal Touch, Warns Harris County Probate Lawyer
From the desk of Kim Hegwood, Harris County Probate Lawyer
A class action against a particular (and highly-advertised) online legal document preparation service alleges that it uses unfair and deceptive business practices. According to the suit, it claims to "customize" its documents, but all it does is change the name and identifying information.
A woman named Katherine Webster, who is the executrix for the estate of Anthony Ferrantino and trustee of the Anthony J. Ferrantino Living Trust, bought estate planning documents from this service and later had to hire an attorney to fix the documents. She sues, claiming the service makes the following misrepresentations:
* When it says that the documents are reviewed for accuracy and reliability, it means that there is absolutely zero attorney support. This gives customers a false sense of security.
* When it claims to be great in so many ways, it means that you should click all the links until you come to the disclaimer page. This page, which is in much smaller font, negates many of the promises made.
* When it says that virtually anyone can use its product, it means that some problems are too complex for it to address, but it does not tell customers which ones.
The company has indeed responded, and it is only fair that I share some of it, and then I have a thought or two.
First, a portion of their response:
We are confident that the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles last week is without merit, and that [Company] will be vindicated in a court of law. [Company] does not provide legal advice or misrepresent our products and services in any way. Despite the lawsuit, [Company] continues to operate in California and all 50 states, providing more than 100 products and services to those seeking affordable help.
[Company] has been reviewed by legal authorities in California, and in many other states, and we have never been found to be in violation of the law. Visitors to our web site with more complex problems can find a listing of attorneys through [Company]'s Attorney Connect service, which is featured on our home page.
Now, it is perhaps too much schadenfreude to pile on much more than what the suit already lays out...and the response speaks for itself.
But I WILL say this: There is no substitute for a Harris County probate lawyer who digs deeply into what you care most about as a family, and acts accordingly. Yes, it is tempting to go with the "cheapest" option to ensure your family is well-prepared for the future, but "cheap" does not always mean "best option", especially when it comes to protecting your family's wealth and legacy.
Do not get seduced by the allure of "cut and paste". It is not what your family deserves.
And of course, if you have already completed your estate planning documents through an online service such as the one described above, call our Harris County Probate law firm at 281-218-0880 to recieve a complimentary Lifetime Legacy Planning Session ($750 value), which includes a full estate plan review. These session are limted to 10 appointments a month so call today!