This is a review about my family's experiences with the Rutkowski Law Firm in regards to estate…read moreplanning. More specifically, the discussions around preparing and executing a trust. My wife and I recently became parents and we were thinking about what how we should protect our assets and what we should have in place to distribute them should, heaven forbid, something happens to us. We did some research and found that a trust is the best route to take because if we did a will, then it would have to go through a time-consuming and expensive probate process. We also discovered that a trust sets up directions for our financial institutions that saves time and money and it would ensure that the things we have would get in the hands of the people we love. Without a trust, then the state of Michigan would be the ones deciding who gets our assets and how much they would receive. We searched for law firms in the area and we eventually were referred by a friend to the Rutkowski Law Firm. So we called and set up an appointment and met with business owner and attorney, Mike Rutkowski. We were greeted by Office Manager, Coleen at the Bloomfield office and she was warm and friendly. She showed us to the board room where we would meet Mike and she explained that he would go over estate planning. She offered us some water or coffee, so we asked for water and she brought us a couple bottles of water. You can tell a lot about a business by the demeanor of its employees and Coleen was a happy person with a great attitude, so obviously we were in good hands. The law firm was extremely clean too, which means the employees obviously take pride in their work. Everyone was professional, polite and friendly. Mike walked in and greeted us by introducing himself and giving my wife and I a firm handshake with eye contact. We exchanged some small talk and eventually got down to business. We found that it was easy to relate to Mike because he was clearly a family man based on our small talk and family is most important to us. He reviewed the differences between a will and a trust and the importance of a trust and advised that it's a set of instructions for what to do with our assets should something happen to my wife and I. The following pieces would fall within the trust: 1) financial power of attorney, 2) healthcare power of attorney, 3) will, and 4) trust. He explained each of these four pieces in great detail so we could make an educated decision on who we wanted to designate for every piece and at what percentages, if applicable. Mike reviewed the estate planning questionnaire that he gave to us and explained each question and the importance of each answer. More specifically, he spoke to the why, which is extremely important to me-why we were having the meeting, why we were setting up a trust, etc. Then we discussed next steps and the next step was to have a conference call with Client Relations Manager, Trisha. Once we got the details of the trust ironed out with her, then would meet to review and sign the trust. We set up the time and date of the conference call with Coleen and we were on our way. Trisha and I talked on the phone for about fifteen minutes and she asked me who I wanted for each piece of the trust and who would receive our assets and at what percentages. She advised that she was going to e-mail my answers to me so I could verify that everything was correct and then we would set up a meeting to review and sign the trust. We ended up changing things several times via e-mail and she was patient and understanding with us, which we appreciated. Once everything was finalized, Coleen called me and we set up a meeting to review and sign the trust at the Rochester office. Once again Mike reviewed everything in great detail and spoke to the why. The meeting lasted about thirty minutes and one of the exciting aspects of the trust that he pointed out was that this trust could be used as a beneficiary on our investments. He said that financial advisers will try to tell us that that is not true, because that is the case with most trusts, but we would in fact be able to use this trust, executed by the Rutkowski Law Firm, as a beneficiary on our investments. It would be a contingent listed after my wife for me and after me for her. The key to Mike's success with us was his ability to demonstrate value. He demonstrated the value of working with the Rutkowski Law Firm and the value of having a trust. We could have piece of mind now that we knew that the Rutkowski Law Firm was going to take care of our family and make sure that important decisions would be made to our liking even after we were gone. It's a feeling of safety knowing that our family will receive what's owed to them.

utkowski Law Firm made estate planning feel completely manageable. They listened closely, explained…read moremy options without any pressure, and treated me with genuine care. Truly a great team to work with.

My wife and I recently worked with David Wakefield and his law office for our estate planning, and…read morewe couldn't be happier with the experience. From the moment we met David, he made us feel completely comfortable and at ease with a process that can otherwise feel overwhelming. He took the time to get to know us, understand our needs, and explain every detail in a way that was clear and easy to understand. What really stood out was how personable and genuine David is -- it truly felt like he cared about helping us make the best decisions for our family. We spoke with a few other attorneys before finding David, and honestly, none came close to his level of professionalism, patience, and warmth. If you're looking for someone who combines expertise with a personal touch, we can't recommend David Wakefield and his team highly enough. He made what could have been a stressful process feel simple, smooth, and even enjoyable.

Wakefield Law prepared our original estate planning documents some years ago and recently updated…read moreour documents. Connie, the attorney leading the updates, is knowledgeable and efficient with respect to understanding the clients situation and updating the documents accordingly. She is also down-to-earth to interface with and will make the effort to research topics if they are unique or more complicated. Also, Amy the paralegal was professional and efficient in assisting with the signing, processing and issuing of the final documents. We will be comfortable continuing to work with Wakefield Law in the future. - Kevin T.

I highly recommend Andrew Byers! I started working with Andrew in late 2019. I needed to have a…read morelawyer review my elderly mother's will and unfortunately I live out of state. Andrew was very accommodating to my mother and very helpful in the process. Since then, he's my go-to for any legal issues for my mother. I've found his work to be extremely thorough and timely. I believe his prices are also fair, particularly given the high quality of his work. He usually gives me an accurate price up front and his fees are never excessive. I give Andrew my highest recommendation.

Upon the passing of my brother, Andrew Byers gave excellent legal services and advice to my father…read moreand I in handling my brother's estate. Andrew coordinated with the Michigan Probate Court, obtained the necessary Letter of Authorization (including a required extension) for my father and I to be representatives of the estate, and gave valuable advice on how to address all outstanding issues such as selling of assets, paying off debts, taxes, and finally closing of the estate. My father and I had a great experience working with Mr. Byers and highly recommend him to anyone in need of medical, financial and estate legal services.

Keela Johnson worked tirelessly to represent me when it became necessary to change the guardianship…read moreof my grandson to third party custody and a change of domicile to Florida. Her knowledge of the child custody act was exceptional. Keela made a complicated and time sensitive custody dispute move through the court system with no complications due to her legal skills. If you need an attorney to protect a minor child I would highly recommend retaining Keela.

Anything and everything, they know how to say names. I don't believe they actually know the names…read morethey say but they say them.

We hired Tavi Law and Matthew Tavi when we required legal assistance with an issue involving our…read moreprior Credit Union. After previously trying to handle the issue on our own without counsel, we were at an absolute stalemate/deadlock for the better part of nearly two years (!) before we hired Tavi Law, but within literally 30 days of hiring Matthew Tavi, the entire issue was resolved in our favor and we were made whole, which was very satisfying on both a personal and financial level! Throughout the entire matter, Matthew Tavi was extremely knowledgeable, confident and reassuring. The fact that Matthew is respected and recognized in his profession throughout Oakland County and Birmingham MI was also very beneficial to us and our particular matter and it directly translated to positive results. My husband and I very highly recommend Tavi Law and Attorney Matthew Tavi for any civil litigation or business matters in Oakland County. 10/10.

From the owner: Tavi Law is a leading Michigan law firm proudly providing sophisticated counsel to a select…read moreclientele with a particular focus on matters involving High Net Worth Tax and Estate Planning, Real Estate Transactions, and Commercial Litigation.

Yeah, so these Vima guys just decided to expand from their flashy Big Beaver Location and move…read moretheir operation over into my neighborhood at SQ. Lake and Livernois at: 46 E. Square Lake Rd. and All of a sudden, the shabby old house that had a nail salon in it for the past 15 years, has a completely remodeled exterior with a fresh paint job, the sun breaks free from behind the clouds, the birds start chirping again, and my fridge has food in it! I don't know what kinda wizardry these guys are up to over there, but it's working for me! Thank you Vima for your neighborly presence here in Troy. The city needs that energy.I'd love to say that I had some sort of wealth for you to manage, but I'm working on that and I'll have to get back to you. Thank you! - Nathaniel Haselton, Haselton Media Group

From the owner: We specialize in holistic financial planning taking every aspect of your life into count to help…read moreyou reach your dreams!

I have been putting off my Estate Planning for quite some time, but with the prodding of friends…read moreand relatives, I found the perfect place to finally take care of this task. Matt Haupt was recommended by one of my nieces to assist with my needs, and he was great. Matt is very personable, energetic and knowledgeable in this area. He made the entire process very easy and comfortable to complete. I would highly recommend Beier Howlett for any of your Estate Planning. Sincerely Joan Parski

From the owner: Beier Howlett is a full service law firm serving businesses of all sizes, individuals,…read moremunicipalities and school districts. For over 115 years Beier Howlett has served its clients with care, compassion, skill and expertise. Focusing on each client's individual needs has enabled the Firm to effectively meet and often exceed client expectations. Our lawyers and staff work hard to get to know our clients and understand their needs and goals. We are successful only if our clients are successful.