When the team at Alan R. Harrison Law originally met to discuss our combined vision, we quickly focused on a few key words that described our values as a law firm. Those words were, integrity, expertise, collaboration, and education.
As part of this meeting, we talked about our personal experiences of being on the client side of the legal process. We shared how it felt to need legal help from someone who knows so much about the topic (the attorney) that they sometimes forget we don’t have the same knowledge. We expressed our feelings of being overwhelmed by large amounts of paperwork that seemed redundant and professionals who have completed the process so often that they no longer see how overwhelming it can be (the office staff). We each expressed a desire to do things a bit differently in our office.
In that meeting we made a pledge to meet families where they are, listen to them, explain relevant laws and any pending legislation, and then help them create a plan to get where they want to be. Using a collaborative planning method was a different focus for a law firm to take, but it honored our values in a way traditional law practices usually don’t.
The word collaborate comes from two Latin words, the first meaning “with, together, or jointly,” and the second meaning “to labor.” Today Webster’s Dictionary defines the word collaborate as working together, especially in an intellectual endeavor. We decided to break up our intellectual endeavor into four distinct steps.
Step 1: Discover
We learn about you and your loved ones to help identify your goals and vision. We explain our law firm, our process, and our vision to you. We then describe our services and how they can help you.
Step 2: Design
We gather information about your family, assets, selected agents and representatives, and desired distribution of your belongings. We identify service(s) to help you plan for yourself and your loved ones.
Step 3: Build
We draft necessary legal documents, review your preferences to make sure the documents reflect your vision, facilitate the signing of all documents, and represent you throughout the court process if needed.
Step 4: Review & Revise
If your family, your circumstances, assets, or desired agents or representatives change, we can revise your documents to reflect your current situation. We collaborate to resolve concerns to support your vision and update your legal documents.
Clients who choose Alan R. Harrison Law for their Collaborative Legal Planning™ needs will find our office to be open and friendly. We take our pledge seriously, and want you to leave feeling heard and respected. We know what it feel like to be the client, and we are dedicated to making your experience a positive one.
