Estate Planning in the New Normal

First there was curbside pickup of meals and groceries and now Newland & Newland, LLP offers curbside estate plan signings during the COVID-19 Crisis.

Many people need legal services more than ever right now, but providing these services during a pandemic can be challenging. The law firm of Newland & Newland, LLP has found a way to deliver services so that clients can feel safer.

Due to the Covid 19 virus that are affecting everyone in the United States, it is more important than ever for people to have a proper estate plan in place. This includes a will, living trust, power of attorney for property, and power of attorney for health care.

Stephen Newland, a partner at Newland & Newland, LLP, explained, “Many clients want to make sure they have a proper estate plan right now, but they are understandably concerned about needing to go to a lawyer’s office to complete this process, and they do not want anyone outside of their family to come into their homes. We listened to our clients and came up with a process that they feel very comfortable with.”

Curbside signings may sound like picking up items from a fast food restaurant, but the services provided by Newland & Newland, LLP are very different as it is customized to the person or family and takes hours to prepare. Since setting up a proper estate plan is one of the most important and complicated financial things a person can do, the firm has created a procedure for working with clients remotely. Through virtual meetings with clients, the firm’s attorneys can ensure that the proper estate plan documents are drafted, and these carefully prepared documents can then be executed through curbside signing.

During this process, a series of meetings thru Zoom, Skype, or FaceTime or other method are set up to discuss the client’s needs and concerns. Once drafted, all documents are carefully discussed in detail using screen and document sharing to ensure the client’s needs are addressed satisfactorily.

Once the documents are fully explained to the client, and it is confirmed that all required information has been included, a curbside signing appointment will be set up. The client will park his or her car in a remote area of the parking lot of one of the Newland & Newland, LLP offices. Two members of the firm, who will wear masks and gloves, shall then witness and notarize the execution of the documents while the client remains in his or her car.

“Our clients are relieved that they can get their estate plan documents completed in a professional manner without putting their health at risk. The feedback we have gotten from clients has been tremendous,” commented Katrine Fleishman, a lawyer at Newland & Newland, LLP.

Newland & Newland, LLP is an eight-lawyer law firm with offices throughout the Chicago area, including Libertyville and Arlington Heights.