Why Choose The Law Offices of Jimmie L. Joe

As in many areas where one is required to seek out professional help, the legal field is very broad and complicated at first glance. So, one might ask the question: Why is it advisable to choose a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning? Well, to help answer that question, consider if you had to have serious surgery, would you choose a general family physician to do it or a doctor who is board certified in his or her field of surgery? The obvious answer, of course, is that you would choose a board certified physician to assure that you receive the best care and treatment. You would want to be in the hands of a physician with vast experience in his or her field of specialty and who is on top of the latest techniques and advances in surgery. After all, you may never get a second chance to “do it right”.

When it comes to choosing an attorney to design your estate plan, you should not feel any different. You want someone who has vast experience in handling a wide range of issues and situations, who is knowledgeable and up to date on state, federal and tax law and who is experienced in sophisticated estate planning techniques and strategies.

In order to help the public find the right attorney for a given situation, the California State Bar Association implemented a certification program several years ago to allow attorneys who specialize in various areas of the law to obtain a certification that would allow the public to identify when an attorney has demonstrated expertise, knowledge and experience in a particular area of practice. The State Bar recognizes eight specific areas of specialty practice. Only those who have met very strict requirements of certification may hold themselves out as “legal specialists” in these areas of law. Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law is one of the specialized areas of practice recognized by the State Bar.

In order to become a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, an Attorney must have spent a significant portion of his or her practice devoted to the Estate Planning area. The attorney must also submit to a peer review process where judges and/or other attorneys are questioned as to the attorney’s substantive knowledge and professionalism. In addition, the attorney must have demonstrated expertise in the Estate Planning, Trust and Probate areas by satisfying strict experience requirements. The attorney must also show that he or she has met a high standard for continuing education in the Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law areas. Finally, the attorney must pass a rigorous written examination given by the State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. Less than 1/2 of 1% of all attorneys in California are recognized as a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Attorney Jimmie L. Joe has earned this designation by the State Bar.

As you can see, being recognized as a Certified Specialist is not available to less experienced attorneys, those who maintain a “do it all” law practice, or those who cannot demonstrate specific expertise in the Estate Planning, Trust and Probate areas. The real question you need to consider is whether you want to entrust something as important as the preservation of everything you own and the care of everyone you love to anyone who is not a Certified Specialist?

We believe that when you choose to plan your estate with us, you can have the confidence in knowing that you are entrusting an attorney who has demonstrated knowledge and experience in the Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law areas and who is committed to you and your family’s planning needs.