Most estate planning attorneys will spend their careers reading about slayer statutes rather than applying them, which is probably how everyone would prefer it. These statutes exist for the worst cases, the ones in which someone may stand to inherit from a person in whose death that same person may have played a role. Still, […]

Client complaints do not always begin with a major failure. In an estate planning firm, they often begin much earlier, in smaller moments the team may not immediately recognize as risky.  Nothing may be “wrong” in a technical sense. The plan may be sound. The documents may be accurate. The attorney may be doing careful […]

In most estate planning firms, the issue is not whether systems exist. It is how their use differs. Ask two team members how a matter moves from intake to drafting, and you may get two slightly different answers. Both sound reasonable. Neither is fully aligned. The software reflects that ambiguity. Over time, this creates drag. […]

Many parents know they should name a guardian for their children but have not actually put that decision in writing. According to a 2025 Pew Research study, only 32% of Americans have a will or living trust. Americans with children under age 18 make up the largest group without wills or other estate planning documents. […]

The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys is pleased to announce that David K. Cahoone, J.D., LL.M. has joined the Academy as our new Director of Education. David brings more than three decades of experience in estate planning, charitable planning, tax strategy, and legal education. He most recently served as Senior Partner at the Dorcey […]

A website is not finished the day it launches. For an estate planning firm, the website has to keep working long after the design is approved and the pages go live. It needs to remain accurate, secure, easy to use, and aligned with the way the firm serves clients today. That matters because prospective clients […]

We just wrapped our Spring Summit in New Orleans. If you missed our New Orleans Spring Summit, don’t miss this exciting session being offered as a webinar on July 22! Register for that webinar if you haven’t already, here. We’re sending all participants a copy of our new book, “The Enterprise Law Firm Model.” Every time […]

What felt clear six months ago may now sound generic or overly complex. As your firm evolves, your messaging should reflect that evolution. A quarterly audit is an opportunity to review your website, ads, and content as if you were a prospective client encountering them for the first time. Are you speaking to specific concerns […]

Some days in a law firm are not exhausting because of one difficult decision. They are exhausting because of dozens of small ones. A team member asks whether a matter should be escalated. A client wants an exception to the process. Intake is missing information. A draft is almost ready, but someone is unsure whether […]

Most estate planning firms think of the website as the main conversion point. That is understandable. It is often the center of the firm’s online presence. It explains the services, introduces the attorneys, houses the contact form, and gives prospects a place to take the next step. But a prospective client’s decision rarely happens in […]