Posts by possingeradmin:
Possinger Law Group is Expanding
Posted on: 15 Apr 2019
Possinger Law Group is excited to announce that our office is relocating from its previous location, into the new View Ridge Executive Offices in Woodinville. This move is being made to accommodate our growing staff, to more securely protect our clients’ legal matters, and to better support our expanding practice. Possinger Law Group is a firm dedicated to serving small- and medium-sized businesses and the individuals that own and operate them. Since being founded in 2001, the firm has counseled and represented hundreds of clients, including business organizations, individuals, and families. Combining a thorough understanding of the law, its clients’ goals, and the current environment to deliver excellent client service, Possinger Law Group’s number one goal is creating value for its clients. Founded in the Pacific Northwest, Possinger Law Group has local roots, even as its practice has regional, national, and international reach. Managing Member Jeffrey Possinger says this relocation was an important step in achieving the firm’s larger goals. “Moving to this new location was part of the growth plan of our law firm, and this move will allow us to better serve our clients and further expand our business and services”. Possinger Law Group is also hiring additional staff and contract attorneys, to support this expansion. Possinger Law Group and its staff look forward to continuing operations at our new location at 20250 144th Ave. Northeast, Suite 205, Woodinville, Washington.
Attorney Jeffrey Possinger Awarded Martindale-Hubble AV Preeminent Peer Rating
Posted on: 09 Mar 2018
Possinger Law Group, PLLC is pleased to announce that Managing Member, Jeffrey Possinger was awarded a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Rating on February 5, 2018. These awards are determined through a secure online peer review survey where a lawyer’s ethical standards and legal ability in a specific area of practice is assessed by their peers. Once the review process is completed, an attorney may receive recognition with their Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™. According to the company’s nomination requirements, the rating received by Jeffrey Possinger is the highest possible rating standard, “awarded to only those lawyers with the highest ethical standards and professional ability.” “This is a huge respect and privilege for me to accept this recognition,” Possinger expresses. “I am grateful to Martindale-Hubbell for their effort throughout the review process, to the firm’s dedicated staff for providing support and making our high-quality services possible, and to our clientele, who make these efforts worth it.” To read Martindale-Hubbell’s announcement, please visit the company’s website.
5 Signs of a Good Lawyer
Posted on: 19 Jan 2018
With so many lawyers and firms in the world today, how do you know if you’ve chosen the right one? Here are 5 signs of a trustworthy lawyer. 1. Cautiously Optimistic Most cases aren’t slam-dunks, and it is important that your lawyer doesn’t make promises regarding the outcome of your case, or seem overconfident – regardless of how seasoned they are. A great lawyer knows there are many factors to be considered, and that no legal proceedings come with guarantees. They should be able to present a few informed options for handling the case, without guaranteeing any outcomes. 2. Great Listener A great lawyer is an even better listener. Nothing in the legal world has a one-fits-all approach, and a great lawyer will know this. They should understand your goals, and tailor their approach accordingly. Beyond exhibiting strong listening skills, great lawyers are also responsive. This doesn’t mean they respond to you within seconds, but rather they are considerate of your time and will respond thoughtfully. 3. Objective As strange as this may sound, your lawyer shouldn’t empathize too much with your pain. A good legal service provider is able to stay objective and seek the truth at all costs. Your lawyer should pursue a professional relationship that’s based on trust and facts (good AND bad). 4. Honest About Fees Upfront Though sometimes a sore subject, it is crucial that your lawyer discusses their fees upfront. Certain types of representation have flat fees (such as immigration matters, basic bankruptcy, administrative law, etc.). However, most types of legal matters have varying fees, and a good lawyer will be able to provide you with an estimated range. This shows not only that they understand the legal tasks at hand and any possible developments, but also that they are considerate and mindful of your money. 5. Trust Your Gut Last but definitely not least, you should enjoy working with your lawyer. Your lawyer should treat you and all other parties with respect, even opposing counsel. A great lawyer keeps you updated on all progress with your case, and should communicate with you frequently. If you get a weird feeling about a lawyer you’ve consulted with, check for reviews on sites such as Avvo. If you still aren’t sure, trust your gut! Need legal advice? Contact one of our lawyers today! This article was originally published by Managing Member Jeffrey Possinger on medium.com. DISCLAIMER: This blog post (document) and discussions contained herein, as well as any data and information provided are for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice nor should it be relied on as legal advice. To the extent that this document may contain suggested provisions, they will require modification to suit a particular transaction, jurisdiction, or situation. The law is a rapidly changing subject, no representation is made that everything posted on this site will be accurate, up to date, or a complete analysis of legal issues. Please consult with an attorney with the appropriate level of experience if you have any questions. Review or use of the document and any discussions does not create an attorney-client relationship with the author or Possinger Law Group, PLLC. No attorney-client or confidential relationship is or should be believed to be formed by the use of this site. The opinions expressed here represent those of Jeffrey Possinger and not those of Possinger Law Group, PLLC or its clients. Similarly, the opinions expressed by those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of Jeffrey Possinger, Possinger Law Group, PLLC, or its clients.
What to expect during my first legal consultation
Posted on: 19 Jan 2018
When a problem arises, searching for a lawyer can be nerve-wracking. In addition to questions about legal options, individuals might find themselves wondering: · How do I find the right attorney? · How long will this take? · How much will this cost? · How should I prepare for a legal consultation? After almost two decades of practicing law in Washington State and consulting many clients and potential clients over those years, I thought it would be helpful to provide the general public some clarity on what to expect during your first legal consultation with a lawyer. (Note: these examples of topics and questions that I have identified as best practices may differ from those of other firms and lawyers.) Normally, the first contact that we have with a potential client is a phone call or email from them, regarding a legal matter or other problem that they are facing. As part of our intake process, and to understand the situation better, we send over a short form that gathers some basic information about the situation, and goes over the process of discussing their legal matter before we schedule an initial consultation. The primary purposes of the first legal consultation are to determine the nature of the potential client’s legal issues, discuss potential options, discuss the business terms of representation, and otherwise determine whether the potential client and our firm will be a good fit for each other. Because this initial consultation is a way to introduce both the potential client and the lawyer to each other, our firm typically offers 30-minute initial consultations free of cost. Determining the Nature of the Legal Matter As part of our short form, we provide the client with a checkbox in order to quickly understand the matter at hand, as well as how urgent the matter is. It is often the case that the client is not sure exactly what it is that they need help, with and the initial consultation provides an opportunity to get a clearer picture for both potential client and the lawyer. Sometimes, the client has been served with legal papers. If this is the case, we ask them to provide us a copy the legal papers along with the case number, court date, judge, and jurisdiction prior to the consultation. Because deadlines are important in litigation matters, we will ask the potential client the date that they were served with the papers. Most lawyers will ask for relevant documents prior to an initial consultation so that they can review them before to the meeting. Determining Other Persons Involved This is often overlooked but very important. Good lawyers will inquire right away the identities of other parties and potential witnesses involved with the matter — in part, to identify and rule out any potential conflicts of interest. In addition, many lawyers will regularly want to know if you’ve spoken to other attorneys about the matter in addition to any other people who you have shared information or who know details and information about the potential case. Discussion of Potential Options Keep in mind; the ability of any attorney to give a detailed legal analysis of any situation during an initial consultation is likely to be very limited. The lawyer should be able to give you some basic ideas about potential options available to deal with the client’s legal problem, as well as some idea of what is involved, including the associated fees and costs. Discussion of Business Arrangement and Payment of Fees Discussing the terms under which the attorney will work and the fees that will be charged for services is something that might not comfortable for clients to discuss in the initial consultation, but good lawyers will be transparent with their fees and costs. And though good lawyers generally cannot give specific figures for fees and costs, except for certain types of matters, they generally should be able to give the prospective client a range of the potential fees and costs. At the End of Initial Consultation For potential clients of our firm, there will be four possible outcomes to consider after your initial consultation: (1) You and the attorney mutually agree to the terms of your representation, (2) The attorney declines representation, (3) You will decide not to use the services of the attorney, (4) You require additional time in which to decide to retain an attorney. This is a typical approach for many lawyers. A client should expect to get the terms of the representation in writing and have the opportunity to review them before agreement to the representation. Conclusion As much as you would want your lawyer to prepare for the first consultation, it is important for you to come prepared as well. Be professional, be honest, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you decide to continue working with that particular lawyer, you should feel comfortable and trust him or her. Trust your instincts! Do you have a legal matter you’d like to discuss with Possinger Law Firm? Contact us here, or leave a comment below. DISCLAIMER: This blog post (document) and discussions contained herein, as well as any data and information provided are for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice nor should it be relied on as legal advice. To the extent that this document may contain suggested provisions, they will require modification to suit a particular transaction, jurisdiction, or situation. The law is a rapidly changing subject, no representation is made that everything posted on this site will be accurate, up to date, or a complete analysis of legal issues. Please consult with an attorney with the appropriate level of experience if you have any questions. Review or use of the document and any discussions does not create an attorney-client relationship with the author or Possinger Law Group, PLLC. No attorney-client or confidential relationship is or should be believed to be formed by the use of this site. The opinions expressed here represent those of Jeffrey Possinger and not those of Possinger Law Group, PLLC or its clients. Similarly, […]
Back to School: Should your college student have a Power of Attorney?
Posted on: 19 Jan 2018
As colleges and universities begin classes in the fall, students are leaving home and headed for campus. Sometimes that campus is right down the street, and sometimes is on the other side of the country or the other side of the world. What many students and their parents seldom think about is the value of having a “power of attorney” for their student in place when they head off to school. One of the reasons that this is often overlooked is because the child, whether legally an adult or not, is often still a dependent on the parents, whether literally or practically. But once a child turns 18 years, old, they are legally an adult, and that has specific consequences in various situations. Why have a Power of Attorney for a College Student? There are a number of reasons to have a power of attorney for a college student that rarely occur to a parent until it is needed. Years of being in the role of parent often makes a number of things invisible, whether it is making doctors appointments, handling financial matters, or filling out paperwork. Once the child turns 18 your legal parental rights terminate, even if you are paying tuition, claiming them on your taxes, or maintaining them on your insurance policy. The rights that you had before to do things on their behalf no longer are there, and it isn’t something that most parents or students are thinking about until a situation arises where this can become a serious problem. One of the most difficult situations that can come up is in the case of accidents or illness. For young people aged 18–25, accidents are a very real possibility. If a college aged student is involved in an accident and hospitalized, a parent does not automatically have the right to be given information about their child’s condition, and often have no automatic say in being able to direct any kind of treatment. This can be an even more difficult challenge if the student is in a condition where they cannot make these decisions for themselves. A Power of Attorney for Healthcare Decisions can address those issues giving the parents both access to information and giving them the legal right to make certain decisions on behalf of the student. Even if medical issues are not at play, Durable Power of Attorney can be very helpful for assisting the student with financial matters, signing legal documents, and having access to banking and other records where absent a Power of Attorney, the parents will likely be denied on the basis of privacy and other policies. Which type of Power of Attorney makes most sense for a College Student? Powers of Attorney, whether for healthcare or other matters can be General or Durable, the latter being preferable in the situations that would likely arise for a parent and their adult child student. They can also go into effect immediately upon signing or come into effect upon the occurrence of some event, such as the student’s disability or incapacity, often referred to as a “springing” power of attorney. The challenge in the latter scenario is that often someone, such as a doctor, is required to decide that the student has reached that state (i.e. disability or incapacity). This is not always helpful in those situations where the student simply needs the parents to take certain actions on their behalf. Different situations and needs call for different combinations of powers to be delegated in a Power of Attorney, and some flexibility can be achieved through thoughtful drafting. Powers of Attorney require trust. A creation of a Power of Attorney requires trust between the person delegating authority and the one to whom it is granted, since these documents give a great deal of power to the the agent (“Attorney-in-Fact”). Not unlike the elderly that are wary of signing a Power of Attorney, a young person seeking independence from their parents may be resistant to having their parents continue to have access and potential control over various parts of their lives. In some situations, adult family members other than the parents have been deemed the appropriate agent for the adult child when preparing the Power of Attorney. In any case, having a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare Decisions and a Durable Power of Attorney for financial and other matters is one of the basic estate planning tools that a young person should have. Talking to your student about getting one into place before you take them off to their dorm this fall should be on your checklist along with your other college preparations. DISCLAIMER: This blog post (document) and discussions contained herein, as well as any data and information provided are for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice nor should it be relied on as legal advice. To the extent that this document may contain suggested provisions, they will require modification to suit a particular transaction, jurisdiction, or situation. The law is a rapidly changing subject, no representation is made that everything posted on this site will be accurate, up to date, or a complete analysis of legal issues. Please consult with an attorney with the appropriate level of experience if you have any questions. Review or use of the document and any discussions does not create an attorney-client relationship with the author or Possinger Law Firm, PLLC. No attorney-client or confidential relationship is or should be believed to be formed by the use of this site. The opinions expressed here represent those of Jeffrey Possinger and not those of Possinger Law Firm, PLLC or its clients. Similarly, the opinions expressed by those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of Jeffrey Possinger, Possinger Law Firm, PLLC, or its clients.