I am incredibly excited at the opportunity to practice law in Salida.
The decision to practice as a sole practitioner in a town like Salida was not a decision that I took lightly.
Opening a law office as a relatively young attorney with a heavy focus on estate planning and probate is not entirely common.
However, there was a pivotal moment for me that made my path clear.
In July of 2021, my family suffered a tragedy.
Two of my aunts, my mother’s only two siblings, were travelling on I-95 South in South Carolina with my young cousin in the car.
Their car came to a complete stop at a construction zone in Dillon County. Unfortunately, an 18-wheeler did not see the construction zone in time and struck the back of my aunt’s vehicle.
My aunts were killed on impact. Amazingly, my young cousin survived the crash.
Both of my aunts died intestate. This just means they both died without a will in place (I was not a practicing attorney at the time).
Without a will, South Carolina state law controlled the disposition of their estates.
Bear in mind, in a general sense, regardless of how much money one might have, the manner in which they die could leave pending litigation worth millions of dollars. That is to say, if you, the person reading this, think that your estate is not worth very much and you probably do not need a will, imagine you die leaving a wrongful death civil action worth more money than you ever imagined you may have. It happens every day.
Now, I will not share every detail, but my aunts died with a variety of real estate issues, familial issues, special needs grandchildren, and a variety of other issues that certainly would have left them wishing their affairs had been in order.
Take everything else out of it; trusts, deeds, and other instruments that would have assisted them in ensuring they left this world having done everything possible to properly provide for their loved ones. The one thing that, properly executed, could have corrected the issues still existing years later was a Last Will and Testament.
Estate planning is important, tax planning measures are important, and best practices based on your specific needs are important. But a will is not just important, it is vital.
My passion in life lies in assisting others avoid these issues that I have watched my loved ones suffer.
I want people to walk into my office or set an appointment with me so they can understand the importance of this document.
My goal and my passion is to assist members of this community get their affairs in order as quickly, efficiently, effectively, and affordably as possible.
Please, do not hesitate to reach out to me regardless of your circumstances. I recognize money is a primary consideration for so many people. In nearly all cases, Holbrooks Law Firm can work with members of this community regardless of their financial situation.
I look forward to meeting the people and hearing the stories that make Salida and its surrounding areas so recognizably great.
Thank you for reading and please give me a call or just drop by to say hello anytime!
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