Estate Planning Lawyers
Also Referred To As:
Estate Lawyer or Attorney
Probate Lawyer or Attorney
Succession Lawyer or Attorney
Estate Planning Lawyer or Attorney
An Experienced Estate Planning Attorney
My name is H. Patrick Rooney. With over 27 years of experience in Estate Planning law, I’ve been a guest speaker for several local companies and national organizations to discuss the importance of Estate Planning for Louisiana families. Our firm is a family first law firm. We work together as a family and consider our clients to be an extension of that family. As both an attorney and a partner, I take great pride in providing personal attention to every single client.
I am particularly experienced in Succession & Probate, but have also helped countless people Draft Wills & Powers of Attorney. Collectively, our partners have over 100 years of combined legal experience; as a firm we’ve helped the Louisiana community for over 40 years. Throughout that time, we have worked diligently and earned a professional reputation of maintaining open communication, confidentiality & comfortable long-term attorney-client relationships. For a free consultation regarding legal matters of estate, contact us by submitting a message at the bottom of this page or by calling any of our 7 office locations (listed on our contact page).
succession & PROBATe
You can’t take it with you after you die, but an experienced Estate Planning attorney can save your surviving family members from fighting over assets or from being confused about how to transfer property in accordance with your wishes. Since 1981, our law firm has concentrated on Succession & Probate as well as other legal matters of estate. With 40 years of experience, our firm can help settle an estate quickly and at a reasonable fee. Whether your estate will require a Probate Order or can be settled by a simple Judgment of Possession, we combine the knowledge and preparation required to represent you in any circumstance.
Our succession attorneys will help you understand, compare, and consider the advantages and disadvantages of every facet of a Succession plan in Louisiana: small estate affidavit, probate-testate (will), no probate/simple possession-intestate (no will), with or without administration, etc.
Draft a WILL
Why are Wills an important aspect of estate planning & why is making sure your will is up-to-date an important aspect of wealth preservation? Forced Heirship was written into the original Louisiana constitution, abrogated by the state legislature in 1990, than voted back into effect but limited in 1995. Therefore many people who made wills in the past (most importantly between 1990-1995) may need to re-draft their will in order to account for legislative changes and to avoid becoming null.
When Should You Make A Will?
(click to see video of Mr. Rooney answering this question for WWL TV).
For people drafting a will for the first time, it’s important that your attorney is familiar with recent legislative changes (Forced Heirship, for example) and stays up-to-date on the state legislature’s current affairs. Because Louisiana law is complex and ever-changing, Louisianans should not draft their wills online. It is imperative to consult with an attorney and that your attorney is experienced enough to navigate the nuances of Wills & Living Wills (Notarial or Statutory Wills, Attestation clause language, Olographic, Forced Heirship, multiple marriages, age of children: 23 & younger vs. 24 & older, separate property of a spouse, & mental/physical handicaps).
Durable POWERs OF ATTORNEY (“POA”)
Our attorneys will help you define and compare the advantages and disadvantages of the various types of P.O.A. We’ll help you determine the best time for your POA to become effective as well as help you determine the best type of POA to fit your needs (special or specific POA, General POA, Medical POA, etc).
The Importance of Estate Planning
As the population ages, it is more important than ever to have an estate plan in place. Because an entire family’s legacy & wealth preservation are at stake, estate planning is one aspect of law where you must absolutely make sure to consult with an attorney who’s both experienced in and specializes in matters of estate that are specific to Louisiana.