Wilson Law, PLC

My sister, "Lorelei Alexander" since she doesn't want to use her real name, seems to still be holding a grudge that our mother chose me over her to be trustee. To be honest, I'm not sure why she picked now over literally any other time to post a review as the estate was settled some time ago. If she didn't cancel so many appointments or ghost me and the law firm completely multiple times, she might've been better apprised of the situation. She was even CC'd in all correspondences and that wasn't enough. In the end, she came out on top and still wants more. Wilson Law, especially Donna and our paralegal, John, went above and beyond to settle the estate and give advice to benefit it. They weren't mine nor my sister's council, but the estate's, our deceased mother's council. They tended to every facet of our case, including notifying and transferring investments and any other potential debtors/creditors. They were more than willing and capable to chase down loose ends from a dementia patient. They didn't just ask for proof of any real or tangible property, but wanted dated photos of everything. I documented every bit so they could make sure things were being split equally between the survivors. I had to perform data recovery on multiple hard drives to access older records/photos. They even offered to appear on-site to make their own assessment. My sister didn't appreciate that the appraisers and family friends who knew of the estate wouldn't confirm that she inherited the gold mine she deluded herself into believing. In fact, some even refused to work with her when she tried to go behind mine and Wilson's back. Above all, Wilson were personable and empathetic to what we were going through. They were willing to explain everything in 5-year-old, crayon-eating terms to make sure we understood ours and the estate's rights in the proceedings. They even take donations for those most-affected and least-remembered: the pets. It's refreshing to see the "soul-less law firm" actually care about ALL the lives that are left behind after a tragedy. I took in my mother's dog, but I can only imagine how many are left to shelters or even the streets. At the end of the day, I'd trust Wilson Law to manage my legacy trust and any future elder law needs I have. They've proven time and again to keep everything within the law and wishes of the deceased. They understand that 50/50 means 50/50.

If you are required to work with this law firm, I highly recommend that you retain your own legal counsel, and remember: this law firm does not work for the beneficiaries or the trust, they work for themselves. Their goal is to maximize their earnings and minimize their involvement. If you want your case handled appropriately and fully, retain your own counsel who will work only for you. Wilsons does not double check or ask for proof of the worth of any of the physical property involved in the estate that they are overseeing, they take the main trustees word for it. They do not require an appraiser or investigation, a number can just be made up or left out. They also do not ask the trustee to provide a detailed record of the splitting of the total assets and they do not present one to the beneficiaries upon request, or at the closing of the case. They ignore multiple requests for that record, as well as multiple requests to provide copies of the original trust so you can ensure that the original creator of the trust's wishes are being followed, and to ensure that all of the beneficiaries' best interests are being kept in mind. They rush things, and if the trustee is not meeting their fiduciary duties, they brush aside any questions or concerns. A two star review was given because they are decent at organizing the liquid assets and investments of the trust, decent at answering questions on what is required to transfer those assets and investments, and are adequate at ensuring that those items are initially split appropriately. But they do not follow through in ensuring that the entirety of the trust account is appropriately paid out after taxes, or to ensure that any proceeds from sold physical property is appropriately dispersed. They assume that the trustee is doing what they are legally required to do, will not entertain anything that indicates otherwise, and it appears as if they quickly and prematurely close cases to avoid dealing with potential issues. The paralegals are pretty good at communicating, but the lawyers are not. They use the same template for all of their trust paperwork, and my new lawyer found several mistakes where things must have been copied and pasted and put into areas in the creation of a new trust that negated and contradicted several key parts of that new trust. It appears that they either do not understand how to draw up and create trusts, or they do not proofread and make pretty impactful mistakes. To be honest, I felt like their overall approach was evasive. Everything was veiled, nothing was said in plain English, they pushed everything through without being thorough, and they talked around most questions and concerns that were raised. Especially the serious ones. I had mistakenly believed that they were working for the trust and all of the beneficiaries. Now, if I want things split as outlined in the original trust, it looks like it will be a couple years of litigation and lawyer fees, which by then (because no detailed accounting of the physical assets was ever recorded) I assume most of the physical property will be hidden or sold save the few items that I have independent records of. I am on the fence about dedicating that much of my time, as I have been ready to put this entire situation behind me and move on and get used to my life without my loved ones. I am taking some time to think about it to decide if I want to dedicate that much of my energy. If I had listened to the advice I received at the beginning of this entire mess, I would have hired my own lawyer immediately and I would have not trusted that Wilson Law was working in the beneficiaries' best interests. Overall, I do not recommend this law firm. Nothing was done well. And the things that were adequately done certainly did not outweigh the careless, irresponsible, and sloppy handling of this case.

Please ignore the negative reviews here. The time to be involved with planning for parents passing away is well before they do; not after. Donna Wilson or any lawyer can hardly be expected to be a mindreader. Donna has been great for my Mom. All 5 of us kids made sure Mom followed up to complete all paperwork Donna requested. Yes, it takes time to do this right. Donna is very thorough, personable, and volunteers in the community. It really upset me to read the couple whiny comments here about Donna and her staff. We highly recommend Donna. Whether anyone wants to opt for an annual maintenance plan for the cost of a couple hours of legal time per year or just pay as you go is up to each client. It's fantasy to expect any lawyer to just donate their time because somebody paid for a document years ago. Badgering or publicly libeling them here doesn't change that reality. Failing to followup and complete your responsibilities doesn't entitle anyone to a refund. Donna still has to pay her great staff. If you want a competent pro, Donna Wilson and her staff make an excellent choice. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Attorney Donna Wilson and her practice, Wilson law is simply outstanding. As I review the annual comprehensive "DRC Trust Estate Planning Portfolio" Donna prepared for me and my family. I am simply pleased with the compassionate, sincere and relentless expertise Donna and her attorneys and staff provide. Donna is the quintessential professional.. Trusts are a passion. Research Scholar come to mind , When good just is not good enough. It's Donna one needs to talk to. Donna takes the time to carefully explain her rates. Recommend if that One is serious, do not waste your legacy on a "ten cent cup of coffee". DRC

My husband and I have been clients since 2007. We recently had a meeting with Attorney Donna Wilson. As usual, she was very professional and knowledgeable as well as friendly, patient, caring and kind. She provides an impressive maintenance program, educational and helpful events for her clients. We would like to thank Donna for providing us with 15 years of outstanding service. We are happy to very highly recommend Wilson Law. PLC.