McFarland Law Office Mailing address:   PO Box 1059 Mercer Island, WA 98040 Office location: 11335 NE 122nd Way, Suite 105 Kirkland, WA 98034 Phone: (206)275-3473 ESTATE PLANNING, PROBATE, TRUSTS Many people do not engage in adequate estate planning because they are not very mobile, or it is just too much trouble and too intimidating to go to a large law firm in downtown Seattle.  Failing to make certain types of plans can create a heartbreaking situation for your loved ones and family, as the recent Terry Schiavo case in Florida demonstrated.  Don't let something like this happen to you.  Give us a call and we will be happy to talk to you.  If you have difficulty getting around, we will be happy to come to you. FAMILY LAW Times are tough and you think you can't afford to pay an attorney.  Even so, you both realize it's time to get a divorce and get on with your lives.  You have both agreed on everything and maybe even tried to do it yourselves, but found the court rules so intimidating that you don't know what to do now.   If you have agreed on the terms, give us a call and we will be happy to discuss a low flat fee for an uncontested dissolution, or to help you finish what you have started, so you won't get any more nastygrams from the courts.  We will not hit you with any lectures or "you should haves."  No matter how "agreed upon," this is a tough time for you and we understand that you don't need any more grief added to your plate at this time in your life. What do attorneys mean by "estate planning?"  Have you ever thought of who you would want to take care of your affairs if you were unexpectedly incapacitated?  What if you died unexpectedly?  Would your family know what you would want done with your estate?  With your things?  What if you became incapacitated?  Would your family know what you would want?  Would they abide by your wishes?  These are some of the questions that can be answered by estate planning.    Most of us tend to believe that "That happens to other people.  That won't happen to me."  But every once in a while, something happens to us to remind us that, yes, it could happen to me, too.  The people who would suffer if something unexpected happened to you are your friends and family, not you.  So don't stick your head in the sand.  Plan ahead. My office is small and I hope to keep it that way.  I often am not in the office because I am out making home visits.  We are small but friendly, so don't be afraid to give us a call.  I have deliberately not put an e-mail address in my website.  I do not communicate much by e-mail because I have seen e-mail get too many people in trouble.  It is too easy to quickly type something into an e-mail message and hit send before we have given much thought to it.  So I believe it is better for people to consider carefully what they are doing and what they want to say.  That means telephones, letters, or actual physical visits. I care about people and I care about what happens to YOU.  Privacy Policy Notice Federal law requires attorneys to inform clients of their policies regarding privacy of client information.  In the course of providing our clients with legal services, we frequently receive non-public personal information.  As a client at this law office, you should know that the information received from you is held in confidence and is not released to people outside the firm, except as agreed or requested by you, or as required under applicable law. The Rules of Professional Conduct for attorneys have provisions regarding client privacy that are even more stringent than those now required by federal law.  We have always protected the privacy of your information in accordance with the Rules of Professional Conduct and will continue to do so.  We retain records relating to the professional services that we provide so that we are better able to assist you with your professional needs and/or to comply with professional guidelines.  We maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with our professional standards. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.