Years ago, in a meeting, a client said to me, “Good grief, Patricia. You must have a PhD in Paranoia.” Another client told me I was a “Little dark storm cloud.”
Well, this is what happens when you don’t let clients get away with DIY solutions, sweeping problems under the rug, or sticking their heads in the sand.
People often think of an estate plan as a stack of documents that assigns people roles and distributes assets while possibly addressing tax issues. That is not how we practice estate planning at De Fonte Law PC. Our entire team meets every Friday to review each client file. We discuss the client experience and our internal processes, always considering the worst-case scenario and how to avoid it. Kaizen is a verb at De Fonte Law PC (Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning “continuous improvement”). If we see an opportunity to improve, we take it. Every team member participates, and sometimes, my team surprises me with presentations on what they’ve done to improve our client experience or work environment.
We don’t stop at documents: we ask every client to do a full insurance audit, meet with their financial advisor, check in with their CPA, and more. If they do not have a trusted team of advisors, we help them build a team they can trust.
Estate planning with us is not easy, but it is enjoyable, thorough, and empowering.
A Client-Centered Approach: “Estate Planning with Heart®”
Estate Planning with Heart® is not just a tagline; it reflects the firm’s philosophy that estate planning should be more than cookie-cutter documents. An estate plan should represent the client’s personal values. We take a highly individualized approach, tailoring documents and plans to fit each client’s specific circumstances and wishes.
We spend hours with our clients to create a plan that aligns with each family’s emotional and relational dynamics. This means understanding family structures, desires for future generations, and the kinds of legacies that matter most to the client. It’s not just about legal documents; it’s about creating a plan that feels right and meets both the legal and emotional needs of the family.
Flat-Rate Pricing for Transparency
A common source of anxiety for many clients is the uncertainty surrounding legal fees. Traditionally, estate planning attorneys billed hourly, which led to unpredictable costs and clients’ reluctance to fully engage in the process. De Fonte Law solves this problem by offering flat-rate pricing. This innovative fee structure ensures that clients know exactly what their estate planning services will cost from the start.
Flat-rate pricing is part of our dedication to transparency and trust. Our pricing model makes estate planning more accessible and allows clients to fully focus on creating the best plan without worrying about hidden fees or surprise invoices.
Educational and Empowering Approach
We are committed to education. Estate planning can be intimidating and confusing, especially for those unfamiliar with legal jargon or processes. We hold monthly workshops, avoid using jargon, and fill our social media feeds with useful content.
Our emphasis on empowerment reflects our long-term vision of client success. De Fonte Law PC doesn’t simply want to guide you through the estate planning process—we want to ensure that our clients feel secure and capable for years to come.
Focus on Family Harmony and Empowering Heirs
Our primary goal is to minimize the potential for family conflict. Estate planning, when not handled properly, can lead to confusion, disputes, and fractured relationships among heirs and family members. We are committed to drafting plans that empower heirs. For example, we provide detailed instructions and resources to help future trustees or personal representatives understand their responsibilities, legal obligations, and the estate’s expectations.
Our trusts include provisions encouraging beneficiaries to live happy, expansive lives, engage with their communities, travel, and enjoy our beautiful world. We can draft plans that cover the cost of beneficiaries’ own advisors (lawyers, CPAs, and financial advisors) to ensure that inherited money is neither harmful nor wasted.
Emphasis on Client Relationships and Accessibility
What distinguishes De Fonte Law is our emphasis on building lasting relationships with clients. Estate planning is not a one-and-done transaction; it requires ongoing attention and updates as family dynamics, financial circumstances, and laws evolve. De Fonte Law strives to build relationships with clients that extend beyond document signing, offering ongoing support to ensure that their plans continue to serve them well in the future.
Another key feature is our accessibility. Whether through easy-to-understand educational materials, regular follow-ups, or the flat-rate pricing model that encourages open communication, De Fonte Law ensures clients feel supported throughout the estate planning process. This dedication to client service is a hallmark of our firm and a key reason clients return for their estate planning needs and recommend us to others.
Commitment to Protecting Future Generations
De Fonte Law’s commitment to future generations sets us apart from firms that focus solely on current clients. Our planning process includes considerations for the long-term success and protection of beneficiaries. Through thoughtful planning, De Fonte Law works to shield beneficiaries from potential legal or financial risks while empowering them to succeed with the wealth and assets they inherit.
By providing future trustees and personal representatives with clear instructions and resources, De Fonte Law ensures that heirs are equipped to carry out their duties responsibly. This kind of forward-thinking planning helps prevent future disputes, mismanagement, or complications that arise when heirs are unprepared for their roles.
Vendors and Technology
We are a small team, and our focus is 100% on the client experience and our internal process. Relying on terrific vendors for drafting, notarization, and deed submission means we are not overloaded with repetitive, boring tasks. Our job is to counsel our clients to create plans that support them and the people they love most, help them build a professional team or maximize the team they have, and be available to them over the years as life changes.
Investing in the best technology means we can delegate this work to the vendors – our drafting software is best in class, we have created specific bespoke scenarios for just about every class of client, and we tweak those with our own personal touch before we send drafts to the client and again when we review the documents with the client. Having HIPAA-compliant sharing technology means we can safely share documents with our concierge notary vendor.
Our Network
We tell our clients – our network is your network. We cannot be our client’s only advisor. Every client needs a terrific professional team that might include insurance brokers, financial advisors, CPAs, mortgage brokers, realtors, business lawyers, family law attorneys, and so much more. We pride ourselves on our commitment to interdisciplinary study. This makes us great issue spotters – and the moment we spot an issue, we will provide a referral to the right professional.
We love what we do. Estate planning is intellectually stimulating and emotionally satisfying. A high level of paranoia keeps us on our toes!
De Fonte Law PC
Estate Planning Attorney | San Francisco Bay Area
(415) 735-6954 | defontelaw.com | LinkedIn: Patricia De Fonte
