Frank Lang is awesome. He has been our lawyer for years and did our will and helped us create a trust. He is the ultimate professional who I would heartily recommend.
Review Left On 02/28/2018
Tiffany Otten
Let me start by saying this - I have worked with and for a LOT of lawyers over the years, and I've never once been compelled to write a *review* for one. Normally for the great ones, you're just happy they're on your side but you wouldn't want to wax poetic for hours about them.
This firm, and clearly by its leadership in Frank Lang, is incredible. We are dealing not only with standard elder care, but elder care in the case of Alzheimer's. In fact, Frank was recommended in my ALZ caregiver's support group by several people, and I now see why. I *almost* booked an appointment at another firm who is better-known, in particular by sponsoring Alzheimer's materials and info to present themselves as the leaders and therefore best choice, but then one person had come back to the group and told us her costly nightmare with them that yielded no help when all was done (at well over 8x Frank's cost, I might add).
First, my sister, out-of-state brother (who was in town for this purpose), and I met with Frank to go through ALL of our questions regarding our mom, her husband, and both sets of kids on how to make sure their needs are both taken care of and wishes met. Oh, and this incredibly informative hour spent with us was a free consultation.
Then, initially grudgingly (as many parents are [understandably] at this kind of process), we brought our mom and stepfather back down at 4:45 in the afternoon and they still met with us. Now, you're talking 5 people to keep happy, and being blunt we're a tough crowd. I didn't envy him.
He was clear, respectful, personable, made sure they understood their rights, felt good about the processes, could ask any questions they wanted and no questions were stupid questions. He has mastered how to communicate with folks who are right in this stage and who have heightened emotions around what this kind of planning really means. Compassionate and respectful, always. At any given time, at least one of us usually even-keeled (to downright tough) people were choking back tears of relief and gratitude. Seriously. At a legal consultation. Let that sink in about what that kind of meeting must have meant for us.
After ANOTHER complimentary hour spent with our family, my mom and her husband have fair, clear plans for an insanely reasonable price. Having worked at other larger firms that run the clock the minute you open the door, I respect his outcome-driven billing and know that he will make up for not overcharging those he serves by the sheer referrals he will get from those happy customers. He will get at least one additional from our visit (that he doesn't know about yet), many in our care group are going, and anyone who asks me will get a neon-light backflip referral from me.
There's literally "nothing to lose" by having the consult, and in fact, I learned a tremendous amount from it. "Estate planning" is not just for millionaires who have sprawling estates. Elder care is expensive, and it's sure as hell not going to get any less expensive. If you're really poor or really rich, the system works for you, but for the rest of us, we are out of our minds to try to navigate it without someone like Frank in our corner.
If I didn't have raging bronchitis the day we met, I probably would have hugged him as we left. Twice.
Every person we encountered was that way too. Warm, friendly, caring and real. Did I mention this was a law firm?
Finally, I've always said that if the first thing you can say about someone in a professional capacity is that they're "so nice", then they're not very good at what they do (the impression professionally should be about what they do!). I've gone on and on about the emotional setting here, but don't confuse that for "they're so nice". Frank is deeply knowledgeable, and he and his entire office approach their profession with care and compassion. That's a very important difference and one I wish to make crystal clear.
I'm not sure I can ever fully express our family's gratitude to Frank Lang and his office.
Law Office Reviews
This firm, and clearly by its leadership in Frank Lang, is incredible. We are dealing not only with standard elder care, but elder care in the case of Alzheimer's. In fact, Frank was recommended in my ALZ caregiver's support group by several people, and I now see why. I *almost* booked an appointment at another firm who is better-known, in particular by sponsoring Alzheimer's materials and info to present themselves as the leaders and therefore best choice, but then one person had come back to the group and told us her costly nightmare with them that yielded no help when all was done (at well over 8x Frank's cost, I might add).
First, my sister, out-of-state brother (who was in town for this purpose), and I met with Frank to go through ALL of our questions regarding our mom, her husband, and both sets of kids on how to make sure their needs are both taken care of and wishes met. Oh, and this incredibly informative hour spent with us was a free consultation.
Then, initially grudgingly (as many parents are [understandably] at this kind of process), we brought our mom and stepfather back down at 4:45 in the afternoon and they still met with us. Now, you're talking 5 people to keep happy, and being blunt we're a tough crowd. I didn't envy him.
He was clear, respectful, personable, made sure they understood their rights, felt good about the processes, could ask any questions they wanted and no questions were stupid questions. He has mastered how to communicate with folks who are right in this stage and who have heightened emotions around what this kind of planning really means. Compassionate and respectful, always. At any given time, at least one of us usually even-keeled (to downright tough) people were choking back tears of relief and gratitude. Seriously. At a legal consultation. Let that sink in about what that kind of meeting must have meant for us.
After ANOTHER complimentary hour spent with our family, my mom and her husband have fair, clear plans for an insanely reasonable price. Having worked at other larger firms that run the clock the minute you open the door, I respect his outcome-driven billing and know that he will make up for not overcharging those he serves by the sheer referrals he will get from those happy customers. He will get at least one additional from our visit (that he doesn't know about yet), many in our care group are going, and anyone who asks me will get a neon-light backflip referral from me.
There's literally "nothing to lose" by having the consult, and in fact, I learned a tremendous amount from it. "Estate planning" is not just for millionaires who have sprawling estates. Elder care is expensive, and it's sure as hell not going to get any less expensive. If you're really poor or really rich, the system works for you, but for the rest of us, we are out of our minds to try to navigate it without someone like Frank in our corner.
If I didn't have raging bronchitis the day we met, I probably would have hugged him as we left. Twice.
Every person we encountered was that way too. Warm, friendly, caring and real. Did I mention this was a law firm?
Finally, I've always said that if the first thing you can say about someone in a professional capacity is that they're "so nice", then they're not very good at what they do (the impression professionally should be about what they do!). I've gone on and on about the emotional setting here, but don't confuse that for "they're so nice". Frank is deeply knowledgeable, and he and his entire office approach their profession with care and compassion. That's a very important difference and one I wish to make crystal clear.
I'm not sure I can ever fully express our family's gratitude to Frank Lang and his office.