Domestic Law Unit

I learned of Ms. Hansen via an internet search for an attorney in our area. My sister, nearing death, wanted to create a Trust and ancillary estate planning documents. I contacted Ms. Hansen and made an appointment for her to come to our home where, after consulting with us, my sister and I together agreed to retain her. When she returned with the documents, it was clear that they were boiler plate/fill in the blanks legal forms, as another clients name appeared where my sister's name should have been printed. This necessitated crossing out and initialing the name changes. After my sister died and I presented the documents to banks, brokerages and elsewhere, eyebrows were raised over the sloppy and unprofessional work. Later, the Ulster County Surrogates Court refused to accept the Last Will and Testament for filing because it wasn't stapled, apparently a requirement of the court and something which any experienced estate planning attorney should be aware of. What prompts me to write this negative review, however, is Ms. Hansen's conduct when, very soon after receipt of approximately $9,000 for the estate planning (which, considering the use of standardized fill in the blank forms, I estimate that it comes to somewhere between $750 - $1,000 the hour) I phoned her to ask if she might consult with me for my profoundly developmentally disabled son who was to appear before the Surrogates Court to make a claim against his deceased father's estate. Several minutes into the conversation, she interrupted me and stated that she would require a fee for her consultation before entering into any further discussion with me. I instead contacted another attorney who, without demand for compensation, informed me that he need not have an attorney at all, that instead, because of his disability he would be appointed a guardian/attorney ad litem by the court. That Ms. Hansen would require a fee under these circumstances, if perhaps not unethical is very much mean spirited. Having met Ms. Hansen at a very tragic time as I attended to my dying sister, I believe she clearly took advantage of our vulnerability. Buyer Beware, Caveat Emptor!

Stay as far away as possible. Lacks attention to details and has bad business practices. I signed an agreement for $950 for real estate closing services. She added $350 overages and itemized them as "word processing, printing, and copying services". I asked for details of what was done and she never responded back to me. You've been warned!!!