Mathew W. Schantz | Charlotte Estate Lawyer

• Mecklenburg County Bar Association

I was able to help a couple with their estate documents. They came to me trying to figure out how to make sure that they were protected and that their family would be taken looked after.They did not have their accounts well put together, and they had very outdated wills, not naming grandchildren, along with recently acquired property. I not only helped them with their documents, but was able to explain how to plan around probate, and to make sure that their property went exactly where they wanted it to go.

To have a successful practice you need to take care of your clients. An attorney should make sure that not only are the clients happy but that they understand what is happening and what comes next. I hand hold my clients through the process of setting up for today their futures and beyond their own lives and how that impacts future generations.

Clients should look for someone who will work hard for them. Experience is important but it is not the thing that makes a good attorney. A good lawyer will work with the client, not just for them. I create many scenarios for their future. Wills by nature are for the living and their heirs. You have to gain the clients trust in order to talk about the afterlife and how to cover a future where they are no longer here on Earth. A sense of trust and security are essential for them to share their immortal wishes.

All knowledge is good for the success of cases. Being in tune with the local legal community, especially the areas in which I practice helps keep me informed of any and all changes or updates to laws or rules. This helps me better serve my clients, so they don't get caught in unforeseen situations.

During a free phone consultation I can help explain what happens next. I would lay out all of the possible avenues and the possible costs that the potential client could expect. I would also tell them of the free available legal services that are available, and the risks involved with doing something on their own. Creating a Will on line is much like watching a Do- It-Yourself video on tax preparation. That is not the best route to go. Creating a Will for yourself, heirs and future generations is not a place to "cut corners" on such an important document.

A background on their history, earnings, investments, desires for the future of their life's work of assets and property. I also ask about property, hard assets, sentimental items that have intrinsic value. I review assignment of certain family heirlooms to certain children or relatives. I get an overall picture of what they have and where they want it to go.

I am different than many other attorneys in my community because I believe in working with my client and not just for them. I have been working on Wills and Estates and Estate planning for over two years. In that time I have learned more from helping people and working with my clients than I did in law school.

Knowing that my clients feel secure in their future. That they trust that I will make sure to do everything in my power to give them what they want.

My other interests outside of being a lawyer are local theatre, comedy, music (both playing and hearing), along with competitive gaming.

I am involved with many aspects of my community. I support local theatre and am a board member for a non-profit.