Bell Law Firm, P. A.

I’m giving Bell Law Firm two stars because, to their credit, they did ultimately accomplish the handling of the probate process. The estate was closed and the required steps were completed. However, the manner in which everything was handled felt unprofessional and unnecessarily stressful. One of my biggest concerns was the lack of care in protecting my personal identifiable information. Sensitive documents were sent through unsecured email. When I raised concerns and expressed that I was unhappy with how things were being handled, it was clearly frowned upon rather than addressed constructively. Although I identified one beneficiary as a minor, the firm required signatures from a ten-year-old instead of the parents. Throughout the process, I would periodically receive random documents with no explanation as to whether they were for my records or required action. The beneficiaries also received documents without any context or explanation, leaving me to field all of their questions and frustrations. At one point, I was asked to mail a signed tax return check. When I stated I was uncomfortable doing so, I was told I could drop it off at a location an hour away. I scheduled a day to make the drive, only to arrive at a closed office. After unsuccessfully attempting to reach someone, I eventually confirmed another time and had to make the trip again. When it came time for distributions, I was told the beneficiaries’ checks would be sent via FedEx along with the paperwork. Instead, the documents were sent without the checks and without instructions. On top of that, only one person received the correct documents; the others received paperwork intended for different beneficiaries. After I brought this to their attention and suggested including a letter of explanation, the corrected documents were resent via regular mail. Additionally, the will drafted by Bell Law Firm included a stipulation that any beneficiary under 25 would have funds held in trust. Despite that, funds were released directly to an 11-year-old and a 20-year-old. Lastly, I received an email stating that I was aware of an issue concerning one of the beneficiaries—an issue I had never been informed about. Had I been properly notified, it could have been resolved immediately. While the probate process was technically completed, the lack of professionalism, communication, and attention to detail made an already difficult time far more frustrating than it needed to be.

We had an excellent experience with Bell Law Firm for our estate planning. They made a complicated process feel simple and manageable, taking the time to explain every detail clearly and patiently. Highly recommend them to anyone looking for a trustworthy and knowledgeable Law Firm.