Florida Attorney Richard Ehrlich has been selected to join "Lawyers of Distinction"

Florida Attorney Richard Ehrlich has been selected to join "Lawyers of Distinction"

“Lawyers of Distinction” requires a four-part procedure where a lawyer must first be nominated, followed by an evaluation, ethics review, and final selection.

Coral Springs, FL (July 2018) Ehrlich Law Center announced today that attorney Richard Ehrlich has been selected to join the “Lawyers of Distinction” organization. “Lawyers of Distinction” is an online legal directory that limits membership to only ten (10) percent of the lawyers in the country.  Before being approved, they must first pass through an extensive review by a committee. The Selection Process involves a four-part procedure where a lawyer must first be nominated (for example by peers), followed by an evaluation (professional achievement and peer recognition), ethics review, and final selection.

Richard stated, “As you can imagine I am very honored and humbled to be considered, let alone being asked to join a distinguished group of talented lawyers.”  He went on to add “I hope my clients find me to be accessible, prompt, courteous and someone that pays attention to detail. These are all the qualities you would expect and want from an experienced attorney.”

Mr. Ehrlich specializes in Corporate, Estate and Personal Financial Planning. Throughout his career, Richard has prepared hundreds of estate plans and helped hundreds of small businesses navigate the various issues involving insurance, retirement and employee retention. He has helped numerous families deal with the difficulties of taking care of elderly relatives and assisted with all of their long-term planning and long-term care needs. Finally, he has helped investors with their losses in unsuitable investments. Mr. Ehrlich’s practice areas include Wills, Trusts and Probate, and Securities Arbitration.

About Mr. Richard Ehrlich, Attorney at Law

Richard Ehrlich received his Juris Doctor from the Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. Before attending law school, he attended the University of Chicago and received his B.A. in Political Science. Richard also completed the proper training to be a Certified Financial Planner at New York University. He is a member of the following Bar Associations: Florida, New York, and New Jersey.

His profile at “Lawyers of Distinction” is https://www.thelawyersofdistinction.com/profile/richard-ehrlich-9555/

His LinkedIn profile is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-ehrlich-777b513/

His blog is at http://richardehrlichblog.blogspot.com/

**** Mr. Richard Ehrlich is an Attorney in Florida, specializing in Corporate, Estate and Personal Financial Planning in Florida. In the course of his career, he has prepared hundreds of estate plans and helped hundreds of small businesses navigate the various issues involving insurance, retirement and employee retention. He has helped numerous families deal with the difficulties of taking care of elderly relatives and assisted with all of their long-term planning and long-term care needs. Finally, he has helped investors with their losses in unsuitable investments. LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-ehrlich-777b513/; Attorney Profile: http://www.eldercounsel.com/profile/richard-ehrlich-ehrlich-law-center-pa/; Attorney Profile: https://solomonlawguild.com/richard-ehrlich%2C-esq; Attorney News: https://attorneygazette.com/richard-ehrlich%2C-esq#c35a1098-f039-43ab-b0dc-06cff6dabf61

Richard Ehrlich, Attorney in Florida, recent Appeals decision in Mulvey v. Stephens, stark reminder to carefully plan one’s estate with a qualified attorney

Respected Estate Planning Specialist comments on recent Appeals decision in Mulvey v. Stephens, stark reminder to carefully plan one’s estate with a qualified attorney

Recent opinion of the 4th District Court of Appeal in a will contest shows how protracted estate disputes can become and the resulting intra-family strife. Careful estate planning can prevent many such issues.

Florida – Richard Ehrlich, a highly respected Estate Planning attorney in Florida, commented on the recent decision of the District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District, in a dispute over a gentleman’s estate.

Comments Mr. Ehrlich, “this case is a stark reminder to carefully plan one’s estate to prevent, as much as humanly and legally possible, subsequent disputes.”

In that case, Jack Mulvey ("Decedent") died in 2011 with two surviving children and a spouse (his second wife). He had executed a will in 2005, and a superseding will in 2010 that gave most of the assets to his second wife, Thelma Mulvey (“Widow”). The Decedent's daughter, Sheila Stephens ("Daughter"), sued the Widow. The Daughter claimed the Widow exerted undue influence on the frail Decedent and interfered with her expected inheritance. When the Decedent died, the Daughter petitioned the probate court for administration of the 2005 will, while seeking invalidation of the 2010 will. She argued the 2010 will was the product of the Widow's undue influence on the Decedent, and she alleged that the Decedent lacked testamentary capacity when he executed the 2010 will. The Daughter did not give up and filed a complaint in the circuit court for tortious interference with expectancy. After a trial, the probate court found the 2010 will was valid and not the product of undue influence. The Daughter then filed a complaint in the circuit court for tortious interference with expectancy. The jury found in favor of the Daughter and awarded her $60,000 in damages. The Widow appealed, and the Appeals court reversed.

The end result of the case, seven years after the Decedent’s death and after four legal proceedings, is the same as intended by the 2010 will.

Says Mr. Ehrlich, “as this prolonged dispute shows, estate matters can be complicated even when there is a written will. But avoidance of protracted legal proceedings and intra-family strife requires careful planning. In fact, estate planning involves several important considerations, including tax consequences and whether certain assets should be transferred before death.”

Among the important considerations are “protecting beneficiaries” by giving the assets in the form of a trust that cannot be easily depleted, or giving consideration to special beneficiaries. As in this case, “blended families” (one or both spouses have families from prior marriages) pose special challenges.

Estate Planning requires competent legal advice based on the specific circumstances. Such matters should be reviewed with a competent attorney.

The underlying legal case is Mulvey v. Stephens, No. 4D17-1292 (June 27, 2018) (D. Court of Appeal of Florida, 4^th District), available at https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=5189932863824975788&hl=en&as_sdt=20000006

**** Mr. Richard Ehrlich is an Attorney in Florida, specializing in Corporate, Estate and Personal Financial Planning in Florida. In the course of his career, he has prepared hundreds of estate plans and helped hundreds of small businesses navigate the various issues involving insurance, retirement and employee retention. He has helped numerous families deal with the difficulties of taking care of elderly relatives and assisted with all of their long-term planning and long-term care needs. Finally, he has helped investors with their losses in unsuitable investments. LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-ehrlich-777b513/; Attorney Profile: http://www.eldercounsel.com/profile/richard-ehrlich-ehrlich-law-center-pa/; Attorney Profile: https://solomonlawguild.com/richard-ehrlich%2C-esq; Attorney News: https://attorneygazette.com/richard-ehrlich%2C-esq#c35a1098-f039-43ab-b0dc-06cff6dabf61