Planning can be fun and exciting if the things you are planning are fun and exciting. Most of us do not enjoy planning for becoming incompetent or dying. Even so, that type of planning is extremely important. If you own property or owe debts, it is a good idea to have a plan to deal with potential incompetency or death. An estate plan may include powers of attorney, a Last Will and Testament and real estate Deeds. A power of attorney provides guidance in the
COVID, My Teacher
Living through a pandemic requires that we learn how to do things differently. I don’t have to tell you that. School is different for our children. Travel is different. The workplace is different. These are activities that cannot simply stop. We had to adapt new ways to get things done. Irvine Law Firm did not start its online legal services in anticipation of a global pandemic. We started offering online services because we thought there were certain legal services which do not require in-person meetings
You have a signed North Carolina Deed – Now what?
You have a signed North Carolina Deed transferring property – now what? How do you put it on the public record? Is your Deed properly executed? Before beginning the recording process, make sure your Deed is properly signed and notarized. The name of the Grantor should be the same in all parts of the Deed, including the signature. The Grantor is the person or entity transferring the property and the Grantee is the one receiving the property. The notary public will fill in the date
Baseball and Parenting
I have been thinking about baseball lately. I have loved the game since I was in grade school. Although my baseball “career” ended in high school, I remember practices and games with great fondness. They were joyful times. I would like every child who plays sports to have similar positive experiences. Unfortunately, we adults can sometimes unwittingly bring tension and stress to the little league park and our children sense and absorb that stress. Many aspects of co-parenting can be challenging. Extra-curricular activities are no
When Compromise = A Win
We have all heard these phrases: Take no prisoners. Nice guys finish last. Win at all costs. These phrases have been applied to sporting events, wartime, political contests and courtroom litigation. The motivational message may be helpful in those settings, but is that approach helpful in making decisions about your future or your children’s futures? The adversarial model is in full display in the courtroom. Each side of the litigation battle is fighting to win. The non-lawyers are called litigants, demonstrating that they are competitors in
A New Path Forward
These are strange days. As we all struggle to cope with family, business and recreation in the days of Covid-19, many of us are discovering ways to connect virtually with co-workers and loved ones. Lawyers too are having to learn new ways of providing legal services to their clients. At Irvine Law Firm, we have been creating and improving our platform for online services for the last five years. In the current environment, online legal services offer a safe, efficient and economical way to
Deeds – What Do I Own?
When we meet with new clients we often ask whether they rent or own their home. It seems like a fairly simple question. You either pay rent to a landlord or you have a Deed to the property. However, for some of our clients that distinction is not so clear. Frequently, our client will say, “I don’t own the home, I am buying it.” Usually, what they mean is that there is a mortgage debt on the property and they are making mortgage payments to
HOW WE TALK
Impeachment. Democratic Debates. Political ads and talking heads on T.V. and online. It can get exhausting. It seems these days that you are on one side or the other and there is no way across the gaping chasm between the two sides. When my wife was young, she watched her lawyer father in court, duking it out with the County Solicitor (old language for District Attorney). She was horrified at how much these two men seemed to hate each other, and it angered her that
Social Media & Divorce
Going through a divorce is difficult. It does not need to be public. Social Media has changed our lives in amazing and frightening ways. We connect with hundreds or thousands of people simply by clicking on our laptop, tablet or phone. “Sharing” has taken on a new meaning. When it comes to your personal life, especially when divorce is in picture, think carefully before sharing. Lawyers representing clients going through separation and divorce routinely check out the other party’s social media activity. There are countless
Read a Book
There is something funny about the thought of you reading this blog about books on your laptop, tablet or phone. If you have visited a law office lately you probably saw a library or conference room, the walls lined with books like those in the picture above. These days, lawyers rarely crack open these dusty old volumes. We do most of our legal research online. So why keep the books? You must admit, there is something impressive about the books. They contain thousands of cases,
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