The decision to start a business or complete an estate plan can be a daunting one. With so many factors to take into consideration, having a law firm focused on your unique business or personal situation is a valuable asset. Jeffrey Meyerson at The Meyerson Law Firm embraces the chance to solve complex business formation and estate planning issues for his clients.
Meyerson’s journey to corporate and estate planning law took a slight detour via the golf course. “When I was in undergrad, I was a physiological sciences major and the thought was to go into physical therapy or go to medical school,” stated Jeff Meyerson of his pre-law days. Considering medicine seriously, he pursued the chance to shadow a family friend who was an anesthesiologist. Although intrigued by the practice of medicine, after graduation he took time to pursue a career as a professional golfer. “It had always been a dream of mine to try, so I went and tried. I played golf in college and was playing very well when I graduated. I really had no intention of going to law school at that time,” he explained. As fate would have it, he met his wife during his brief two year golf career and he has no regrets about pursuing a pro golf career. Once he decided that the pro golf life was not the lifestyle that he wanted for himself or his family, he decided being an attorney sounded like a solid career choice and he buckled down and earned his JD at the University of Arizona.
“I had some of the best mentors and partners early in my career,” said Meyerson. He notes he received excellent training and experience at big regional firms Gallagher & Kennedy, P.A., Fennemore Craig, P.C., and international law firm DLA Piper LLP (US). He loved the work and challenges that he encountered. Ultimately, he felt that he had received the training he needed and wanted to face the challenge of striking out on his own. He and his wife had also just welcomed a surprise fourth child to their family, which made the move away from the long hours of working at a big firm easier. Now, Meyerson is practicing corporate law and estate planning with an emphasis on properly structuring businesses, creating personalized estate plans, and maximizing the long term success of his business and individual clients.
Often, business owners team up and go into business together without thoroughly thinking through the finer points of business ownership. “I try to educate and explain to them the importance of an operating agreement for an LLC or a shareholder agreement for a corporation. They are essentially getting married to their business partner, and like marriage the business relationship can end badly. It can be a very paralyzing and expensive situation if something goes wrong and they need to figure out what to do and they don’t have the proper documents in place,” stated Meyerson. Once the business paperwork is complete, he’ll follow up with supporting work (agreements, leases, contracts, etc.) where he can assist his clients. The Meyerson Law Firm helps to establish all different kinds of businesses including everything ranging from education-related companies and restaurants to software and telemarketing businesses.
Meyerson typically can define the scope of work he will need to execute for his corporate clients and he offers a “no surprises” flat fee when he can. “Clients like it because all phone calls, meetings, revisions….everything is included in the price that I give them. They don’t have to worry about picking up the phone and calling me. It’s great from my standpoint because it facilitates communication. I don’t have to be worried that they’re going to do something without talking to me because they’re worried what their bill is going to be,” Meyerson explained. “It allows the client to budget, which I think in these economic times is important to a lot of people. I also think there are a lot of people who really appreciate the ability to say ‘Ok, that legal project is going to be $3000 and that’s all it’s going to be.’ It really is a win-win for me and my clients.”
With his estate planning practice, Meyerson is most frequently seeing couples with young families that are strategizing for their future and their children’s well being, but has done work for individuals that are 70 years old and older. “Estate planning is about protecting and providing for your loved ones after you are gone. It is one of the most unselfish things a person can do for their family, Meyerson says. Meyerson’s estate plans are as unique as his clients and his recommendations are based on each client’s personal, family and financial information and goals. His estate plans include a will, various trusts where appropriate, HIPAA Authorizations, and financial and healthcare powers of attorney. “The ancillary documents that most people don’t think of as part of an estate plan are integral pieces. For example, the powers of attorney can be very important. [T]here are situations where there is an accident or illness and a spouse is incapacitated. Having those documents and avoiding the court system during an already stressful time is worth the cost of the whole estate plan.” As a convenience, estate plans at The Meyerson Law Firm are billed on a flat fee basis as well.
For clients that come to Jeff Meyerson and have no previous will or paperwork, he will go through their current state of affairs to help assess what the individual or family might need. The tax benefits that come with a proper estate plan can be an enormous help to his clients, but the most important aspect of most of his plans in his opinion is the appointment of guardianship for minor children in the event of worst-case scenarios.
Clients of The Meyerson Law Firm enjoy the one-on-one attention they receive and the relationship they have a chance to build. He estimates that about ninety per cent of his business comes from referrals. “I like it that way, but I am exploring marketing opportunities to facilitate more “walk up” clientele. Ultimately, I am passionate about educating people about their business or their estate planning and the more people that I can reach the better,” Meyerson stated.
As a solo practitioner, Jeff Meyerson gets to wear a lot of hats on behalf of his clients. In the near future, he hopes to add a paralegal or administrative personnel to his firm to help bolster his client services. A business associate in the same field or in complimentary legal areas might be on the horizon, too. “It’s worth a lot to me, being on my own, being solo…,” he stated. “My ultimate goal is to help clients protect themselves and secure themselves and their loved ones for the future. Whether that be through properly setting up a business or setting up a will or trust, I want to be on their team and be part of a solution.”
