Online Attorney-Client Agreement

Online Attorney-Client Agreement
Customized Living Trust - Married Couple
1. PARTIES AND FORMATION OF ATTORNEY-CLIENT AGREEMENT: This Attorney-Client agreement has been entered into between the client who acknowledges this agreement ("Client") and authorizes Michael E. Byczek, an Illinois attorney, ("Attorney") to represent him/her/them, and Attorney, who has agreed to provide Client the below described legal services.

This written agreement is provided to Client through the Attorney's online store (www.byczeklaw.com) as part of a virtual legal office. Client was informed prior to sending payment to read and acknowledge this agreement. Confirmation of acknowledgement shall be sent via email to both Attorney and Client after Client enters his/her name through a website form and clicks the submit button.

An attorney-client relationship does not exist until both payment is received and this attorney-client agreement is acknowledged. If Client sends payment without acknowledging this agreement, Attorney shall provide an opportunity for Client to do so both online and in paper-format.

CLIENT IS INFORMED NOT TO SEND PAYMENT UNLESS ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT HE/SHE UNDERSTANDS THE LEGAL SERVICES BEING REQUESTED AND THAT THESE SERVICES ARE ONLY AVAILABLE TO ILLINOIS RESIDENTS.

Attorney shall provide Client with every reasonable opportunity to acknowledge the attorney-client agreement if payment is sent first.

2. SCOPE OF LEGAL REPRESENTATION:

Attorney shall provide Client with one estate plan consisting of one customized Living Trust for a married couple. Unlike a traditional Will that requires separate documents for each spouse, a Living Will for a married couple is a single document.

For purposes of an online web-based attorney-client written agreement, each spouse is required to submit a separate agreement. One spouse may assume responsibility for communication, but each must separately acknowledge they have entered into an attorney-client agreement.

Attorney shall communicate with Client to fully understand their final wishes.

If Client owns real estate that is intended to be included in the Trust, a separate legal agreement and fee is required for the deed to transfer ownership to the Trust. Attorney shall only provide Client with a Trust, not a Will. The two documents are different.

Client represents that they intend to write a Living Trust as part of an estate plan as residents of the State of Illinois. Under this attorney-client agreement, Attorney shall provide Client with documents for one-time personal use. Representation ends when all documents are delivered to Client.

After payment is received, Client shall be given access to a secure file sharing and collaboration platform. It is through this collaborative platform that Attorney shall request the necessary details to complete the Trust. The finalized document shall be uploaded to the collaborative platform for Client to securely download the files. All documents and files that are part of these legal services are transferred between Attorney and Client through a secure collaborative file sharing platform.

The Living Trust shall include a mandatory notary section to prevent online fraud. The document is not legal or effective until the document is notarized. A notary is not required by law, but Michael E. Byczek includes the provision to prevent identity theft. Instead of only notarizing the last page of a multi-page document (if applicable), having each page individually notarized offers the best precaution against somebody switching pages.

3. LIMITATION OF ATTORNEY DUTIES: Attorney shall, through professional courtesy, answer reasonable questions from Client about the documents. Attorney shall not answer any question that extends beyond clarification or constitutes general legal advice about an estate plan. Client acknowledges that they are otherwise solely responsible for completing any blank provisions, having the document witnessed, and notarizing each page. Client also acknowledges that a Living Trust is not a replacement for Will. It is still advised to obtain a Will that compliments the Living Trust, known as a "pour-over Will". Attorney shall not handle any of these acts, unless a separate agreement is signed. Under this agreement, Attorney shall only provide a Living Trust. Attorney shall not provide any additional legal services once Client receives the uncompleted document. Client expressly acknowledges that they should update the Trust regularly, and that Attorney shall not provide any updates without a new agreement and fee.

4. LEGAL FEES: Client shall pay Attorney an upfront flat-fee of $199 prior to delivery of the above described documents. All documents shall be delivered via a secure collaborative file sharing platform.

The $199 fee is the total for this legal service, even though each spouse is required to submit a written attorney-client agreement. Only one payment of $199 is required. It doesn't matter which spouse sends the single payment.

5. CLIENT REPRESENTATIONS: Client represents that they are writing their own personal estate plan and intend to use the documents obtained from Attorney for lawful purposes.

Prospective clients are instructed not to request legal services, sign this agreement, or send any payment if they are not writing the estate plan for themselves.

An attorney cannot be required to engage in conduct which is illegal, unethical, or fraudulent. An attorney who cannot ethically abide by a client's directions shall be allowed to withdraw from representation.

6. TERMINATION OF ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP: Client may terminate this agreement at any time for any reason through written notice. Attorney reserves the right to withdraw from representing Client in certain limited circumstances, such as Client's refusal to provide requested information.

7. COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ATTORNEY AND CLIENT: Client consents for Attorney to contact them through text message, phone call, email, social media, or postal service. All notices that are required by this agreement shall be in writing, which includes email. Digital signatures satisfy any signature requirement. Client shall be truthful in all discussions with Attorney and provide all information or documentation required to enable Attorney to provide competent representation. Client shall provide Attorney with changes to contact details.

8. GENERAL PROVISIONS: This written contract represents the entire agreement between the parties. Client acknowledges having read and understood the entire document. The contract cannot be amended or modified except in writing and acknowledged by all parties. Any dispute shall be reviewed pursuant to the Illinois Supreme Court Rules (Article VIII - Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct of 2010).

CLIENT INFORMATION: Client is advised not to accept any agreement that Client finds to be unsatisfactory or does not understand.

ATTORNEY INFORMATION: Attorney shall provide competent representation, which requires legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness and preparation to handle those matters set forth in the written engagement agreement. Once employed, Attorney shall act with reasonable diligence and promptness, as well as use best efforts on behalf of Client, but cannot guarantee results. During the course of representation and afterwards, Attorney may not use or reveal a client's confidence or secrets, except as required or permitted by law.

Michael E. Byczek, Attorney at Law
(Sole Practitioner licensed in Illinois)
Email: michael@byczek.pro
Phone: 312.434.9409
Web: http://byczeklaw.com

Mailing Address:

Po Box 5983
Chicago, IL 60680-5983

Client Details

Name:

E-mail:

Address:

City (must be within Illinois):

Zip Code:

Phone Number:

Please enter the name of your spouse in the Message box below. Each spouse must submit their own agreement.

Message (Do not send confidential information through this form):

I, the Client, acknowledge that I have read and understand the terms of this written Attorney-Client agreement and further acknowledge that by pressing the submit button I have entered into an attorney-client relationship, pending full payment of fees, with Michael E. Byczek to provide the above described legal services.

Signature (Type your name):

Date:

A popup box will display whether the agreement was sent successfully.