Jeff Jones Law
Jeffrey W. Jones, Esq.

My practice is limited to matters involving trusts, estate planning, elder law, probate and related matters. I spend a lot of my professional time helping clients plan for the protection and transfer family real estate, businesses and other important assets to their descendants. This is the essence of estate planning, as I practice it.

I always begin by getting to know my client, the client's family and other important relationships, then review the client's (often, the family's) wealth - from both a "net worth" and an "estate" perspective. (They are different.) Based on this analysis, I help my clients develop and implement a plan. The plan may be a simple estate plan with a trust or will, or it may be more complex: perhaps a trust to protect beneficiaries from creditors and predators, or a business plan in which family and business dynamics are fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle.

To implement my clients? plans I create trusts and wills, Limited Liability Companies (LLCs), Family Limited Partnerships, corporations, and various kinds of contracts and agreements for my clients. I try to review each client's life, liability and long term care insurance and often suggest additional insurance or changes in coverage. I prepare Durable Powers of Attorney for all of my clients, and when required, supervise the probate of estates and preparation of Federal Estate Tax Returns. With IRAs, 401k plans and other pension plans representing an ever-increasing share of my clients' net worth, I'm also spending a good deal of time integrating retirement plans into estate plans.

I do not accept any new legal matters outside of these areas (it's hard enough to remain competent in just a few areas). However, I maintain referral relationships with lawyers in Maine and other states that handle all kinds of legal matters to assure complete representation of my clients.

A number of my clients are referred by other lawyers. In such cases, I work only on the specialized matters that fall within my area of expertise; your general counsel will handle everything else. This is appropriate, because your general counsel is the "quarterback" of your professional team, which may include me as the trust and estate lawyer, your accountant, your investment advisor, your insurance professional, and maybe others. Feel free to suggest that your lawyer contact me, if you think I could be a useful member of your "team".
The information presented on these web pages is not a substitute for personal legal advice, tailored to your particular situation. You cannot become my client by reading this web site, or by sending me an e-mail message, even if I reply. An attorney-client relationship is not formed until (1) you receive an engagement letter from me, explaining the scope of the legal work I will do for you and the fee I will charge; (2) you agree to the terms of representation; and (3) pay the deposit requested toward the fee.