Three defined tiers, from $1,800 to $7,500. Will, revocable trust, and advanced wealth transfer. Scope and price agreed in writing before engagement. Direct counsel from the managing attorney.
Michel Law builds estate plans for individuals and families whose situations are not boilerplate: real property across New York and elsewhere, retirement accounts and IRAs, closely held business interests, blended families, out-of-country assets, and inheritances from relatives in France, Haiti, and the Caribbean.
Three flat-fee tiers cover most engagements. Scope and price are quoted in writing before the retainer is signed. Where the work genuinely exceeds a flat-fee scope (multi-entity planning, business succession, estate tax controversy, charitable trust structures), the firm engages at the $425 hourly rate against a disclosed retainer deposit.
For individuals and couples with straightforward asset structures who want their core testamentary and incapacity documents in place.
Request Tier IFor individuals and families with real property, retirement accounts, or beneficiary structures that benefit from probate avoidance and consolidated administration.
Request Tier IIFor families positioning for multigenerational wealth transfer, asset protection, or federal estate tax exposure that calls for an irrevocable structure.
Request Tier IIIAll fees are quoted and agreed in writing before engagement. Fees exclude court filing fees, recording fees, and third-party appraisal costs where applicable.
Several categories of estate work sit outside the flat-fee scope because they require ongoing coordination, filings, or valuation that a fixed quote cannot predict:
Buy-sell agreements, LLC operating agreement amendments, S-corp governance, and family-business transfer structures.
Federal estate tax (Form 706) representation, New York estate tax audits, and contested valuation disputes.
Charitable remainder trusts (CRT/CRUT), charitable lead trusts (CLT), private foundations, and donor-advised fund coordination.
Coordinated planning across multiple LLCs, trusts, and family offices; dynasty-trust structures spanning jurisdictions.
Every estate plan is drafted and signed by Fabrice K. Michel, Esq., directly. No case associate layered between the client and the work.
A 45-minute confidential consultation to review your family, assets, prior documents, and goals. The firm proposes a tier (or an hourly engagement) in writing within 24 hours. The consultation fee is credited toward your retainer on engagement.
A written engagement letter sets scope, fee, and deliverables. The flat fee is paid in two installments: half at engagement, half at document execution. Hourly matters are set against a retainer deposit held in the firm’s IOLA trust account.
Drafts are delivered within two to four weeks of engagement, with revision rounds included. Documents are executed at the Great Neck office or at a mutually convenient location. Original documents are delivered to you; a complete signed set is retained by the firm.
At the consultation, the firm reviews your assets, family structure, prior documents, and goals, then proposes a specific tier in writing within 24 hours. Most clients with a home, retirement accounts, and a straightforward beneficiary picture fall at Tier II. Tier I fits individuals and couples with simpler asset structures; Tier III fits families positioning for multigenerational transfer or federal estate tax exposure.
Yes, the consultation is paid, and the fee is credited toward your retainer on engagement. A paid consultation reflects the firm’s boutique positioning and ensures the time is spent on prospective clients who are ready to engage substantively. The consultation fee is disclosed before you book.
The firm identifies that at the consultation, before you engage. Multi-entity planning, business succession, estate tax controversy, charitable trust structures, and other matters that fall outside the three tiers are engaged at $425 per hour against a disclosed retainer deposit, with the scope set in the engagement letter. You never see a surprise invoice.
Yes. The firm regularly handles planning that touches on real property, bank accounts, and inheritance interests in France, Haiti, Canada, and the Caribbean. For non-U.S. assets, the firm coordinates with local counsel in the foreign jurisdiction where needed. Fluent French-language document review is available.
Yes. Minor amendments (changing an executor, updating a beneficiary) are handled on a per-document flat-fee basis. Material restructuring (adding or converting a trust, adding real property to an existing trust) is typically engaged at the applicable tier price or hourly, depending on scope.
Drafts are typically delivered within two to four weeks of engagement. Signing is scheduled at the client’s convenience once documents are approved. Rush engagements (urgent medical diagnosis, imminent travel, impending transaction) are accommodated where possible.
Yes. The managing attorney is fluent in English and French and conducts consultations and client meetings in either language. French-language document review is available for prenuptial agreements, foreign wills, and inheritance instruments from Francophone jurisdictions.
The firm serves clients across Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, Kings, Bronx, and Westchester counties from the Great Neck office. Consultations are available by phone, by Microsoft Teams, or in person at 277 Northern Boulevard, Suite 100.
All inquiries are held in strict confidence. The firm responds to intake within one business day.
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