Kotin Crabtree & Strong-Weinstein Amy H

Kotin, Crabtree & Strong, LLP, a law firm situated at 1 Bowdoin St STE 800, Boston, MA 02114, USA, is a practice that falls within the "Lawyers Near Me" category, aiming to provide legal services to individuals and businesses in the Boston area. Amy H. Weinstein is a partner at this firm. The office location at One Bowdoin Street, Suite 800, suggests a well-established and professional environment typical of a downtown Boston law firm, likely offering modern facilities and a formal setting for client meetings and legal work. The firm, founded in 1981, prides itself on providing experienced, effective advocacy with a focus on personal attention, a breadth of vision, and creativity in problem-solving.

Kotin, Crabtree & Strong, LLP is described as a general practice law firm with a diverse range of practice areas. For Amy H. Weinstein specifically, her expertise primarily lies in the critical and sensitive areas of estate planning, and estate & trust administration, and tax law. Her services in these areas typically include:

• Estate Planning and Tax Planning: Ms. Weinstein works with individuals and families to develop comprehensive plans that align with their unique personal and financial circumstances and goals. This involves analyzing the impact of tax laws on their situation and preparing essential documents such as wills, various types of trusts (including qualified personal residence trusts, family limited partnerships, and limited liability companies for real estate transfers), powers of attorney, and health care proxies. She also advises clients on charitable giving strategies.
• Special Needs Planning: A significant focus of Ms. Weinstein's practice is assisting parents and guardians in planning for the long-term care of family members with incapacities. This involves preparing specialized trusts and other arrangements that cater to the needs of the incapacitated individual while considering legal, tax, and public funding implications. She also assists with the selection and appointment of trustees and guardians.
• Estate and Trust Administration: Ms. Weinstein represents personal representatives (executors) in all aspects of administering estates. This includes gathering necessary information, preparing and filing court documents (such as probate petitions), dealing with financial institutions, managing various estate assets, preparing estate tax returns, and distributing assets to individuals and trusts. She also serves as a Trustee for revocable and irrevocable trusts and advises other Trustees on the proper management of trust assets and oversight of distributions, ensuring present and future needs of beneficiaries are met.
• Dispute Resolution in Wills and Trusts: She assists in resolving disputes and ambiguities in wills and trusts, and in determining the rights of beneficiaries, whether through compromise or litigation.
• Tax Law: Beyond estate and trust-related tax matters, her expertise extends to broader tax law issues, ensuring clients' financial affairs are managed in a tax-efficient manner.

The firm emphasizes a client-centric approach, striving to understand each client's circumstances thoroughly and to respond to their needs promptly and effectively. They claim to offer personal attention and creative solutions, aiming for "better solutions" that might lie "outside the norm." The firm also highlights that many of its attorneys are skilled practitioners with experience in both public and private sectors, are published authors, and have served as faculty members in law schools and continuing legal education programs. Kotin, Crabtree & Strong, LLP is also noted to be ranked among the top 1% in the country based on fellow lawyers' opinions of their work and ethical standards.

However, an objective introduction must also integrate the direct customer reviews provided, which present a concerning perspective on the services received, particularly related to responsiveness and efficiency in estate settlement. The reviews indicate significant dissatisfaction, with clients expressing a desire to give "zero stars." The critical feedback includes:

• Lack of Responsiveness: Clients report "totally non responsive for years in settling a family estate." One client states that their financial representatives reached out to the attorney "3 times and she has not responded," leading to concerns about the account being considered "abandoned property."
• Delays in Basic Procedures: A significant complaint is that it "took months to create an EIN which should have been done immediately," highlighting a fundamental procedural delay.
• Poor Communication: For another client dealing with an uncle's estate, there was "barely any communication on their end" for four months, with "yet to see a docket number or anything filed." A single email stating she was "busy" and would be "filing soon" was received weeks before the review, indicating a persistent lack of updates and action.
• Overall Dissatisfaction: The reviews collectively express a strong lack of recommendation due to perceived inaction and poor client service.

These reviews directly contradict the firm's stated mission of providing "personal attention" and responding to client needs "promptly and effectively." They suggest a significant gap between the firm's described features and the actual experience for these clients, particularly in the realm of estate and trust administration, which is a primary practice area for Amy H. Weinstein. The specific examples of unreturned calls from financial representatives and delays in filing essential documents point to potential operational or communication challenges.

For local users considering Kotin, Crabtree & Strong, LLP, and specifically Amy H. Weinstein for estate planning or administration needs, it is crucial to carefully consider these client experiences. While the firm presents itself as highly reputable with broad expertise and professional recognition, the provided feedback raises serious questions about client communication and timely execution of legal duties in specific, sensitive contexts like estate settlement.

To inquire about services or schedule a consultation, prospective clients can contact Kotin, Crabtree & Strong, LLP via phone at (617) 227-7031 or mobile phone at +1 617-227-7031. The office is located at 1 Bowdoin St STE 800, Boston, MA 02114, USA. Given the contrasting information, individuals are strongly advised to engage in thorough due diligence, including asking specific questions about communication protocols, expected timelines for tasks, and how case progress will be reported. Seeking clarity on these points during an initial consultation would be essential to ensure a satisfactory client experience, especially for time-sensitive matters like estate administration.