Nothing needs to be done right away; we normally advise clients to wait until after the funeral and burial or cremation. Initial steps include:

• Securing assets so they are not stolen or damaged
• Ensuring insurance coverage remains in place on major assets such as homes and vehicles
• Locating any estate plan documents, preferably the original ink version
• Gathering contact information about family members and beneficiaries

Before representation begins, we complete an internal conflict check to ensure ethical compliance. We search our client records to determine whether the firm has a current or past client with an interest in the estate that may pose a conflict of interest.