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What fees may a New York lawyer charge for estate work?
Richard A. Whitney

Q.  Is there any either reduced rate or free legal services for a wife in ny state whose husband died without a will. She has no idea how to proceed and very little money to hire an attorney?

-- Lois

A.  There are no published legal fee schedules for estate work in New York. Instead, the fees are negotiated between the lawyer and the client. The fee negotiations may result in an agreement that the client will pay less than the lawyer's regular rates. It may also be possible to find a lawyer who will do the work pro bono, i.e., at no charge. Another possibility is to have the fees based on a percentage of the value of the estate, payable at the time the estate has funds to do so.

-- Richard A. Whitney

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