A Cut Above
Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP has created a `centre of excellence' for your wills, estates and trusts needs
We spoke with Ingrid Tsui, a partner at Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP, to talk about her group's unique services, why a personal touch matters and what it means to be a `centre of excellence.'
What makes your team unique from other groups in Vancouver?
Our team has the ability to handle everything under one roof because of our collective knowledge and in-depth experience in a wide variety of areas of law. We are a wills, estates and trusts group, so when someone passes away we deal with the administration of their estate. Within our team we have the ability to deal with related legal matters such as real estate, litigation and corporate issues. No matter how complex a situation appears to be, we have the legal team and resources to handle all our clients' needs from this office.
What does your team enjoy most about the work you do?
We are dealing with sensitive issues—death, family dynamics, personal liability, marital history, things of that nature, which are quite personal and must be handled delicately. Since we've already established a relationship with our clients and have learned of their unique needs, it's extremely rewarding for us to be able to assist with a variety of a person's needs.
What sort of services do you provide that might surprise people?
We participate in and offer a lot of education—it's part of our firm's commitment to being a centre of excellence. As professional advisers, we make sure that we are educated on the latest developments within various areas of law we practise. We also strive to share that knowledge and keep our clients abreast of issues that are important and relevant to them. Beyond that, we provide regular seminars to outsiders—our network and our clients. We also have a blog that we keep up to date with what's going on in this industry, and our goal is to make the complicated clearer for people who are trying to navigate the legal system.
What values drive your group?
We have a client services commitment, which is a written set of goals for how we as an organization want to treat our clients. It includes promises such as being clear about costs and providing budgets. Our client commitment also includes a mandate to respond to people promptly. Also of importance is taking the time to get to know our clients in order to determine their unique needs. No two people have ever been the same, ever, and no two situations have ever been the same. It's really important that our clients walk away feeling comfortable with the decisions they've made and that they've received excellent legal advice.