Life Planning with Jeremy Cleverly: A Worthy Convo

It’s easy to get caught up, or even sometimes bogged down, in the everyday doings of life. It happens to the best of us. Today, it’s school, followed by a soccer game, then on to the dance recital, and oh yeah, what does everyone want for dinner tonight now that it’s nearly bedtime? The day-to-day demands of everyday life are real for all of us, and they often get in the way of thinking about and planning for the future.

However, setting aside time to think about and plan for the future you and your future children will tackle future life is imperative. What happens to the kids if something happens to you? What happens to your income if something happens to your job or company? Thinking about these things can be unsettling.

Helping create plans that address these often scary questions is what The Cleverly Law Form does. James Cleverly has developed a unique process to help families find peace of mind while working through tough questions.

Photo courtesy of Jeremy Cleverly

Can you give a brief rundown of your legal education and background leading up to starting your firm?

First and foremost, I am a husband, father, brother and son. These titles mean the most to me and drive me to do what I do. For over twenty years, I’ve used my law degree to help make a difference in people’s lives, and I believe there is no greater reward than to provide people with the peace of mind of knowing that their family and loved ones will be taken care of should something happen to them. Most attorneys and firms commonly refer to this as “estate planning,” but we think a better term would be “life planning.”

I attended Stephen F. Austin State University for my bachelor’s and attended law school in New England. Upon graduating from law school, I worked for a mid-sized law firm with offices across Texas and later a litigation boutique. I was the Ellis County Bar President for four years, an adjunct professor of business law, a member of Cowtown Angels, and a board member of the SFA Alumni Association; I volunteer with the Aledo Education Foundation and serve on the finance committee at my local church.

I am also one of only a few attorneys in Texas to start, scale, and sell two companies: one to a private equity-backed buyer and a third company through a venture capital-backed incubator. While the majority of our practice focuses on wills, trusts, guardianships, etc., I draw upon my personal experience and devote a portion of our practice to assisting a select few companies with exit planning, succession planning, and/or brokering the sale of their company.

What made you decide to start a firm specializing in estate planning? Why that specialty?

I had two large life-changing moments within just a few short months of each other; my daughter was born, making me a dad for the first time, and my father passed away unexpectedly.

When my father died, he left behind a twenty-five-year-old will and a notebook with passwords for accessing accounts should something happen to him. But that was all: a bare-bones will his employer had paid to have drawn up decades ago, some passwords, and a single saved voicemail that I cherish.

I quickly came to two realizations:  One, that having a boilerplate will that most firms prepare is woefully inadequate and would fail to accomplish what clients truly wanted – to protect their loved ones in the event something should happen to them; and secondly, that estate planning that leaves your family monetary assets is the absolute bare minimum, and even that was not being done correctly by most attorneys.

At my law firm, we emphasize ensuring our clients not only convey their financial assets but also pass along their values, insights, guidance, and family history – which is just as, if not more, valuable to their loved ones.

In opening my firm, I wanted to change the dynamic of estate planning and business law and bring back a true trusted advisor relationship with my clients. To put it quite simply, we do things differently.

We start with the end in mind – determine your goals and concerns and then work backward into an estate plan specifically tailored for your family. We don’t cut corners and are probably more detail-oriented than most people anticipate.

At the end of the day, we see ourselves as being paid not for the papers we create but for the results we produce for our clients and their families. Lastly, nothing we do is based on an hourly rate basis. Everything is billed as a flat-rate fee, agreed upon in advance, so there are no surprises. You will know exactly what it will cost to work with us.

Photo courtesy of Jeremy Cleverly

What does your typical client profile look like? Have you seen changes in that since you started your practice?

My typical client is usually a couple or an individual in their mid-thirties to mid-fifties, with children still at home or young adults. As a father myself, we place an emphasis on ensuring minor children are protected should something happen to their parents.

Most people’s thoughts usually think of what happens to their kids when they die, but that isn’t always the case. For example, my wife and I were out on a rare date night not long ago. As we were heading home, waiting at a red light, the car directly in front of us was t-boned by a drunk driver. We stopped and rendered aid until EMS arrived, and I believe everyone was going to be “okay”, but they were all transported to local hospitals.

I bring this story up because if you only had a simple will and this happened to you, the police would show up at your home. They would find your kids with a teenage babysitter – someone who cannot take legal custody of them, and CPS would be called. You’re not coming home, and your kids are headed to CPS – that is the worst of both worlds for a parent.

At our firm, we provide all of our clients who have minor children with a “Children’s Protection Plan.” This includes both long-term and short-term guardians. Short-term guardians are friends, family, or neighbors who can be at your home quickly in an emergency. We also provide a sheet to leave with your babysitter listing those they can call and who have legal authorization to take custody of your children should there ever be that dreaded knock on the door. Lastly, we also provide our clients with an ID Card to keep in their wallet that says you have minor children waiting for you at home, and please call these people listed in this order.

What typically brings new clients to your firm? Are there specific life events that trigger clients to seek out the type of expertise you deliver?

We are fortunate that many of our clients come from referrals from other professionals or, most commonly, from former clients. Occasionally, someone has experienced a life-changing event – be it an accident or the death of a loved one that brings them to us; other times, it is much happier events – such as a marriage or the birth of a child.

I like to tell people we are an estate planning firm – or as we call it “life planning” law firm. So, what does that mean, or what is it we do exactly?

We help families get all those documents they know they should have in place but always seem to put off doing:  wills, trusts, healthcare directives, guardians for the kids, etc. However, your “assets” are more than just numbers on a balance sheet or bank statement; they represent the fruits of your hard work and the key to a secure future for your loved ones.

Photo courtesy of Jeremy Cleverly

Why is it important for people to be thinking about these things in their 30s and 40s?

As I referenced above, estate planning shouldn’t be something you only consider when you’re older; it is just as, if not more, important to have in place when you have young children still at home.

If you have one or two simple pieces of advice for our readers that everyone should be doing or thinking about, what would they be?

The best way to give advice might be by example. Take a moment and ask yourself – if something were to happen to you and your spouse, who would be the person who would arrive at your home to help handle things? Maybe it would be a sibling, close friend, or parent? Now ask yourself – does that person know where you bank? Do they know if you have life insurance? A 401K? Who your mortgage company is? How to access your computer? Where your birth certificate, passport and other important papers are stored? If the answer to these questions and more is “no,” then I’d encourage you to start to work on selectively sharing that information.

Of course, we would be happy to help get your readers organized and provide those important people in their lives with the legal documentation they would need to handle whatever may arise.