Testimonials
At Absolute Trust Counsel, we work hard to see that you and your family are given a level of care that exceeds expectations. We hope that you find our friendly staff and attorneys to be responsive, courteous and proficient.
Interested in hearing from our valued clients about their experiences with our firm? A selection of feedback is included below.
“Absolute Trust Counsel has helped my good clients for many years now. As a local professional, I depend on top-tier advice and follow up for my friends, family, and associates. Kirsten and her team have demonstrated just that. I would not hesitate to continue referring Absolute Trust Counsel as a premier Law Firm in the East Bay.”
Mark S.
“Kirsten Howe is a top-notch attorney. If you are looking for a professional, you must contact Kirsten for help!”
Casey S.
“I highly recommend Absolute Trust Counsel. All the people there are very professional and knowledgeable. Always there to help. They respond to all your questions and concerns.”
Robert R.
“Kirsten Howe and Absolute Trust Counsel are the absolute best when it comes to estate planning. I’d been dragging my feet for quite some time to do my own estate planning and create a will. To make sure my kids were fully protected in the event that something happened to me, I reached out to Kirsten’s office. Her team at Absolute Trust Counsel made the whole process really easy. Wish I would have done it sooner! I highly recommend this firm for your estate planning needs.”
Michelle R.
“The entire team from start to finish were responsive, patient, and pleasant. I can’t say more positive things about my experience. The underlying issues were overwhelming for me, but ABTC reassured me and work with me to a satisfactory resolution. Thank you!”
Kamili M.
“Absolute Trust Counsel did an outstanding job with our estate planning. They completely understood our unique needs and took excellent care of us throughout the process. Estate planning is a challenging endeavor, but having Absolute Trust in our corner made the experience so much easier!”
Kirk H.
“The estate planning offered at this establishment is very good. Accurate, informative, friendly, helpful, and all of the descriptors above describe the work they did for me. Many thanks.”
Cindy D.
“They heard our needs and delivered exactly what we needed and wanted. The process was smooth and efficient. We couldn’t be happier with the process and the result.”
Gerri B.
“I have worked with and referred Absolute Trust Counsel for many years now. As a local professional, I depend on a solid legal team to advise and administer the best plan and follow up for friends, family, clients, and associates. Kirsten, Madison, and their staff have demonstrated knowledgeable assistance to my sphere, whether the need is big or small. I am thrilled to continue referring anyone I know to Absolute Trust Counsel.”
Mark S.
“I highly recommend Absolute Trust. Very professional and very easy to work with. Clear, easy-to-understand explanations. The team is organized, has a clear process, and very responsive. They created an irrevocable trust and in the end, provided the trust in a beautiful binder with extra docs to help keep additional estate-related info organized. Kirsten and Emily are efficient and super nice people.”
Lisa L.
“I had a will drawn up 20 years ago and had been putting off doing an update even though I knew I likely needed a trust as well in order to protect my assets. Kirsten Howe and her team at Absolute Trust Counsel are well known in the area as a top estate planning law firm, so I gave them a call. All of the interactions I had with Kirsten and her staff were handled efficiently and gave me confidence that the firm as a whole was knowledgeable and the right choice for me. The work was done in a timely manner and very organized and easy to understand. I am so relieved that I didn’t put it off any longer and would (and will) soundly recommend their estate planning services in the future.”
Evy H.
“Following the recent passing of my spouse, Absolute Trust Counsel’s ultra-compassionate approach was precisely what I needed in an estate planning law firm. Their ongoing communication made the process clear and concise; however, when questions did arise, the team was always ready to advise and comfort. The comprehensive services I received were delivered in a timely fashion while remaining perfectly tailored to my situation. Kirsten truly understands how important it is to accurately represent your personal wishes and with her guidance, I finally felt empowered to have a shared dialogue about my future.”
Terri Y.
“In terms of my estate planning in the past, I had done it on my own with documents I sourced online. Yet, I’ve always known that I needed to complete my estate plan the right way, but I was embarrassed that I hadn’t sought out professional help previously and that my affairs weren’t exactly where I wanted them to be as a single mom paying for most of my daughter’s expenses. After working with Kirsten to help market and grow her business, I saw the importance of making my estate plan a priority. There is no time the like the present to get your affairs in order, and I knew that Kirsten was the right person to help me. Kirsten and the Absolute Trust Counsel team pride themselves on making each client a priority, and I was no exception to that rule. I was so blown away by Kirsten’s commitment to her clients, processes and her business practices that I flew up to Walnut Creek from Orange County to work with her, and it was WELL WORTH the travel. Thank you, Kirsten and ATC team, for helping me feel comfortable and secure my future the right way!”
Susie H.
“I want to thank the amazing team at Absolute Trust Counsel for everything they have done for me. First, I can’t imagine going through this process without the amazing Workbook I was provided. It has made organizing the paperwork, filing, referencing, reviewing, etc. so much easier. This is such a fantastic tool. Next, I would like to thank you for the referral to your wonderful colleague to help sell mom’s house. She was helpful, patient, and extremely hard working. Lastly, the staff has been so pleasant to work with, always a positive attitude, extremely efficient, quick to respond AND smart. I have recommended you to some friends and will continue to recommend you to anyone who needs a trust or needs help with trust administration. Everyone on the Absolute Trust Counsel team has been such an asset in helping me through this difficult process.”
Karen T.
“After my husband passed away I needed to take steps to protect my assets for my family. A friend of mine who worked with Absolute Trust Counsel in the past recommended that I meet with them. From my first appointment to my last, my experience with the Absolute Trust Counsel team went smoothly. They listened to my questions and concerns and helped me make the decisions that were best for me. Kirsten Howe is not only an excellent attorney but now she is a friend, too.”
Paulette Terry
“Ms. Howe first met with us and explained very clearly about the different trusts and wills. She explained what her role would be, what we had to do and what the cost would be. My husband & I had a chance to look over our finances and make the decision on what services we wanted. We then signed the contract and we were off. Ms. Howe & her staff made our experience positive. Her staff was very informed on our trust/will and if any problem came up during the process they quickly got back to us to solve any problem. They kept in close contact with us through email and phone calls. We are very pleased with our trust and will. I have now begun to talk with other members of my family to call Ms. Howe and get their trust/will done or updated. I now sleep well at night knowing we have everything in place.”
Billy & Carolyn T.
“We have used Kirsten’s services for many of our legal needs. She has helped us with estate planning, gift and estate tax plans, and other specific legal issues. Kirsten is the consummate professional: she is competent, versatile, patient, punctual, considerate and goes the extra mile to not only explain things, but helps her clients navigate the often difficult waters of financial planning. We enjoy her newsletter, finding it easy-to-read and informative. She is the rare attorney who has warmth, compassion and a comprehensive understanding of the law and how it applies to real world situations. We heartily recommend Kirsten to anyone who has a need for smart, sound legal advice that will help their financial well-being and give them peace of mind.”
Peter E. & Lisa G.
“Kirsten provides a service that is a great combination of professional knowledge and personal insightfulness.”
Debbie M.
“After working with Kirsten on some corporate issues for my business, I learned that she specialized in family law. I knew her to be thorough and to deliver on time, so my wife and I turned to her when the time came to form our family trust. We were very pleased with the process and the end result.”
Richard G.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubOiSiHYBCM&feature=youtu.be
“My wife and I have retired to Hawaii; however, we still maintain our estate planning in California. This year we needed to update our estate plan. Our lawyer in California had retired and our son who handles all our investments recommended that we contact Kirsten Howe. He had heard her talks on estate planning and thought she sounded like just what we needed. We contacted Kirsten by phone, had a verbal handshake and went to work. We worked by email and roughly 8 weeks later received a first draft of the estate plan. We did some minor editing and also received information of why Kirsten recommended we do certain things differently that we had thought we should. A month later, we were in California for our first face-to-face meeting with Kirsten. In a morning, Kirsten and an assistant made a few minor changes to the wording of the document. We signed, our signatures were notarized, and our new estate plan was completed.When we returned from our trip, our original of our estate plan arrived on the date we had specified along with a computer disk with the estate plan on it. This plan included our Wills, our Two Life Trust, our Durable powers of Attorney, our Advanced Health Care Directives, the Funding, Property Agreement, and Certificate of Trust. This was a very large, very complex set of documents put together in a short period of time.We were amazed at the skill and knowledge Kirsten displayed as she walked us through the process of putting these document together. This was our third time going through our estate plan. It was surprising how much new information we learned from Kirsten. We are signed up for her continuing estate planning follow up. She has provided us with of a sense of comfort, that our estate will be handled as we desired after we our gone, with a minimum of disruption to the lives of heirs.”
Bill D.
“After mediation of my divorce in March 2010, I hired Kirsten Howe to rewrite my Living Trust to assure all needs were met. I found Kirsten extremely thorough, intelligent and easy to work with. I would recommend her highly to others for the service she provided to me.”
Terri Lynn A.
“Kirsten guided us through the process of making wills and setting up a trust with patience, a good sense of humor and clear explanations of complicated principles.”
Jeni P.
“I found her to be very informative. Answered all my questions to my satisfaction. She was professionally and yet very friendly and warm. The finished documents she provided me with were very through and had been placed into a binder with index tabs. This I have found to be extremely helpful. I was quite surprised as I thought it would be just several loose documents. She also provided me with a CD of these documents, which was also quite nice. Her staff was always very warm and friendly also. I would highly recommend Kirsten Howe.”
Jeanette S.
“I enjoyed meeting Kirsten in an informal, low-key, social setting (on a hike organized by Joel Koosed as part of his services for potential dating prospects). I made a follow up appointment. Kirsten made special arrangements for me to make sliding scale (reduced rate) payments. She tailored my living trust to my special needs. I feel that her work has stood the test of time. I sleep with a wonderful peaceful feeling – knowing that my living trust provides for my loved ones now – if I should suddenly pass away or become incapacitated. I have recommended attorney Howe’s services to my friends and family.”
Patrice A.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB5DwmoHoqE&feature=youtu.be
“I am writing this letter to express my gratitude for the exceptional service Kirsten has given my family. Kirsten Howe, Attorney at Law, has been a blessing for our family in numerous ways. In late 2006 we suddenly lost my beloved father. The complicated dealings of settling my parent’s estate combined with managing the small businesses that he owned were daunting and overwhelming. We were referred to Kirsten during this difficult time and could not have asked for a better legal representative. She was emotionally supportive and took the time to educate our family throughout the process of setting up trust accounts, updating wills, gifting of assets, the dissolution of companies and establishing new businesses. Her organizational skills are excellent and she worked quickly and efficiently. Kirsten’s business is executed with the utmost professionalism yet she provides a customer service that feels comfortable and welcoming. Kirsten has become our family attorney and friend and I would again like to thank her for all she has done.”
Taralynn A.
“I have used Kirsten in the past and still plan to use her. Her experience in both estate and business planning can be quite valuable especially for people who have small businesses. In addition, she is kind and easy to work with.”
Nicholas K.
“I have been retired for over 10 years. Both before and after my retirement I connected with many financial advisors and estate planners. Everybody have over time given me bits and pieces of advice some pertinent to my situation, more often more pertinent to the well being of the advisor. Not until I met Kirsten, first at one of her estate planning seminars and later at a separate meeting her did I get a comprehensive view of my situation in regards to estate planning. She gave me excellent advice and provided me with several options that best met all of my estate planning needs.”
Magnus S.
“My CPA referred Kirsten to me. I needed to have my trust and will updated in the spring of 2009. I found Kirsten to be very professional, efficient yet friendly. She completed the update in a timely manner at a reasonable cost. I will definitely use her services again, when the need arises.”
Judith R.
“I was very satisfied with the will and trust Kirsten provided me. She was straight forward with her charge and did an excellent job creating the trust I desired. She was available to speak to me with my “after” trust questions. She is professional, well versed in trusts and made me feel that my assets would be directed to the correct heirs.”
Patricia M.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4WUEXBTCLI&feature=youtu.be
“I found Kirsten to be very understanding to our needs. She did not pass judgment on any unusual requests we had with regards to our living trust and will. Kirsten always made the time to work around our schedule and even came to our home for the final signatures for our trust. I have recommended her to many people. In fact, one of our friends finally followed our suggestion and hired Kirsten as their attorney for their trust. If Kirsten wasn’t able to help with a specific legal problem because it was not her specialty, she would be happy to refer us to someone who could help.”
Christine R.
“I always feel better after talking with Kirsten. She explains things well, including the details and alternatives that are hard to remember. I feel my individual needs are understood and affirmed. I am extremely glad she was recommended to me.”
Peter C.
“Kirsten reviewed my entire estate plan when I asked her to make a few changes in beneficiaries. Her suggestions fixed several errors in the original document and improved it by making my wishes more clear. I have recommended Kirsten to several people, and will continue to use her as my attorney when I periodically update my estate plan.”
Jeff R.
“I am extremely fortunate to have Kirsten Howe as a member of my “professional family.” Until the death of my husband, I had no need of professionals such as accountants, bankers or lawyers. It wasn’t until I suddenly found myself the owner of a company and responsible for a complicated personal financial portfolio that I realized I was going to need assistance if I was going to be able to keep everything going in a positive direction. My daughter graciously left her job as a financial consultant to run the business. It would be my job to find the team to help her. Kirsten Howe was recommended to me by another lawyer to fill the role of our corporate lawyer. She guided us expertly through the early stages of transferring the company from my husband to my daughter and myself. She gave us not only good legal advice, but words of wisdom to help us through this difficult time. To this day, she is still a vital part of our business planning. It became apparent, however, that Kirsten had other talents than that of a corporate lawyer. I found myself seeking her legal advice in the more personal aspects of my life. It only made sense to retain her as my attorney for estate planning. Kirsten is available whenever needed, and I have found her consistent in offering sound legal advice. If friends are family you chose for yourself, I am glad that Kirsten Howe came into my life so I could choose her for my own family of professionals.”
Terryann S.
“Kirsten is great! She is a very good lawyer, thoughtful, capable, bright, good follow through, professional, responsive.”
Kevin V.
These testimonials do not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.
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“Absolute Trust Counsel has helped my good clients for many years now. As a local professional, I depend on top-tier advice and follow up for my friends, family, and associates. Kirsten and her team have demonstrated just that. I would not hesitate to continue referring Absolute Trust Counsel as a premier Law Firm in the East Bay.”
“Kirsten Howe is a top-notch attorney. If you are looking for a professional, you must contact Kirsten for help!”