A full service law firm in Northwest Indiana

In a world that is constantly changing and reinventing itself, where the laws governing our citizens can and do change as frequently, we combine our knowledge, skills and experience to effectively serve our clients as evaluators, advisors, advocates, intermediaries and negotiators. 

More about Fletcher & Fletcher Attorneys at Law...

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Formalizing relationships between unmarried couples

Attorneys Wendy A. Fletcher and Stephen J. Sullivan of Fletcher & Fletcher are quoted at length in the August issue of Indiana Lawyer on the need for Cohabitation Agreements and Power of Attorney documents for unmarried couples - heterosexual and LGBT couples. This article can be found by CLICKING HERE.

No Marriage Equality Yet for the Hoosier State But Some Protections Are Possible

Attorney Wendy Fletcher has a new article as guest blogger on the LGBT POV Blog on the topic of protection possiblities for LGBT couples in the State of Indiana. This article can be found by CLICKING HERE.

PFLAF Munster Presentation - October 22, 2011

Attorney Wendy Fletcher presented a legal workshop concerning the legal protection and recognition of LGBT families and individuals in Indiana at PFLAG Munster's regular October membership meeting.

Fletcher & Fletcher expands Practice Areas

Just as the social and financial landscapes have changed in recent years, drastic changes have occurred within the legal community and the practice of law itself. In an effort to evolve and modernize, Fletcher & Fletcher is expanding two of its existing practice areas and has added an entirely new practice area in order to meet the demands and needs of not only its existing clients, but also those of potential clients.

Preventive Lawyering
Also referred to as “Litigation Avoidance”, preventive lawyering seeks to prevent disputes and ultimately litigation itself. It is one thing to defend and prevail in a lawsuit, but quite another to conduct your business in such a manner so as to avoid litigation altogether. The costs of defending yourself and your business in litigation have grown exponentially. Anyone who has been sued knows that even when you prevail much is lost. It is for this reason that alternative dispute resolution methods such as mediation have grown in popularity.

Seeking guidance and advice prior to being served with a summons vastly enhances your chances to avoid litigation altogether. Obviously it is impossible to guarantee you will never be sued, but, at a minimum, preventive lawyering can reduce litigation costs and enhance your chances of prevailing in the event that you are sued.

Common to preventive lawyering includes reviewing contracts, leases, invoices, employee handbooks, business entity evaluations, asset protection, and so forth. The diverse backgrounds of the attorneys at Fletcher & Fletcher aids us in giving a complete evaluation and review of your individual cirmcumstance, both personal and business. We also have the capability of evaluating how they relate to estate planning and asset protection.

Non-Traditional Families
The law has not yet recognized the evolution of society's definition of “family”. At Fletcher & Fletcher, we understand that many people have unique needs and circumstances, and they are left unprotected by state and federal statutes. There are legal protections available to LGBT and other non-traditional families, and much can be done in the estate planning realm to meet the needs of those who do not fit into preconceived categories. Adoptions offer additional options for non-traditional families. Whether “non-traditional” is defined as single parent households, blended families, or in reference to the LGBT community, our attorneys strive to protect our clients' wishes with respect to estate planning and health, financial, and life-prolonging matters in a confidential and non-judgmental setting.

Mediation

Attorney Timothy Fletcher recently completed the required course work to become a registered mediator. Mediation is an informal and confidential way for people to resolve disputes with the help of a neutral mediator who is trained to help people discuss their differences in a non-confrontational setting eith the overall goal of peaceful resolution. The mediator does not impose a decision on the parties, but works with the parties and their attorneys to resolve the dispute. One of the many benefits of mediation is that disputes can be resolved in a manner that is tailored to the particular problem.