“There are two ways to live: as if nothing is a miracle, or as if everything is a miracle.”
Albert Einstein
2023 taught me each day should be embraced as its own miracle. That doesn’t mean everything that transpires within the daily miracle are rainbows and unicorns but that all of it, the good, the bad, the ugly, are all part of the same miracle. After all, the alternative view isn’t any way to live your life to its fullest!
2024 will continue to be a glorious miracle roller coaster in and of itself. Viewing our days as miracles helps remove the haze that clouds our paths. It allows us to see the vision for ourselves and the purpose that lies within each day.
Every new year presents opportunities and challenges. In fact, we can count on difficulties crossing our paths. But as we know, we grow through resistence, uncertainty and the uncomfortable if we approach our trials as part of the miracle.
I choose to have a growth mindset in 2024. I will live my days grateful for opportunity and for challenges and strive to grow to be better than the day before. I will get out of my comfort zone. I will ride the roller coaster with my hands up in faith and surrender to expereince each day as a miracle.
May 2024 be a miracle that brings you growth, prosperity and peace.
-Todd
For many people, starting a business can seem like a daunting task. The steps can be intimidating, especially when you attempt the setup process alone. It’s easy to get discouraged or even stuck without proper guidance and support when regulatory obstacles arise. Your attorney can avoid making the two most common legal mistakes new business owners make.
First, establish your entity.
The excitement of starting your own business may lead you to throw caution to the wind. Afterall, you have a business plan to make it a reality. You can’t wait to get started. We hear this from our clients almost every day. While their enthusiasm to get to work is critical for their startup’s success, they often risk their dream by operating without establishing their business’ legal entity. This costly mistake can lead to many problems down the road.
Before opening your doors for business, create a distinct legal entity through the state, such as a corporation or limited liability company (LLC). Individuals operating a business without a distinct legal entity are operating as a sole proprietorship. Sole proprietorships are not a separate entity. The operators have no “liability shield.” This means that any of the business’ liabilities and obligations fall to the owner personally in the event of a lawsuit or debt collection. In this situation, anyone who sues you for the actions of the business can seize your personal assets such as your home, bank and investment accounts, and other property. Thus, having a distinct legal entity is absolutely critical to protecting your assets.
Next, create your internal documents.
Unfortunately, operating a business requires more than being the best in your field, especially when you start expanding. After you establish your entity, the next order of business is to draft your internal documents, which includes an operating agreement and your corporate bylaws. Your internal documents, also known as “controlling documents,” define and govern almost all activities of the business. They do not necessarily dictate “how” you do things, but rather, who has the authority to do things on behalf of the company, including what actions can be taken in a contingency, such as a merger or sale of an owner’s stake in the company.
Your internal documents can also help you obtain financing. Banks are cautious when extending credit to an organization. Your internal documents offer clarity and protection to the interests of its owners. With your internal documents in place, you will be ready to make decisions and move forward when new opportunities for your business arise.
Tressler is a team you can trust.
At Tressler, we aim to help you achieve their goals and be a team you can trust. We understand how much work goes into building your business and how important it is to have support and guidance along the way. Our team can help you establish your business legal entity and create your internal documents so you can prevent risks and make the best decisions for your future. Contact our team today!
In today’s digital age, technological advancements are revolutionizing the legal industry. One such breakthrough is the integration of Chat GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) technology into law firms. This cutting-edge language model, powered by artificial intelligence, has the potential to streamline and optimize various aspects of legal practice. By utilizing certain aspects of Chat GPT, law firms can enhance their efficiency, improve client experiences, and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Legal Research Made Easy
One of the most time-consuming tasks for legal professionals is conducting extensive research to build strong cases and support arguments. Chat GPT can significantly reduce the burden of legal research by providing quick access to relevant information. Lawyers can use the chat-based interface to ask questions or seek guidance on complex legal issues, and the AI model will generate detailed responses based on its vast knowledge base. This saves valuable time and allows legal professionals to focus on higher-level tasks, such as case analysis and strategy.
Automated Document Generation
Law firms deal with large amounts of paperwork. From contracts and agreements to legal opinions and briefs, Chat GPT can automate the document generation process by generating drafts based on predefined templates and specifications. Lawyers can provide the necessary inputs, such as factual details and case notes, and the AI model can generate accurate and customized documents. Chat GPT can help streamline the workflow, minimizes errors, and improves overall productivity.
Enhanced Client Communication
Effective client communication is critical for every law firm. Chat GPT can be utilized as a virtual assistant, interacting with clients through chat interfaces and addressing their inquiries in a prompt and personalized manner. This ensures clients receive timely updates and clarifications, fostering stronger client relationships. Moreover, Chat GPT can assist in providing initial legal advice, screening client inquiries, and offering general information on legal processes, thereby improving accessibility and client satisfaction.
Predictive Analytics and Case Assessment
Another valuable application of Chat GPT in law firms is its ability to analyze large volumes of case-related data and provide insights. By leveraging machine learning techniques, the AI model can identify patterns, highlight relevant precedents, and offer predictions on case outcomes. This assists lawyers in making more informed decisions and devising effective legal strategies. Furthermore, Chat GPT can assist in risk assessment, aiding in the evaluation of potential legal challenges and their associated probabilities.
New Technology Brings New Potential
The integration of Chat GPT technology in law firms has the potential to revolutionize legal practice, offering numerous benefits in terms of efficiency, accuracy, and client satisfaction. By automating tasks such as legal research and document generation, providing enhanced client communication, offering predictive analytics, and facilitating ongoing legal education, Chat GPT can empower law firms to adapt to the demands of the digital age. Embracing this AI-powered technology enables law firms to optimize their operations, deliver better outcomes for clients, and stay at the forefront of the legal profession.
It is important to note that Chat GPT is not a replacement for an educated attorney. However, it is a tool that attorneys may utilize in modern times to be more efficient in practice management.
Photo Credit: James Williams Photography
Want to know the answers to the most frequently asked questions we get from our clients? Check out the top Tressler FAQ and answers.
As a law firm, we get asked lots of questions every day. We don’t mind because we understand people make better decisions when they are fully informed. It’s one of the many ways we are committed to being different from other law firms. We never want you to feel afraid to contact our team. Afterall, you are the reason we do what we do and answering your questions is one way we can help.
These questions are the most asked for a reason, because legal and title services can sometimes be confusing, and everyone goes through moments in their life when they need a legal team they can trust.
Is there a consultation fee to speak with an attorney?
No. At Tressler, we take the time to understand your needs before taking any transactional steps. You will have the opportunity to speak with an attorney about your matter without any upfront financial obligation.
What is a retainer fee?
A retainer fee is an upfront amount of money paid in full for future services performed by our team. We keep our clients updated on the status of their allotted retainer funds as we handle their matter. Should the maximum amount be reached before your matter is complete, our team will reach out before the retainer reaches its limit to discuss next steps. Portions of retainer fees are refunded if the services you requested end up costing less than originally planned. Please reach out to our team if you have any questions about retainer fees.
Do I need an Operating Agreement for my LLC?
Yes. To protect the business’ limited liability status: Operating agreements give members protection from personal liability to the LLC. Without this specific formality, your LLC can closely resemble a sole proprietorship or partnership, jeopardizing your personal liability.
Why should I de-title a mobile home on my property?
Mobile homes have a title exactly the same as a motor vehicle. The title shows the name of the person(s) who legally owns the mobile home. The title alone does not make the mobile home a permanent part of the real estate. The de-titling process legally combines the manufactured home with the land. It is often required by lenders before financing.
Why is a title examination important in a real estate transaction?
A title is a document that shows evidence of right or ownership of real property. If you are purchasing a home or commercial property, it is important to make sure the title is reviewed. The proper transfer of ownership will depend on whether the title is clear and can help you avoid future problems if you wish to sell the property at a later date.
When a real estate dispute arises, is litigation the only option?
Disputes are possible in any legal field, including real estate. If you are dealing with any type of real estate dispute, such as a property defect or boundary dispute, you may be able to resolve the matter outside of the courtroom through negotiation. This will usually be an attorney’s first course of action, with litigation only considered if it is impossible to reach an out-of-court agreement.
Title insurance is a policy that protects you from any issues that may call your ownership into question or keep you from completing your purchase. These issues could include illegal deeds, unknown liens, forged documents, missing heirs and unknown easements. Title insurance provides financial security to address any issues that may arise.
How long does my title insurance policy last?
For a one-time fee, your owner’s title insurance protects your property rights for as long as you or your heirs own the home.
What do I need to bring to my real estate closing?
Some of the items you will need to bring to closing are a photo ID, a cashier’s check made payable to Tressler Title or wire instructions for transferring funds electronically. Don’t worry, our team will reach out before your scheduled closing day to ensure you know all the details and what to expect at closing.
Probate is a legal process that validates the last will and testament of a person who has died, appoints an executor (if one is not named in the will) and oversees the distribution of assets outlined in the will. This process occurs before the deceased’s assets can be distributed. Probate also ensures the deceased debts are paid. When the deceased does not leave behind a will, Tennesse’s intestacy laws determine how their assets will be distributed.
What happens if I die without a will?
If you die without a will in Tennessee, your assets will go to your closest relatives under state “intestate succession” laws.
How do I know if I would benefit from a trust?
Here’s a good rule of thumb: If you have a net worth of at least $100,000 and have a substantial amount of assets in real estate, or have very specific instructions on how and when you want your estate to be distributed among your heirs after you die, then a trust could be for you.
We understand every situation is unique. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. We would be glad to speak with you, answer your questions and learn how we can help.
Some people may benefit from having a trust, or multiple trusts, in addition to their will. Trusts can often be misunderstood and overlooked. You may believe trusts are only for those with significantly large estates, but that is not true. Trusts can be a great solution for many estate plans. Our team can help you to decide if a trust makes sense for your estate plans and which one would be the most beneficial.
How Does a Trust Work?
Trusts are another way to pass assets from one person to another. A trust is a fiduciary arrangement where a grantor may give a trustee permission to hold their assets on behalf of a beneficiary. The trustee is then responsible for distributing assets according to the trust. The grantor can choose who they want to act as their trustee and who is to receive certain assets through the trust.
This is different from a will, which is a document that allows you to state what assets you want to be passed to which beneficiaries. A will only goes into effect after the grantor passes away, while a trust goes into effect as soon as assets are placed in them. In some cases, trusts can be much more beneficial, as they can help you save on estate taxes, avoid probate, and give you more control over your assets.
Types of Trusts
There are various types of trusts to choose from, so which one benefits you and your beneficiaries the most will depend on your specific situation. Our team can discuss your needs and help you assess the different types of trust to help you utilize the right one.
Revocable Trusts
Revocable trusts give the grantor the ability to change the trust after it’s been created. After the grantor passes away, assets in the trust will be distributed to beneficiaries. This gives the grantor a greater level of flexibility should anything change and the trust needs to be updated.
Irrevocable Trusts
Unlike a revocable trust, an irrevocable trust cannot be changed so easily. An irrevocable trust can only be changed with permission from the beneficiaries. To create an irrevocable trust, a grantor is required to give up the legal rights to assets being placed in the trust. While this doesn’t provide the flexibility of a revocable trust, it has many benefits that a revocable trust does not.
Special Needs Trust
A special needs trust is for those who want to use part of their estate to provide for a disabled or chronically ill loved one. With a special needs trust, the beneficiary can receive their inheritance without being disqualified from government programs. This will ensure your loved one has financial resources and access to the care they need.
Charitable Trusts
Assets from a trust don’t have to go to an individual. Rather, some may choose to give a portion of their estate to a charitable organization. Charitable trusts are specific types of trusts used for charitable purposes, while also providing certain tax benefits. The two main types of charitable trusts are charitable lead trusts and charitable remainder trusts.
Trust Tressler
Trusts can be a great way to preserve and manage your wealth. If you feel your estate plans may benefit from including a trust, reach out to a team you can trust. At Tressler & Associates, we’ll help you understand everything to know about trusts to ensure you make the best decision for your future.
Since its inception we have remained committed to being different from traditional law firms. We share a true passion for making a difference in the lives of others, and our mission keeps us united and focused on making everyday full of meaning and purpose. Along with our mission, our core values are the guiding principles that shape every decision we make, and at Tressler we strive to incorporate our values into everything we do. We have four core values that empower our team every day.
Compassion
We are motivated to care for others. We understand our attitudes and decisions impact our community. Showing compassion enables us to respond with kindness to the needs of others and build meaningful relationships that promote problem-solving and inspire action.
Accountability
We work together to become better. We understand we each share a responsibility to offer our best, own our mistakes and follow through. We leverage our unique strengths to support one another to achieve our goals.
Service
Our business is rooted in service. We believe in treating others how we want to be treated and going the extra mile to help others achieve their goals. We strive to show gratitude in meaningful ways and be a positive influence in the lives of others.
Courage
We are driven to do what is right, no matter what. We value honesty and believe everyone deserves the truth. We stand strong when challenges arise and remain committed to being a trailblazer in our industry by delivering an approachable legal experience unlike anyone else.
In case you haven’t heard, we launched a new website! The project began last fall, and we are so excited to be able to share it with you. Read why a new website became a top priority and the decisions that led us to design a more client-centric web experience.
Why redesign our website
Redesigning our website was the last thing on Todd Tressler’s mind when he invited Megan Climer to join the Tressler leadership team back in August. The team had recently launched a new website with a modern and bold design.
Just a few weeks into her new role, Megan led the team through a series of brand development sessions. It was during these sessions we began to see the disconnect in our brand message and visual identity. Together we worked to develop a clear brand identity and unique ways to share our brand story.
After we settled on our brand vision, mission values and essence, Megan dove into web design and user experience (UX) resources to develop a concept to present to the team. We all agreed a rebrand was necessary, and our website would be a top priority.
A new web experience
With our brand clearly defined, it was easier to identify what changes needed to be made to offer a web experience that felt warm, inviting and helpful. Our goal was to share our brand story and deliver a more approachable legal experience to our clients and the community.
Approachable
As we defined the essence and personality of our brand, approachable was an attribute that rose to the top. From our warm color palette and personal photos, to the site’s tonal narrative and logo, approachability is experienced throughout the site. It was important our new website to foster connection and build trust with our audience.
Simplicity
Our new website is simple in both structure and design. The site’s navigation logic sets clear expectations and predictable paths. With each click, a user can easily anticipate what comes next. No one likes to work hard when they are exploring a website. We wanted our content experience to be natural and intuitive. You can learn about us without sifting through overwhelming amounts of legalese and extra talk.
Add value
After carefully auditing the content of our previous website, we were able to downsize our website from 90 pages to 26. The information we removed will have new purpose as informative blogs, podcasts, videos, and downloadables. These resources can be found in our new ‘Resources’ library which will continue to grow and hopefully add value to our clients and community.
Transparency
One of the barriers we face as a law firm is most people are afraid to contact us because they assume the costs are too high, the services are too hard to understand, and the attorneys are too out of touch. This may be true for some law firms, but not for us. We know most lawfirms do not openly publish pricing, but we’re not like most lawfirms. We share our prices because we believe we all make better decisions when we are fully informed. We want our clients to feel confident when making a decision. We aim to earn their trust, and keep it.
Tell our brand story
Our new website invites users to learn more about us, our history, our team and our culture. Through these pages you can learn who we are as individuals, who we are as a team, and what you can expect when you choose to work with us.
What’s next from the Tressler brand
We’re incredibly excited about our new brand and web experience. With our brand aligned and our brand experience focused on you, we hope you find the answers and support you need with our team. You are the reason we do what we do, and we are grateful for your support, encouragement, friendship and trust. You can explore our new website at https://tresslerassociates.com.
Tressler & Associates, PLLC is thrilled to announce the launch of its new website, tresslerassociates.com. The redesign is part of Tressler’s rebranding initiative, which aims to deliver a more approachable legal experience to clients and the community.
The new website features new navigation highlighting the law firm’s practice areas and pricing while inviting users to learn more about the Tressler brand and team. The site also features sister title and escrow company Tressler Title, LCC. To add more value to this client-centric experience, users can now search available resources on various legal, business, and real estate topics including: blogs, news, and free digital downloads.
The website content is easy to navigate and users can quickly locate the answers they need without sifting through pages of information.
“Our new website affirms our commitment to offering approachable legal services to our community,” said Todd Tressler, Founder, and CEO of Tressler & Associates, PLLC. “Our new brand and website reflect who we really are. The content connects directly with our users and where they are in the discovery process. Every click brings them to the next level of discovery without unnecessary pages of overwhelming legal and industry jargon. We instead invite our users to explore our catalog of resources to learn more about our areas of expertise and topics that are of interest and help to them,” he added.
Since its inception, Tressler & Associates has maintained its commitment to being different from traditional law firms.
“Our new website offers an online brand experience unlike traditional law firms in our market,” said Megan Climer, Chief Marketing Officer of Tressler and Associates, PLLC. “My goal was to ensure our design not only told our brand story but also offered our users an intuitive content experience. I want our content to direct and guide our users down a logical path to their next steps. We are excited to see how everyone interacts with our new design,” she added.
Tressler & Associates, PLLC today announced the launch of a new range of bundled legal services available to clients in Tennessee. The new line of legal services consists of five affordable bundles, including new business set up for rising entrepreneurs, contract review, estate planning, legal advice, as well as a real estate bundle for property owners who choose to sell without broker representation.
The legal bundles are the first product launch since the company began in November 2009.
“I am so pleased our firm is able to offer a new legal experience to our community,” said Todd Tressler, Founder and CEO of Tressler & Associates, PLLC. “I founded Tressler & Associates to help bring compassion, service and honor back to the profession I love. Our flat fees and bundles offer our community legal solutions that are both approachable and accessible. Our new approach breaks down industry barriers and provides an opportunity to rebuild trust in the legal profession and meet a need, ” he added.
Since its inception, Tressler & Associates has maintained its commitment to be different from traditional law firms.
“Too often people are afraid to contact a law firm because they assume the costs are too high, the services are too hard to understand, and the attorneys are too out of touch, ” said Megan Climer, Chief Marketing Officer of Tressler and Associates, PLLC. “We believe our clients deserve access to legal solutions with the highest standard of legal expertise without the fear of unknown financial commitments. By reviewing our most requested services, we have been able to create focused service bundles that include all the legal documentation, experienced counsel and support our clients need to resolve their matters without the worry of costly hourly fees.”
“It’s not often you find prices listed on a law firm’s website, ” said Tressler, “but we’re not like most law firms. We understand people make better decisions when they are fully informed, which is why we openly share our pricing and fees. We want people to feel confident before making a decision. We never want the fear of costs to prevent our team from helping others.”
In the coming weeks, Tressler plans to release a series of free digital resources to offer more education around their bundles and practice areas. Digital downloads, blogs, webinars and a new podcast will be available on their new website which launched in March 2023.
For more information about Tressler & Associates, PLLC legal services and bundles visit www.tresslerassociates.com.
