Losing a loved one is difficult enough, the process of winding up their affairs shouldn’t be an endless nightmare.
Our modern lives are complex. In many ways, there’s no escaping it. And someone is going to be left to manage what is left when we are gone. Maybe you’re that responsible party…but you still find yourself looking around thinking, “Really, me? What am I supposed to be doing?” Or maybe you’re an industry professional looking at that designated person thinking the same: “Really, them? Why aren’t they doing anything?” In either case, I’m here to help.
My Approach
I spent years in trust and estate administration - coordinating home clean-outs and sales, closing accounts, consolidating assets, facilitating tax preparation for multiple returns, and navigating land-mines of family dynamics as a quasi-counselor. I loved being the go-to professional as the attorney guiding executors, administrators and trustees through each step…but it always felt like I was missing something.
Then, I got to take the reigns myself and act as a corporate fiduciary for a bank. This allowed me to be the do-er, which is in my nature. As it turns out, it can be tough navigating the practical steps behind a desk, especially while also managing the legal landmines that surface in estate and trust administration.
While the role of corporate fiduciary filled my cup, I’ve learned the administration world is still left with a massive gap between the practical step-by-step and the wisdom of good lawyerly guidance. Lawyers are busy, and even after spending hours at their office…fiduciaries leave saying, “wait, but what do I do?” They’ve heard the general idea, the legal process, but the practical step-by-step is still daunting…
…that’s where I come in.
For Attorneys:
You've done your job.
The will is filed. Administration is active and open. The legal strategy has been communicated in detail. You’re ready to answer questions. Your fiduciary left your office with loads of information and seemed to feel confident and ready to tackle the mountainous to-do-list ahead of them…
But then…the calls start coming in. The single-subject email, followed by another…unrelated issues, and still, more…a call when you haven’t quite been able to circle back but they’re eager to move ahead… not to mention the mountain already on your desk and in your inbox…
They're asking your office about the furniture. About the storage unit. About what to do with the car. About whether and when the house needs to be cleaned out before it's listed. It’s not that you don’t want to help with the practical, you do. But you’re busy, too, and it’s hard to justify your hourly rate for seemingly mundane tasks you thought they understood the last time you talked.
Or, worse…you’re the one following up: “How’s the house clean out coming? Have you closed that account? Met with the CPA?” and crickets. You’re not sure they’ve accomplished a thing since your last meeting.
You can follow up and follow up, but you can’t do the administration for them…
That’s where I come in…
Why this Matters for your estate
administration practice:
Reduce endless client calls your office about non-legal logistics
Limit billable time lost on out-of-scope questions
Prevent estate stalls due to unresolved practical tasks
Minimize files open longer than necessary
Stay ahead of family dynamic shifts over delays, bad decisions, and poor communication
Minimize legal complications arising from all the above…
Ensure clients feel supported and not overwhelmed with the long task list
Maintain your reputation by helping you manage your file load (letting you focus on attention that matters that need you most urgently - there always are some, I know!)
When Marquel is involved, your client has a competent, calm point of contact for everything outside the law. Your office stays focused. The estate moves. The file closes efficiently (and we all know, time is money).
This is not a referral or an abdication of duty. It’s a resource.
Referring Marquel to your clients costs you nothing and protects everything — your time, your client relationship, and your reputation for delivering a complete, well-managed experience.
Marquel works alongside your team, not around it. She communicates clearly, operates professionally, and understands the legal timeline well enough to stay in her lane without being told twice.
What her colleagues are saying:
• She moves fast without cutting corners
• She handles families with care and keeps emotion from becoming obstruction
• She knows when to call the attorney and when to handle it herself
• She closes the gap between legal completion and estate resolution
Bottom line:
Your client hired you to handle the legal work. They need someone to handle everything else.
Marquel is that person.
