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Expertise Best Child Support Lawyers in Chicago 201710 Best 2016 Client Satisfaction American Institute of Family Law AttorneysAvvo Clients' Choice 2016 DivorceRising Stars Kevin P. O'Flaherty SuperLawyers.com10 Best Law Firms 2018 Client Satisfaction American Institute of Family Legal Counsel Attorneys Estate Planning Law40 under forty
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Top 3 Qualities to Look for in Your Attorney

Your attorney should not speak in legalese.

Finding an attorney who doesn't use complex legal jargon and is a “real person” can be difficult. You should be able to connect with your attorney on a personal level, and they should speak to you in plain language that you can understand.

Your attorney should be accessible.

You deserve a responsive legal team that communicates regularly and promptly returns your calls.  Although legal matters can take time, you should feel confident in the progress of your case.

Your attorney should be realistic about costs and outcomes.

You want a favorable outcome as efficiently as possible.  It is essential that your attorney set realistic expectations about the costs you should expect, concerns that the attorney has about the outcome of your case, and the length of time that you should expect your case to take.

We are Experienced and Great at What We Do!  Our Polk County guardianship attorneys have the skill, experience, and dedication to educate you on your options and create the best plan for you and your family.  In 2015 Kevin O'Flaherty was honored to be named one of Suburban Life Magazine's Best Under 40.  In 2016, we received Avvo Clients' Choice Award for Estate Planning.   Kevin is a founder and proud member of Main Street Senior Resources. This is a group of professionals who collaborate to provide superior and comprehensive service to seniors.  We look forward to bringing our experience to bear in order to help you and your loved ones.  

We are Efficient and Cost-Effective!  We're proud of our affordable rates that allow us to build relationships with more clients.  We invite the comparison to other Polk County  guardianship attorneys and would like to hear about it if you can find a more affordable solution to your family's planning needs. 

We Go Above and Beyond For You and Your Family! Our Polk County  guardianship attorneys are accessible to our clients and provide prompt communication regarding developments in your case. We consider ourselves educators, allowing you to make informed decisions with an understanding of all of your options. Many of our clients have been so "amazed" by our above-and-beyond service that they have taken time out of their busy schedules to leave us glowing reviews.


See why we are trusted

Kevin's firm handled setting up my will and trust recently. They took something that seemed intimidating and made it easy to understand. I've also referred a couple clients to Kevin - he's trustworthy, approachable and very fairly priced.

Christi M.

"I've used Kevin and his firm's services since 2011. He gave undivided attention to my cases, advised me on different options and..."

Marvin

"Kevin was extremely professional, responsive and knowledgeable when I came to him for help. I would definitely recommend O'Flaherty Law!"

Rachel B.

"...your articles on the changes to the child support law are very well-written and informative.”

Julianne

“It’s good to open the door of creative vision to offer a service that may motivate other attorneys to do the same. Keep up the good work.”

LuQman

"Great set of articles. I was divorced in 2014 with one child and would have certainly considered you had I seen these types of articles then."

DJ

Polk County Guardianship Attorneys

Contact Us

Please contact our friendly lawyers to Schedule a Consultation.
See below for our other locations. If our office locations are not convenient for you, we are happy to speak with you by phone.

Please contact our friendly Polk County Guardianship Attorneys at our nearest location to schedule a consultation.

O'Flaherty Law of Des Moines

2716 Grand Ave., Ste. 2

Des Moines, IA 50312

(515) 207-2006
desmoines.ia@oflaherty-law.com
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Hours of Operation

Monday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Tuesday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Wednesday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Thursday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Friday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

Why O'Flaherty Law of Des Moines ?

Why O'Flaherty Law of Des Moines ?

Why O'Flaherty Law of Des Moines ?

Top 3 Qualities to Look for in Your Attorney

Cost-Effective

When we started our firm in the midst of the recession, we learned to survive in a lean environment and pass the savings on to our clients.  As the economy has improved, we have not changed our philosophy.  We are hungry to grow our client base, and so we have intentionally set our rates below what the market will bear.  Our mission is to make each client walk away feeling that they got more value than they paid for.  This is easier to do when we make our prices affordable.

Client-Focused

The secret to our success as a firm is incredibly simple: we build a personal relationship with each of our clients and treat them with the respect that they deserve.  We pride ourselves on our open lines of communication, frequent check-ins with our clients, and our accessibility.  We are here to help you in any way we can, often leveraging our network of resources to assist you with non-legal issues that you may be having.  We are your one-stop problem-solver and trusted adviser.  All attorneys say that they provide excellent client service, but, unlike other attorneys, we practice what we preach.  We make sure every client walks away happy . . . period.

Comprehensive

We are your community law firm.  Our business is built on long-term relationships with our clients.  Our clients have the luxury of building trust over time with one team of attorneys, rather than having to find a new attorney for each different type of matter that arises over the course of their lives.  No one attorney can be experienced at everything.  That is why we have worked hard to assemble a team of attorneys with extensive experience in different areas of experience.  Our attorneys work together closely to bring our collective experience to bear on any issue that may arise for our clients.

Polk County Guardianship lawyers
guardianship lawyers polk county

Great at What We Do

Since our business comes entirely from referrals and community involvement, our reputation for quality legal work is our greatest asset . . . and it is extremely important to us.  Each of our attorneys is truly experienced in his or her practice areas, with the highest personal standards of excellence.  We are proud of our reputation in the community, and we did not achieve it by accident.  Our reputation for excellence comes from hard work, continuing education, and an above-and-beyond approach to our clients’ cases.

Our Polk County Guardianship Attorneys provide excellent service in the following areas of law:

Our attorneys work as a team to provide comprehensive has experience in:

You Don't Have to Leave Your Home For Your Legal Consultation

In this video, attorney Kevin O'Flaherty describes ways you can receive legal services from the comfort of home.

Please contact our office to Schedule a Consultation.
See below for our other locations. If our office locations are not convenient for you, we are happy to speak with you by phone.

O'Flaherty Law of Des Moines

2716 Grand Ave., Ste. 2

Des Moines, IA 50312

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desmoines.ia@oflaherty-law.com
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What to Expect From a Consultation

The purpose of a consultation is to determine whether our firm is a good fit for your legal needs. Although we often discuss expected results and costs, our attorneys do not give legal advice unless and until you choose to retain us. Although most consultations are complimentary, some may carry a charge depending on the type of matter and meeting location.

Expertise Best Child Support Lawyers in Chicago 201710 Best 2016 Client Satisfaction American Institute of Family Law AttorneysAvvo Clients' Choice 2016 DivorceRising Stars Kevin P. O'Flaherty SuperLawyers.com10 Best Law Firms 2018 Client Satisfaction American Institute of Family Legal Counsel Attorneys Estate Planning Law40 under forty

Meet the Owner

I am personally committed to ensuring that each one of our clients receives the highest level of client service from our team.  Our mission is to provide excellent legal work in a cost-effective manner while maintaining open lines of communication between our clients and their attorneys.  Many of our clients are going through difficult times in their lives when they reach out to us.  They should feel comfortable leaning on the experience and knowledge of our attorneys as their counselors and advocates.  We are here to help!

- Attorney Kevin O'Flaherty, Owner

Check Out Articles and Videos from our Polk County Guardianship Attorneys

In this episode, our Polk County attorney discusses changes in Iowa adult guardianship laws and cover the following topics: Changes in Iowa Guardianship Terminology, New Or Updated Rules For Initiating an Adult Guardianship In Iowa, New Or Updated Rules For Implementing and Administering an Adult Guardianship in Iowa, and New Or Updated Rules Governing Guardianship Powers.

In this episode, our Polk County attorney discusses changes in Iowa adult guardianship laws and cover the following topics: Changes in Iowa Guardianship Terminology, New Or Updated Rules For Initiating an Adult Guardianship In Iowa, New Or Updated Rules For Implementing and Administering an Adult Guardianship in Iowa, and New Or Updated Rules Governing Guardianship Powers.

Changes in Iowa Adult Guardianship Laws

In this video, our Polk County guardianship attorneys explain the new laws and the procedure for how adult guardianships in Iowa begin. The changes included:

  • A Completed Background Check - The court is required to perform a statewide background check, looking for any past offenses under the child abuse registry, dependent adult abuse registry, and sex offender registry.
  • Right To An Attorney - Respondents (previously referred to as the proposed ward) always have the right to an attorney, unless the respondent is also the petitioner, in which case an attorney should not be necessary. The state will provide an attorney if one cannot be afforded, and it is the attorney’s responsibility to advise the respondent and operate within the respondent’s best wishes.
  • Professional Evaluation of the Respondent or Protected Person - Before an order to begin, change, or end a guardianship can be handed down a professional evaluation must be ordered by the court and completed by the appropriate professional.
  • Court Hearing - Before a guardianship can begin, be modified, or terminated an in-person court hearing in front of a judge must take place. During this hearing, appropriate parties can present evidence and argue for or against the guardianship, modification, or termination.

In this episode, our Polk County attorneys notes changes that have been made to Iowa Guardianships

Updates to Iowa's Guardianship Laws for Minors

In this video, our Polk County Guardianship attorneys explain how for decades, minor guardianship proceedings have been governed by Iowa’s Probate Act. Beginning January 1, 2020, new law went into effect for guardianships. The new law is the “Iowa Minor Guardianship Proceedings Act.” This law imposes significantly more regulations and requirements for people seeking to become guardians of minors. It also offers additional protections for biological parents, proposed guardians and, most importantly, children.

The single largest change is that minor guardianship cases will now be heard in juvenile courts instead of probate courts, where they were previously held. The law also makes significant changes to the filing, hearing and administrative process for guardianships.  


In this episode, our Polk County attorneys discuss court appointed guardianship in Iowa.

Iowa Court Appointed Guardians

In this video, our Polk County guardianship attorneys explain court appointed guardians for minors and adults. A court-appointed guardian is an individual who has been granted legal authority by an Iowa court to care for and take responsibility for another individual who is unable to legally take care of herself and make decisions or is incapacitated and unable to care for herself and make decisions. The court must determine that the potential nonparent guardian will act in the best interest of the ward.

The responsibilities of a court-appointed guardian in Iowa vary depending on those assigned by the court. Iowa tends to err on the side of limiting a guardian’s powers to only those absolutely necessary. The powers that a guardian has in Iowa ultimately fall into two categories:

  1. Decisions, responsibilities, and actions that can be taken without prior approval by the courts; and
  2. Decisions, responsibilities, and actions that require prior approval by the courts.

An example of actions that usually don’t require prior court approval includes: providing a comfortable, caring and nurturing environment for the ward, taking reasonable care of the ward’s clothing, home, furnishings, etc, assisting the ward in receiving medical care, personal counseling, treatment, etc. All these things are the normal day-to-day activities that if required court approval before doing would make the guardian process extremely cumbersome.


Further Reading from our Polk County Guardianship Attorneys