Shivers Law Group

It was an absolute pleasure working with the Saville Chamber of Commerce to bring a little cheer to the residents of the Sayville Bristal Assisted Living facility.

Governor Cuomo Issue New Executive Orders Authorizing Virtual Notarization and Witnessing of Important Legal Documents Such as Wills and Power of Attorney As the entire state of New York, and indeed the global community as a whole, struggle every day to come to terms with the disruption, fear, and uncertainty created by the Covid-19 Virus pandemic, some semblance of peace can be found knowing that you and your loved ones can still legally create and/or amend your estate plann...ing documents without leaving the safety of your home. Pursuant to Executive Order No. 202.7 dated March 19, 2020 and later expanded by Executive Order No. 202.14, dated April 7, 2020, live video conferencing technology can now be used to allow remote notarization and witnessing of essential estate planning and real estate documents through April 18, 2020, unless this Order is subsequently extended. In New York, in order for certain legal documents such as Wills, Health Care Proxies and Power of Attorney forms, to be valid, there are certain formalities that must be followed during the signing of these documents. One such formality is that two disinterested witnesses must witness the execution and sign their names as witnesses. Up until now, this could only be accomplished through in-person witnessing. Under the new executive order, witnesses can now temporarily use live video conferencing to act as remote witnesses. Required notary signatures on these documents can also done remotely through live video conferencing during which the notary watches the individual sign the document and looks at their driver’s license or other government issued photo ID. As a result of this new development, we at the Shivers Law Group are still able to effectively service our clients through remote means. Our estate planning attorneys are already utilizing phone and video conferencing to conduct initial consultations with clients and gather the necessary information to draft estate planning documents. Once the documents are prepared, our attorneys can use video conferencing technology to review documents with clients, advise on proper client signatures and coordinate remote witnessing and notarization of the documents. These new executive orders also allow for remote notarization of Real Estate documents. The Shivers Law Group real estate department is still actively helping their clients buy and sell residential and commercial real estate, even in this difficult time. Remote notarization is one tool among many that our attorneys are utilizing to find creative solutions to complete real estate transactions. There is an old proverb which says, The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now. Do not let the current crisis delay the creation of your estate planning documents, which are more important now than ever. Contact the Shivers Law Group today to set up your free consultation.

Thinking of DIY Estate Planning? .Think again!

Dear Friends and Valued Members of the Community, We hope you and your loved ones remain in good health during these scary times. The tireless efforts of our healthcare workers and first responders have been central to our continued safety and well-being. They are putting their lives at risk every day to protect ours. In an effort to show our sincere appreciation and gratitude, we at the Shivers Law Group will prepare basic Wills, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Proxies and L...iving Wills for these brave, selfless individuals and their families at half off our normal cost during the duration of this crisis. It is imperative that these critical planning documents are in place for those that need them now more than ever. Please share this important message with your friends, family and colleagues. We must all do what we can to support the heroes who continue to sacrifice so much for us. Stay Safe, Valerie A. Shivers 631 569 4334