PMCW Law

The legal field is as complicated as it is varied. Buying a house, renting a car, hiring an employee, getting married, recovering from a car accident... Each of these activities (along with thousands of others) have legal regulations and ramifications attached to them. The lawyers at the Law Offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, & Welch, P.C. recognize the challenges that these legal complexities bring. It is our goal to help improve the lives of those around us by handling the legal situations our clients face. We are proud to offer a variety of legal services in the Camden County community . Here's a quick overview of our many practice areas. Real Estate Law From residential and commercial real estate transactions to property line and dock disputes, PMCW Law can help you with all of your real estate law needs. With the help of Phillips and McElyea Land Title, Inc., we can take care of the details and reduce the risks in your real estate transactions. Business Law ...

Divorce can be an incredibly stressful time in anyone's life. Relationships must be reevaluated and redefined, and this process can take a heavy emotional toll on everyone involved. Property and assets must be divided, and if children are involved, decisions must be made regarding custody, visitation rights and times, and child support. During this challenging time, having a skilled divorce lawyer on your side can make all the difference. If you are preparing for a divorce, it is important to take the time to find a lawyer who will work well for you. The law offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, & Welch, P.C. want to help you navigate this process by giving you 10 questions to ask your divorce lawyer .  What experience do you have with divorces? How many cases have you handled? Do you know my spouse and his/her attorney? Approximately how long do you think it will take to resolve my case? What experience do you have with negotiating child custody, vis...

The Law Offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter & Welch, P.C . have the best attorneys in the Lake of the Ozarks area and a top notch support team to help you with most legal issues.  We want to feature the outstanding members of our firm via a series of Blogs where we ask some questions and get some insight on why they went into Law, learn about them as individuals, and feature what they do when they are not at work helping others.  We hope you enjoy this series, and we will feature a different team member every other week. Q & A with Attorney Deirdre O'Donnell Q)   Why did you become a Lawyer? A)   I had my first inkling of wanting to become a lawyer when I was working in St. Louis as a social worker. I was serving adults with disabilities who lived in a group home setting, and some of them were getting into trouble with the law. That got me thinking a lot about the importance of strong legal advocacy for people who cou...

Guide to finding helpful information about Missouri laws The Law Offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter & Welch, P.C. would like to provide you with some helpful resources about Missouri law.  These resources are great places to find information about criminal laws, family law, business law, estate planning, and other general Missouri legal information.  If you have any questions about Missouri law, please feel free to contact one of our attorneys by dropping into the office, contacting us through our website at www.PMCWLaw.com or give us a call at (573) 346-7231. The Library of Congress - State of Missouri page   This informative site has several areas that provide information on the Missouri constitution and the 3 branches of Missouri government (Executive, Legislative, and Judicial).  http://www.loc.gov/law/help/guide/states/us-mo.php Missouri Lawyers Media - Missouri Nice website for info on cases, verdicts, opinions, and sp...

Make a New Year's resolution to keep your family and your estate protected Family Estate planning is often difficult to think about.  Very few of us like to think about passing away, but planning for this inevitable event now will make life easier for the loved ones you leave behind.  The beginning of a new year is a great time to start your planning or to review your estate planning to see if any changes are needed.  It's an unfortunate fact that only 2 in 5 Americans have a Will, and even less have done the planning needed to ensure a smooth resolution of their estate if death occurs. A Resource to help you The American Bar association has published a very nice resource on family estate planning that we would like to share with you.  The full document can be viewed at http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/publiced/practical/books/family_legal_guide/chapter_16.authcheckdam.pdf Per this guide - "Estate planning pays real dividends--in res...

Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter & Welsh, P.C. Videos As we move into the new year, we wanted to share with you a few new videos that our talented folks put together.  We have a lot of exciting things happening at our Law Firm and we are looking forward to some great things in 2014. Our 75th Anniversary In 2014, Hugh Phillips first opened up our doors 75 years ago and we will be celebrating this throughout the year.  Here is Matt Hamner telling you a little about this momentous occasion Let our experience, knowledge, and talent help you with your legal needs. Our attorneys and legal team make up the best law firm in the Lake of the Ozarks area.  We can help you in many areas where you need an advocate for your rights.  Here is Matt Hamner again with some words on what we can do for you and your family We wish you and your family Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Here is Matt again with a holiday greeting for you! We Are Effective  Camde...

The Lake of the Ozarks is a great place to be during the Fall months.  The weather is typically wonderful and there are many great family fun events happening in the area.  The Law Offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter & Welch P.C. want to highlight some can't miss Fall festivals happening in the near future! Fall Festivals at the Lake of the Ozarks September 28th - Turkey Festival -   www.eldonchamber.com One of the largest festivals with 100+ vendor booths Turkey Trot & Gobble Wobble starting at 7:30am Parade at 10:00am Other daily events October 5th - Apple Festival -   www.versailleschamber.com 34th year! Parade, Fiddler contest, pie baking contest, other events in historic Versailles October 11th - Apple Butter Days -   www.camdencountymuseum.com Craft Booths, demonstrations, quilt raffle, re-enactors from early history, and other heritage events October 12th - October Fun Fest  -...

Questions from our Clients At the Law Offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter & Welch, P.C., we are asked many common legal questions from our clients.  We want to share these great questions with our Blog readers and answer them!  We will feature frequently asked questions with answers every few weeks, so keep checking back. Question - What is the difference between a Will and a Living Will? Answer - A Will is a legal instrument executed by a person in accordance with the Missouri Statutes directing the disposition of property at death, appointing a Personal Representative (sometime referred to as Executor) and perhaps other things.   A Will must be admitted to Probate to be effective.   A Living Will is a written, notarized statement made by person which gives instructions to health care providers concerning the care to be given the person when death is imminent.   The Living Will has been supplanted by an instrument known as a Hea...