Straight Answers to Common Questions

Before we start, you receive a fixed quote for the work — no hourly meter running. You pay what we quoted. If the matter turns out to be significantly more complex than expected, we'll have that conversation with you before doing additional work, not after. The goal is zero invoice surprises.

Not every matter is flat-fee. Complex litigation (which we don't handle), multi-party transactions with unpredictable timelines, or matters with significant uncertainty may be quoted differently. We'll always tell you upfront.

A 20-minute call with Thomas. You describe your situation, he asks questions, and he tells you honestly what you need and what it will cost — or whether we're even the right firm for your matter. There's no sales pitch, no obligation to proceed, and no charge. If we're a good fit, we'll send an engagement letter and get started. If we're not, we'll point you in the right direction.

Thomas handles every client relationship personally. This is a deliberate choice, not a constraint. At larger firms, you hire the senior attorney and get the junior associates. Here, you work with the person whose name is on the door, every time.

Same business day. That's the standard. Emails get responses by end of day. Voicemails are returned before close of business. If you leave a message at 4:50pm on a Friday, you'll hear back Monday morning. That's the rare exception, not the norm.

No. Aldgate Legal Group is a transactional and planning firm. We form businesses, close real estate deals, draft contracts, and create estate plans. We don't litigate. Our value is in doing the front-end work so well that you rarely need a litigator.

If you have an existing dispute that requires court representation, we can refer you to trusted litigation counsel.

Primarily Delaware. Thomas is also licensed in Pennsylvania and Maryland, and handles some matters in both states — particularly real estate transactions and business formations for clients operating there. If you're not sure whether your matter falls within our scope, just ask.

It depends. Delaware's legal and corporate infrastructure is genuinely excellent — the Court of Chancery, the flexible LLC statute, the reliable case law. For businesses seeking outside investment or doing complex deals, Delaware formation makes sense regardless of where you operate.

But if you're a solo operator or small business operating primarily in, say, Pennsylvania, you may end up paying Delaware franchise taxes and a registered agent fee in addition to PA registration — with limited practical benefit. The honest answer is: it varies by situation. We'll give you a straight recommendation during your consultation.

Yes. Delaware law doesn't require one, but banks, lenders, and investors almost always do. More importantly, a well-drafted operating agreement protects the liability shield your LLC is supposed to provide. Without it, a court may not treat your business as truly separate from you — which defeats the entire purpose of forming one.

We don't use online templates for these. A real operating agreement takes about an hour of your time and costs a flat fee. It's worth it.

Standard processing through the Delaware Division of Corporations takes about 1–2 weeks. Expedited options are available if you need it faster — same-day or 24-hour processing is available for an additional state fee. We handle the filing and will let you know which option makes sense for your timeline.

Delaware doesn't legally require an attorney at closing (unlike some states). But having one is almost always worth the cost. An attorney reviews the title commitment, the HUD/closing disclosure, the deed, and the settlement statement. We catch things — errors in amounts, missing lien releases, title defects — that buyers and sellers wouldn't know to look for. On a transaction of that size, the flat fee for representation is easily justified.

A 1031 exchange (named after the IRS code section) lets real estate investors defer capital gains tax by reinvesting sale proceeds into a "like-kind" replacement property. There are strict rules: you have 45 days to identify the replacement property and 180 days to close. The proceeds must go through a qualified intermediary — never through you directly.

We coordinate the legal side of the transaction and work with your qualified intermediary and CPA. If you're considering a 1031, reach out early — timing is everything.

A will takes effect at death and must go through probate — the court-supervised process of distributing your estate. A revocable living trust takes effect while you're alive, holds title to your assets, and distributes them without going through probate. The trust is also private (a will becomes a public record in probate).

For most people with real estate, a business, or significant assets, a living trust is more efficient. A will is still appropriate for naming guardians for minor children and for assets that don't get transferred into the trust. Often the right answer is both — a trust with a "pour-over will" as a backup.

Review your plan when something significant changes: marriage or divorce, birth of a child, death of a beneficiary or executor, major asset acquisition (real estate, business), change in state of residence, or significant change in your financial situation. As a general rule, a review every 3–5 years is reasonable even without a triggering event.

We offer flat-fee plan reviews and updates for existing clients. If your documents were drafted more than 5 years ago, it's worth a conversation.

This is one of the most important and most often overlooked questions. Your operating agreement and your estate plan need to align. If your operating agreement doesn't address what happens to your ownership interest when you die, and your estate plan doesn't account for the business, the results can be chaotic and expensive for your family and your business partners.

Because we handle both business law and estate planning, we can make sure both documents work together — rather than working at cross-purposes. This is a core advantage of working with a firm that does both.