One of my regular clients is an independent paralegal with decades of experience who prepares trusts all the time. It's been a pretty good business for her, and she seems to do just as good a job as attorneys I've worked with (and better than some...)
James, I've worked with - and networked with - a pretty good variety of attorneys and paralegals. I know of one estate planning attorney/notary who notarizes all his own work. I've also found it common practice for some to keep the originals in their offices. Clients, of course, get a copy of everything.
One of those attorneys gives his clients multiple business cards and recommends the client give one to whomever their successor trustee(s) is/are, with instructions to contact his office in the event of their death. That way, the successor trustee doesn't need to have a copy of the trust or know anything about what's in there until (s)he needs to.
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