Lester & Lester P.A., Attorneys at Law

Lester & Lester is now Hutchens Law Firm. We had a real estate closing handled by this office, January 31, 2019. While we were able to close, it was only because our realtor and we put forth the effort required to have things in order. They performed all necessary work for title transfer but that’s about all they did. We weren’t given any of the necessary information needed until we asked. Meaning, with our realtor’s help, we were doing the thinking. As a result we had to make a last minute, out of town, eight hour trip to initiate the transfer of funds. They did, upon our request, refund part of the their closing fee to cover expenses for the trip. While they were courteous, their lack of client care bordered on the unethical.
Do not use this firm for your real estate closing!

Dickey Lester is a personable man in a very nice office but I cannot recommend him. We hired him to review the mortgage documents prepared by the buyer's attorney but found that we had to do the legwork all the way through the closing process. Our agent told us that the terms were a legal matter but the senior paralegal said that that was his responsibility. Then it was our responsibility to get the title insurance policy but the issuing attorney's office said that Lester's paralegal needed to contact them. The closing went through on time but when I received the original promissory note and mortgage, there was a discrepancy between the two. The buyer's attorney prepared them but neither he, his paralegal, Mr. Lester nor his paralegal caught the error. I wrote a letter to Mr. Lester and spoke to him with my concern about having to do all the work but he told me that I was not "harmed" and he therefore would not refund the legal fees I had paid at closing. If I had been harmed, I could have sued him but I felt I was due a refund since I did not get the service I paid for. Find someone else who will read your documents.

I have used the Lester Law Firm for multiple real estate closings over the past 30 years. Mr Lester and his staff have always been very prompt, courteous and meticulous in handling my affairs.