Harkins law office transition

The old, weathered sign at Richard O. Harkins’ Law Office has been replaced with the shiny new sign of Jennifer A. Williams, PLLC. Harkins states, “The building has been sold after several months of joint sharing, and Jennifer will establish her new practice in the old, somewhat historic legal location. I will be establishing a closing office at home during the next several months, winding up loose ends.”

Harkins has been the sole attorney in Carter County for the past 42 years. He purchased the office from the Shelden family. The Sheldens, father and son, had built the building sometime about 1950.

Over the past almost half century of dispensing legal advice, Harkins has accumulated several boxes of legal files which he plans to give back to his clients or allow the files to be transferred to Williams. Williams did not “buy” any clients, and Harkins states that he will store any files in a secure place unless a consent form is signed to allow the Williams firm to keep the files. Eventually any files not preserved will be shredded or burned.

If you have been represented by Richard O. Harkins, and desire to keep your files, you may pick them up at the law office by calling the office and making arrangements. If you consent for Williams to maintain your current or past file, you will be asked to sign a consent form making the transfer. Or, you can write a letter to either Williams or Harkins requesting the files be stored at the law office. Any files not picked up or transferred will be stored in a secure place for a reasonable time before shredding or burning (as Harkins ages, the phrase ‘reasonable time’ is getting shorter).

Harkins can be reached at 406-775-6507. Williams can be contacted at the office (406-775-6655) or 406-489-1269.

Consent forms to transfer files will be available at the law office, or, as stated above, by simply writing a letter requesting the transfer of your files to Williams. The letter will be placed in your file, and the file will be archived at the law office.