How to Use the Application
A guide for attorneys and individuals
1. Introduction
Estate Plan Studio is an estate planning platform for attorneys and individuals. Attorneys use it to manage client matters, generate documents, send client portal invites and questionnaires, and handle communications and billing. Individuals use it to create their own estate planning documents (wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives) or to complete questionnaires when invited by an attorney.
After you sign in, you are sent to the Attorney Dashboard if you are an attorney, the Dashboard if you are an individual user, or the Client Portal if you signed in via a client invitation link.
2. Getting Started
Sign up
Go to Sign Up from the home page. Choose Attorney if you want to manage client matters and use the full attorney workflow. Enter your name, email, and password; attorneys can add Bar number and law firm name. Accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, then complete sign-up. You can also sign up with Google; your account type is stored and used for redirects.
Sign in
Use Sign In with email/password or Google. You are redirected by account type: attorneys go to the Attorney Dashboard, others to the Dashboard, or to the Client Portal if you used a client invitation link.
3. For Attorneys
Professional Responsibility & Use of AI
Estate Plan Studio uses AI to assist with document generation and other tasks. As an attorney, you have professional responsibility obligations when using AI tools. The following guidance is based on the California State Bar Practical Guidance and ABA Formal Opinion 512. This is not legal advice—follow the rules of your jurisdiction.
Competence & Diligence
- GAI tools can produce inaccurate or fabricated information ("hallucinations"), including false case citations.
- Use AI as a starting point only; critically review and independently verify all output.
- You are fully responsible for all work on behalf of the client, regardless of AI use.
- Do not delegate professional judgment to AI.
Confidentiality
- Before inputting client information into any AI tool, assess the risk of disclosure.
- Self-learning AI tools may use your input to inform outputs for others (inside or outside your firm).
- Informed consent is required before inputting client information into such tools; boilerplate language in engagement letters is not sufficient.
- Estate Plan Studio anonymizes data before AI processing and does not permit training on your data.
Client Communication
- Disclose your use of AI if the client asks, if the engagement agreement or outside counsel guidelines require, or if AI output influences a significant decision in the representation.
- Consider disclosing in the engagement agreement how you use AI, the benefits and risks, and any client instructions.
Candor to Tribunal
- Review all AI output for accuracy, including citations and legal analysis, before submission to a court.
- Check local court rules—some courts require disclosure of AI use.
Supervision
- Firms should establish clear policies on permissible AI use.
- Train subordinates (lawyers and nonlawyers) on ethical and practical use of AI.
- Mark all AI-produced materials as such in client and firm files.
- Supervisory duties extend to third-party AI vendors.
Fees
- Charge only for time actually spent (e.g. reviewing/editing AI output); do not charge for time saved by AI.
- If AI makes work significantly faster, charging the same flat fee may be unreasonable.
- Do not charge clients to learn how to use an AI tool you will use regularly.
- Some AI costs are overhead (not billable); some may be passed on as expenses. Communicate the basis for charges before or soon after starting the representation.
3.1 Attorney Dashboard
From the Attorney Dashboard you see all your client matters. Create a new matter to add a client (name, contact, matter type, etc.). You can switch between stacked and split layout. Click a matter to open its detail view.
3.2 Matter Detail
Each matter has tabs: Details, Communications, Billing, Consultations, Notes, Documents, and Timeline. The Details tab shows client and matter info. Use the "Client Portal & Questionnaires" button to invite clients and assign questionnaires.
3.3 Client Portal & Questionnaires
From the matter, open Client Portal & Questionnaires. You can send or resend a client portal invitation by email and copy the invitation link to share. Choose a questionnaire template, add an optional message, and assign it to the client. Clients see assignments in their portal and complete them; you get notifications when they submit. View responses under Attorney → Questionnaires → Responses.
3.4 Creating Documents
From a matter's Documents tab you can create: Power of Attorney (POA), Advance Healthcare Directive (AHCD), Last Will and Testament (married or unmarried), Trusts (unmarried with minor children, or married taxable), and Grant Deed (individual or LLC). Each opens a step-by-step wizard. Your progress is auto-saved as a draft. You can save to the document repository (encrypted) as draft or final, and download the generated document (e.g. DOCX). The Document Repository also lets you upload, preview, download, and manage versions.
3.5 Communications
In the matter's Communications tab, choose a type (e.g. engagement letter, billing statement, document transmittal). The app can generate letter content; you can edit it, then save and/or send by email. For document transmittal, attach documents from the matter's repository.
3.6 Billing & Notifications
The Billing tab lets you manage time entries and invoices for the matter. You can attach an invoice to a communication and send it with a cover letter. The notification bell in the header shows alerts (e.g. questionnaire submitted, client accepted invitation); clicking one takes you to the response or matter.
4. For Individuals (Personal Dashboard)
From the Dashboard you can work on Last Will & Testament, Living Trust, Power of Attorney, Advance Healthcare Directive, and optional types (Living Will, Pet Trust, HIPAA Authorization, Beneficiary Designation). Track progress, use the onboarding wizard and AI assistant for guidance, and view document history. Select a document type to start a guided flow, then generate and download your document when complete.
5. For Clients Invited by an Attorney
Sign in (or sign up) using the invitation link your attorney sent. The Client Portal dashboard shows your matter and questionnaire assignments. Each assignment has a status (e.g. Not started, In progress, Submitted) and progress. Open an assignment to answer the questions, save progress, and submit. The attorney is notified and can review your responses.
6. Settings
Under Settings you can manage: Profile (name, email, and for attorneys, firm information), Security (password, session timeout), Payments, and Account (export your data, delete account). Attorneys also have Billing Defaults for default billing type on new matters.
7. Quick Reference
| I want to… | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Manage client matters | Attorney Dashboard → matter list → open matter |
| Create a Will, POA, AHCD, Trust, or Grant Deed for a client | Matter → Documents → choose type → wizard |
| Invite a client or assign a questionnaire | Matter → Client Portal & Questionnaires |
| See questionnaire responses | Notifications → questionnaire submitted, or Attorney → Questionnaires → Responses |
| Create my own will, trust, POA, or AHCD | Dashboard → choose document type |
| Complete a questionnaire from my attorney | Sign in with invitation link → Portal → open assignment |
| Change password or security | Settings → Security |
| Export my data or delete account | Settings → Account |
8. Need More Help?
Contact us at support@estateplanpro.com. For legal and privacy information, see our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy (footer links).