Many of us have eaten at a Benihana’s at least once. Rocky Aoki, the gentleman who founded the chain in the 1960s died on July 10. The restaurants he created are famous for the dramatic with knife wielding chefs making our food as we watch.

Mr. Aoki also had drama in his personal life. He was certainly flamboyant, raced boats, married three times, fathered six children, had girlfriends, and at some points indulged in drugs. He has sued four of his six children in 20006 over control of the corporation he started as he wanted his current wife and now widow to have control.

For estate planning attorneys who prepare estate plans for their clients including wills and living trusts, clients like Mr. Aoki make these interesting. While they are incredibly intelligent, they also are capable of having lives that would not be believable as a Hollywood movie. Sometimes, it can make an estate planning attorney utilize skills that are not just “lawyering” skills, but also include counseling.

That is why many estate planning attorneys call themselves counselors. Those of us that spend our days in this area know that to be most effective we have to be good listeners and then provide our clients with options so that their living trust or will becomes personal to them.