MHNA Consulting LLC's founder and principal is Richard J. Szrabe, a retired English barrister (Middle Temple 1982-2009):-
latterly a tenant at 13 Old Square Chambers, Lincoln's Inn: practised in a couple of niches in international insurance (on which he wrote 'billion-dollar lawyer-author' books etc.); then exclusively re dysfunction, dishonesty and crime in international inheritance
retired in good standing 2009 (present status at Middle Temple is 'Withdrawn Membership'; category there is 'Non-Practising Barrister': Middle Temple's Head of Membership's letter, 'To whomever it may concern', October 10, 2022)
in 2011, changed his last name from Astor to Szrabe.
To date, more than twenty years' professional and personal experience, continuing, of inheritance-related dishonesty and criminality by (eg):-
'friends' and family of testators
power-attorneys
heirs and their accomplices
estate managers
lawyers all round, including for victim testators, victim heirs, criminal power-attorneys and criminal estate managers
police
judges
and the best part of fifty years' professional and personal experience, continuing, of dysfunction, dishonesty and criminality by generalist and specialist lawyers.
Member, International Association of Crime Analysts.
MHNA memorialises Peter Maclean Maitland (1937-2009), Michael Bartholomew Herbacsek (1921-2004) and Anne Watson Hughes Norman (1919-2002), victims of inheritance crime to whom, and to whose victimised estates, Richard has professional and personal connections. It also gives a nod to Astor.
MHNA sees all relevant inheritance-related dysfunction as actually or potentially criminal, and is in earnest about properly dealing with it as such. (We apprehend that victim heirs, some lawyers, and police and prosecutors, are generally not.)
Having seen, witnessed and experienced enough of it, we consider inheritance crime — an ancient vice of universal concern — to be a major under-reported, under-done problem.
We are determined to provide and promote solutions, with the ultimate object in every case of assisting prudent heirs to get in their full due inheritance — in all its simplicity or complexity — efficiently, effectively and cost-effectively, without being defrauded and lied to by anyone on anything at any stage.
MHNA believes in an uncompromising approach to inheritance-related crime.
Depending, of course, on when we are brought in, MHNA is available to deter, prevent, detect, expose and pursue inheritance-related dishonesty and criminality.
prevention
MHNA puts systems in place, in various quarters, to thwart — including by dissuasion and deterrence — the inheritance criminal wherever she may lurk. We focus on incessant minute-by-minute real-time vigilance on every relevant estate movement, datum and cent, and on all relevant parties individually, in combination and collectively.
detection
MHNA is intimately familiar — in a way that many lawyers, police and prosecutors are not — with inheritance situations and how inheritance-related crime can be conceived, configured, committed, concealed and consummated. We are on the look-out. We treat every estate as a crime scene.
exposure
MHNA takes all available present and known-absent data and astorises them: pixel-level inspection, examination, analysis, evaluation, quantification, valuation and exposition. We prepare reports and accounts, marshal evidence, make presentations and proactively advocate.
pursuit
Civil court, criminal court… Wherever the victim wishes to go with it, MHNA will ensure that he is in a position to make a fully informed decision about the realities of the case, and implement that decision to its conclusion. MHNA informs, advises and assists throughout, liaising as appropriate with other professionals.
MHNA is not a law firm.
We do not provide legal opinions, legal advice or law-firm representation
We do provide (usually without charge) factual information — relevant primary texts and our own common-sense explanation, interpretation, exposition and elucidation — about relevant civil and criminal law and practice in relevant jurisdictions
Where appropriate and instructed, we do make, including in our reports and presentations, formal factual evidenced assertions, allegations and accusations concerning criminal behavior.
MHNA fees are customised in every case. We never charge by the hour. We never charge contingency fees, conditional fees, success fees or fees based on the value of an estate or of any of its components, assets, affairs or transactions. We charge only by the assignment — formally particularised, modelled, timed, costed and agreed in detail in advance. We like to work in well-defined stages. We are open in principle to appropriate retainer arrangements.