About 15 years ago my (now ex) wife and I had a complete estate plan drawn up and it was about $1000 I think. It was done by an attorney who specialized is estates. He met with us, listened to our specific situation and concerns, drew up the documents, and handled all of the retitling and other administrative details of funding the trust. Our documents included 2 wills, a living trust, a couple of different powers-of-attorney for each of us. They were obviously based on templates/boilerplate but had to be customized for our specific situation. Our situation was pretty simple, no kids for example. I was very happy with the attorney and the work product.
Even though I had read a lot on trusts and estates and had even taken paralegal courses on trusts, estates, and probate, I learned a lot going through the process and asked the attorney lots of questions when there was something I did not understand.
Now that I am divorced I will be having a new estate plan done but have been putting it off. (I wish I could blame covid but I can't.) I have already selected an attorney and will be setting up the appointment this week.
I agree with what has been said here. The seminar is probably a marketing thing for the presenter's legal services. I'm also sure there will be a pitch to include the foundation in your will. But that's ok. Attend, learn, ask lots of questions, then make you own decisions. Don't let yourself be bullied. It sounds like you already are considering including the foundation anyway.
An estate plan is too important to get wrong. So even though my own was fairly cheap, it was not price that influenced us. The attorney was recommended by people we trusted. I have been wrestling with the big firm vs small firm decision. I see benefits and pitfalls with both.
I also find myself at a quandry over whether to name my partner as my executor. She will definitely be my beneficiary but I worry that she will not deal well with the stress of making all kinds of decisions when also grieving. She also has little interest in finances. My thinking is to make her executor but also appoint a lawyer to advise her.
I personally do not want to use a bank as a trustee because I don't have a high degree of trust in banks mostly regarding fees. But I recognize that may be my best option.
Quite frankly, when I went through the process 15 years ago it seemed somewhat abstract. I did not expect to be dead any time soon. I still don't. I am pretty healthy for the most part. But if I live another 25 years I will have lived longer than almost all family members. I've also had way too many friends and colleagues die in their 60s or even 50s to get too unrealistic about my own longevity.
I hope you post a follow up regarding your thoughts on the seminar!