Top Estate Lawyers Near Me in Pasadena Area

Calvin A. Slater has been a lawyer since 1981, with over 30 years of experience with helping clients, such as entrepreneurs, physicians, business owners and real estate investors. His legal expertise includes real estate matters, tax-deferred exchanges, trusts, estate planning, asset protection, as well as business matters such as formation, planning, and succession.. He emphasizes a personal connection with each client to understand their needs and provide effective solutions. He encourages a team approach by collaborating with a client’s other professionals such as accountants and investment advisors.  Mr. Slater is a certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the California Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California.  He is a member of the State Bar of California and the American Bar Association.. He has been awarded an A-V peer review rating, the highest rating for legal ability and ethics given by Martindale-Hubbell, the preeminent and recognized peer review rating authority for attorneys.  An A-V rating is the pinnacle of professional excellence.. He is co-author of For California Doctors, A Guide for Asset Protection Tax and Estate Planning, published by Guardian Publishing.. Mr. Slater received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of California Los Angeles School of Law, and a Masters in Economics, from the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management.  He was awarded the John M. Olin Fellowship Award in Economics & Law.. His undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree was awarded from the University of Southern California, School of Business Administration, with a major in Real Estate and Finance.

Before founding Griswold & MacFarlane, Mr. MacFarlaneaccumulated substantial real estate development and real propertyexperience while practicing real estate law in Sacramento.  At Griswold& MacFarlane, Mr. MacFarlane focuses on reviewing, drafting andnegotiating various real estate agreements, counseling borrowers andlenders through loss mitigation, loan modification,  and the short saleand foreclosure process, receivership services, real estate brokerageservices and the legal aspects of multi-family and commercial propertymanagement.. Mr. MacFarlane is also an officer and designated broker at DMM Property Management.. Mr. MacFarlane is a member of the California State Bar and alicensed California Real Estate Broker.  Mr. MacFarlane earned hisundergraduate degree in Managerial Economics from the University ofCalifornia, Davis and his law degree from the University of thePacific, McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento.

As one of the firm’s founding attorneys, Ching K. Chiao is a respected and prominent member of the Southern California Real Estate and Business Law community.  Mr. Chiao represents various individuals and businesses, including major real estate developers in the Greater Los Angeles Area with portfolios in excess of $500,000,000.  His representation includes notable deals with Home Depot, Office Depot, Food-4-Less, Rite Aid, Ross Dress-for-Less, JC Penny’s, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Starbucks, Seattle’s Best, Foot Locker, Gymboree, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, MetroPCS, and many more.. Mr. Chiao prides himself on delivering exceptional results in a cost-effective manner.  Companies who utilize Mr. Chiao’s talents as in-house counsel continually report substantial cost savings and improved efficiency in operations, management, and litigation.  His ability to be aggressive and creative while arriving at win-win scenario for all involved is the monument of the firm’s success.. Mr. Chiao is currently involved with the City of Arcadia's Planning Commission, and serving as the Planning Commission's Chairman. He has also been a guest speaker for the Arcadia Association of REALTORS for previous foreign investors workshops.

Anahid earned her BA in Political Science/Political Theory at UCLA. She earned her J.D. Degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. Her first job as an attorney was for a personal injury law firm. In 1989, Anahid joined with Yuen Fang to form Agemian & Fang. Since that time, Anahid has been committed to helping people navigate the turbulent waters of the legal system to obtain the best possible results for her clients.. Anahid is a member and deputy chair of and arbitrator for the Los Angeles County Bar Attorney Client Fee Dispute Arbitration Services Inc.; a past chair of the State Bar's Committee on Mandatory Fee Arbitration; an arbitrator for the Los Angeles Superior Court; and certified as a Temporary Judge in the Los Angeles County Court system. She has lectured on and trained attorneys for arbitrations and has tried both jury and non-jury trials for the past 25 years.. Anahid's areas of expertise involve all aspects of litigation, specifically in the areas of real estate, business, and family law.

Alexandra Smyser is an associate attorney at The Law Offices of Donald P. Schweitzer, based in Pasadena, Calif.  She specializes in all areas of Estate Planning, including Trust Administration, Probate Matters, Conservatorships, Wills, Revocable Living Trusts, Powers of Attorney, and Health Care Directives. Her areas of expertise include Special Needs Children, Domestic Partnerships and Same-Sex Marriages.. Ms. Smyser also has comprehensive experience in probate. She represents clients in the administration of estates, conservatorship proceedings, guardianship proceedings and court supervised trusts, and she provides family law clients with options for interim estate planning and making changes to assets.  She is available as a guest speaker and legal expert for topics related to Estate Planning (Trust Administration, Probate Matters, Conservatorships, Wills, Revocable Living Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directives, etc.).. Ms. Smyser graduated magna cum laude from Southwestern Law School, after a 10-year career in the entertainment industry. The passing of both of her parents inspired her career change when she experienced how a well-prepared estate plan can alleviate much of the stress felt by grieving families. While at Southwestern she received the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction Award (highest grade in class)in several courses,including Estate and Gift Tax, Property, Civil Procedure and Legal Research and Writing. During law school, Ms. Smyser interned for the Honorable Dean D. Pregerson of the United States District Court.. Ms. Smyser is an active member of the California State Bar, the Los Angeles County Bar, and the Pasadena Bar Association. Additionally, she is a frequent speaker at local community groups on the topic of estate planning and conservatorships, and is active with numerous community organizations, including Solheim Lutheran Home, Salem Lutheran Church and National Charity League.

A native of Hawaii, Richard L. Chinen attended the University of Hawaii, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1979. He then moved to Southern California to attend Southwestern Law School and obtained a Juris Doctorate in 1982.. As a partner of Palermo, Barbaro, Chinen & Pitzer, Mr. Chinen practices all aspects of family law, including: property division, characterization, allocation, and valuation; reimbursement claims; hidden assets; spousal support; child support; breaches of fiduciary duty; business valuations; real property valuations and claims; post-judgment matters; and child custody and visitation.. Mr. Chinen has also practiced in the area of estate planning and probate for over 30 years, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives and intergenerational transfers.. A member of the Pasadena Bar Association, he served as President from 1999-2000 and Vice President of the Pasadena Lawyer Referral and Information from 1992-1995. He is also a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Family Law and Trust and Estates Sections, and a former Adjunct Professor of Family Law at Trinity School of Law.. Mr. Chinen’s community activities include the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association (Director and 2015 President), Fuller Theological Seminary School of Psychology (Member Dean’s Advisory Council), and Elizabeth House (Advisory Member, Board of Directors). He currently serves on the Rose Bowl Management Committee and is a former board member of the Rose Bowl Operating Company for the City of Pasadena.. He enjoys running, weightlifting, cooking and beach activities with his family.