Top Best Probate Lawyers | 3994 Available

Beti Bergman is an attorney and counselor at law dedicated to serving her clients with judgment, courtesy, and diligence. In 1997, she started her legal career as a business litigator and then joined the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office in 2003 where she was civil litigator handling nuisance abatement matters. When Beti became a mother, the importance of caring for a family and assuring the protection of family values and assets became of utmost importance in her life. Beti started her own private practice in probate, trusts, and estates. She began applying her legal skills to help families preserve their assets and values and make important legal decisions for themselves and those they love.. Her now thriving law practice focuses exclusively on probate, trust and estate administration, conservatorships, estate planning, and litigation, such as, elder abuse, fraud, will and trust contests, and beneficiary rights. Beti is extremely passionate in these areas of law. Estates can go awry due to poor planning or rogue family members or neighbors who take advantage of an elderly loved one, either by influencing them to bequest assets to them or by misappropriating property once they gain control over an estate. Beti has the keen analytical skills to untangle a complicated estate and has the enthusiasm to vigorously pursue correction of these wrongs. Because she administers and litigates trusts and estates, she knows how to devise an estate plan that will avoid common pitfalls and vulnerabilities at the back end. Because she prepares estate plans, Beti understands the direction that an estate plan was supposed to take when families approach her with a misdirected will or trust. And, the most important trait that Beti has in this field is that she knows how to talk to families as real people and not just in “legalese.”. Beti received her Juris Doctorate from UC Davis School of Law, where she was a member of law review. She also earned a Master of Science degree in applied mathematics from Long Beach State with distinction, and a Bachelor of Science degree in applied mathematics from UCLA.. Throughout her legal career, Beti has been active in the community. She actively serves on the board of the Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers' Alliance and has served on the board of the Multi-Cultural Bar Alliance and the UCLA Asian Pacific Alumni Board of Directors. She is also a past president of the Southern California Chinese Lawyers' Association, where she served on the Board of Governors for eight years and headed up the virtual reality trial skills workshop for four years.. Beti also serves on the Los Angeles Superior Court Probate Volunteer Panel of attorneys and the court’s Guardianship Volunteer Panel. She has also worked as a volunteer mediator in Torrance Court. Her speaking engagements include panels discussing women in the law, mothers balancing career and family, and preparing for advanced age healthcare and financial care.

Andrew M. Meinzer is dedicated to understanding and satisfying the unique goals of each individual client. Mr. Meinzer provides high quality personalized legal services.. Mr. Meinzer cares for his clients. He serves his clients with compassion and dedication. At the same time, he represents his clients’ interests with determination and zeal.. Mr. Meinzer is accessible. He offers evening and weekend appointments. He even makes house calls.. WILLS & TRUSTS, ESTATE PLANNING, AND POWERS OF ATTORNEY. A good Estate Plan secures a high quality of life for an individual and then it provides for a maximum transfer of assets to chosen beneficiaries on death. A Trust usually can achieve these results in the most cost-effective manner by (1) minimizing estate taxes and (2) avoiding the time and expense of a Probate. For some people, however, a Will may work better.. For parents of a minor child, a good Estate Plan provides for care of the child after the parents’ deaths. For example, a Trust allows the parents to specify how their assets are to be applied to the benefit of the child after the deaths of the parents. Further, Nominations of Guardians allow the parents to designate Guardians to care for the child after the parents’ deaths.. A good Estate Plan also ensures that financial management and health care decisions can be made for an individual if he or she loses capacity to make such decisions. Together, a Trust and Powers of Attorney achieve this goal.. Powers of Attorney are documents through which an individual nominates someone as an agent to make financial management and healthcare decisions in case the individual loses capacity to make such decisions for himself or herself. Every adult should have a Power of Attorney for Financial Management and a Power of Attorney for Health Care (also known as an Advance Health Care Directive). Without these documents, a Conservatorship may be required. See Elder Law & Conservatorships below.. Mr. Meinzer provides personalized services to satisfy each individual client’s Estate Planning objectives. He assists each client with determining whether a Trust, a Will, or another Estate Planning vehicle is best for satisfying the client’s particular goals.. Mr. Meinzer’s Estate Plans include personalized Powers of Attorney that allow each client to nominate an agent of his or her choice to make decisions for the client in the event that the client loses capacity to do so. These Powers of Attorney are specific regarding the powers granted to the agent, and Mr. Meinzer custom-tailors specific Powers of Attorney to satisfy the needs and desires of each client.. PROBATES & DECEDENTS’ ESTATES. A Probate is necessary for many people who die without a Trust. A Probate is a court-supervised administration of a decedent’s estate. A Probate concludes with the court issuing an order to distribute the decedent’s assets to his or her heirs or beneficiaries.. As discussed above, a good Estate Plan may avoid the necessity of a Probate. For example, a decedent with a Trust may have his or her assets distributed to beneficiaries through a Trust Administration process, which usually is less expensive and less time-consuming than a Probate and maintains privacy.. Similarly, a Probate may not be necessary for a decedent with a small estate. Rather, if certain requirements are satisfied, assets may be transferred to the decedent’s heirs or beneficiaries based on a signed affidavit instead of a court order.. If you are dealing with the court system in relation to a probate or estate-related matter, or if you think that you will be in the near future, it is important that you hire an attorney who knows the full particulars of California probate law and the probate court. With sensitivity and care, Mr. Meinzer guides clients through the Probate and the Trust Administration processes. For small estates, he drafts affidavits to effect transfers of decedents’ assets to heirs or beneficiaries without the necessity of Probate.. ELDER LAW & CONSERVATORSHIPS. Elder Law services are designed to improve the lives of elderly people as they age. For example, although forgetfulness is a common issue (especially as a person ages), it can be a real problem when it seriously interferes with a person’s ability to handle personal affairs. Dementia, especially of the Alzheimer’s type, and other illnesses and disabilities can result in a person lacking legal capacity to care for himself or herself. Such an incapacitated person may require a Conservatorship, which is a court-supervised proceeding to provide decision-making and care for an incapacitated person, much like a Guardianship is to a minor child. As discussed above, however, a good Estate Plan with Powers of Attorney can avoid the necessity of a Conservatorship.. With compassion and sensitivity, Mr. Meinzer counsels regarding use of planning opportunities available to overcome the unique issues faced by his elderly clients and other clients with special needs. Such planning includes drafting Revocable Trusts, Special Needs Trusts, and Powers of Attorney; conducting Medi-Cal planning; and obtaining Long Term Care Insurance and Reverse Mortgages.. BIOGRAPHY OF ANDREW M. MEINZER. Andrew M. Meinzer is an attorney practicing Estate Planning, Trust and Will drafting, Trust Administration, Probate, Conservatorship, Medi-Cal Planning, Special Needs Planning, and Elder Law, in Torrance, California. He was admitted to practice law in 1999 by the State Bar of California. He was also admitted in 1999 to practice before the United States District Courts for the Central, Northern, Eastern, and Southern Districts of California.. Mr. Meinzer is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Los Angeles Superior Court Probate Volunteer Panel, Los Angeles County Bar Association, and South Bay Bar Association. Further, Mr. Meinzer is a member of the KEEP-SAFE Coalition, ~the South Bay Estate Planning Council, and the El Camino College, Division of Business, Paralegal Studies Advisory Committee.. Mr. Meinzer graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland, and he graduated in 1999 with a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern University School of Law. During law school, Mr. Meinzer served as a Notes and Comments Editor for the Southwestern University Law Review and was a brief writer for the Moot Court honors program. He also served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Michael Farrell of the Los Angeles Superior Court, Law and Motion Department.. Before attending law school, Mr. Meinzer served in the United States Navy as an audio visual director for the White House Communications Agency. At the White House Communications Agency, he planned and executed presidential and vice-presidential appearances at the White House and worldwide for the George H. W. Bush and William J. Clinton administrations.

Using wills and trusts, I help people protect their loved ones and transfer assets to provide them with peace of mind. I have been advising families in the area of Trusts and Estates for over 20 years, and provide top notch legal services with empathy and compassion at my firm, Beach Cities Estate Law.. I take the time to get to know my clients and their concerns to ensure that each plan is customized and flexible to account for changing conditions. Clients hire me because I understand what they are going through, and guide them through every step of the way. My work is based upon six key principles: Personal Attention, Empathy, Ease, Action, Experience, and Technology. I bring clients peace of mind, so they can continue to focus on their busy lives.. My team at Beach Cities Estate Law offers four main areas of service:. Estate Planning.Crafting customized estate plans, tailored to their clients’ unique needs, with the goal of preparing them for life’s uncertainties.. Elder Law.Expert legal guidance during a difficult time when a family member is faced with an incapacitating illness.. Trust & Probate Administration.Legal advice to guide and protect those left in charge of a loved one’s estate, resulting in an optimal outcome for all parties.. Beneficiary Representation.Acting to protect the interests of beneficiaries through increased communications, transparency, and legal advice.. I strive to be my clients' trusted counsel throughout their lifetime, whether it be for a quick question or comprehensive solution. Visit the Beach Cities Estate Law website to learn more about what makes my firm unique.

Antoniette Jauregui has received her law degree from California Southern University and got license to practice law in California in 1996.. She been practicing law since 1997. She has represented numerous satisfied clients in Probate, Trust & Will Contest, Elder abuse, Civil Litigation cases, including Real Estate Title and Ownership disputes with a high success rate, she has built a large following of a very loyal clientele.

INCLUDED ON THE LIST OF SUPER LAWYERS OF CALIFORNIA. IN 2016, 2017, 2018 AND 2019

Stephen Grant focuses his practice exclusively in probate, trust and estate law – including estate planning and estate litigation. Stephen enjoys getting to know his clients and he prides himself on finding effective and efficient solutions for his clients’ needs. As a result, Stephen is a 5-Star Attorney on Yelp and a Client’s Choice winner on AVVO – in addition to being selected to Super Lawyers® Rising Stars.Stephen has represented clients from across the country, he has administered probates in counties throughout California, and he continues to work with countless Southern California individuals and families on their estate planning. Among Stephen’s recent successes in the trust litigation field is the multi-million dollar judgment he obtained on behalf of a client—a ruling which Stephen successfully defended on Appeal. After graduating with highest distinction from the University of Kansas, Stephen spent nearly a decade living and running his own business in New York City. Stephen returned home to his native Los Angeles and earned his J.D. from – and met his wife– at Loyola Law School. Stephen and his wife Gali are the proud parents of two sons. When he is not working, Stephen is with his wife and kids.

Also known as Amanda Lisa Perez

A long time resident of the San Jacinto Valley, I graduated from San Jacinto High School in 1989.  I've been serving the legal needs of clients since 1998.  I am fully committed to being open and responsive to your needs and concerns.. I am a long time member of Bble Fellowship Church and hope to bring a Christian prespective to the emotional difficulties that come with dealing the courts in the areas of Probate Law.. Consider a local person with a local perspective on meeting your needs in this trying time.

Maria Worthington McKenna is an associate with Council Baradel.  Ms. McKenna’s practice includes estate planning, estate administration, education law and general civil litigation.. Ms. McKenna focuses most of her practice on advising clients with estate planning and estate administration needs.  Ms. McKenna advises individuals, couples and families on individualized estate plans and has experience drafting various estate planning documents.  Ms. McKenna also has experience navigating the estate administration process for her clients with a focus on alleviating the stress of administering an estate of a loved one.  Ms. McKenna has successfully represented clients in state court with respect to estate and/or trust litigation matters, including contesting a Will and challenging a Trustee’s decision regarding use of Trust funds.. In addition to assisting clients, Ms. McKenna serves on the Advisory Board to the Legal Studies Institute at Anne Arundel Community College to help the next generation of legal professionals.. Ms. McKenna is a member of the American Bar Association, Maryland Bar Association and Anne Arundel County Bar Association.. Ms. McKenna was selected by Super Lawyers in 2014 and 2015 as a “Rising Star” in the areas of Estate Planning & Probate, Schools & Education and Real Estate.. Ms. McKenna was selected by lawyer peers as a Leading Lawyer in the area of Trust/Estate law by What’s Up! Magazine (published May 2014).

Victor graduated summa cum laude from Towson University with his Bachelor of Science degree. He received his Juris Doctor with a Concentration in Estate Planning from the University of Baltimore School of Law. After graduating law school, Victor served as a judicial law clerk, and then worked at a large law firm in Baltimore, where he served as a Managing Attorney supervising the daily operations of a legal services program. Currently, he focuses his practice on estate planning, probate and elder law. Victor manages the Estate Administration Department, helping clients when a loved one has passed away and is committed to providing outstanding client service.

I manage the Estate and Trust Administration practice group at Elville and Associates, P.C. I also assist clients with estate planning and elder law matters, with an emphasis on special needs planning, including handling claims for Social Security disability benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, at every level of appeal, including representation before the U.S. District Court of Maryland. I have a wealth of experience in addressing the unique needs of individuals and families as the navigate through the disability process.

As the Managing Owner of The Saint Yves Law Firm, Attorney Marie-Yves Nadine Jean-Baptiste concentrates her legal practice on Estate Planning and Administration, and Taxation. Located in Towson, Maryland, Marie-Yves is passionate about providing a better future for those in need of legal services/protection. Attorney Nadine Jean-Baptiste believes that the right representation can make the legal process not seem as scary. Marie-Yves is licensed to practice law in Maryland and Federal District Court.

Attorney Stephen J. Reichert is dedicated to providing quality legal advice and advocacy that meets the specific needs of his clients, with a focus on estate administration (probate) and estate planning. He will personally handle all aspects of your case. Contact Mr. Reichert today for a free, confidential consultation.  Mr. Reichert received a degree in philosophy at Trinity College before receiving his Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law. He served on the Maryland Journal of International Law and Trade and The Federal Circuit Bar Journal; directed and advised student attorneys working in the University of Maryland law clinic; and clerked for a Maryland Circuit Court Judge. He worked at small law firm, as an administrative law judge, and has managed his own legal practice for over a decade. Mr. Reichert is admitted to the Maryland State Bar and the Federal Circuit Bar. He is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA), and the MSBA Estate and Trust Law and Solo-Practice sections; he also has worked as a researcher for the MSBA. In addition to his legal work, Mr. Reichert is the founder and editor of the nationally recognized poetry magazine Smartish Pace, and an owner of Baseball Prospectus. For a free, confidential consultation contact Stephen today.