* Starter Estate Planning Bundle (including Legal Specialist Credits – CA) *

What You Will Learn

Probate Litigation 101: The Nuts and Bolts

Procedure & Timelines

• Statutory deadlines
  • Estate proceedings
  • Trust proceedings
  • Probate Code 850
• Local Rules
  • E-Filing!
• Petitions
• Motions
• Ex Partes
• Citation and Summonses
• Do’s and Don’ts

Discovery – Differences between Probate and Civil Litigation 

• Probate specific discovery procedures
  • Probate Code § 8870 – Discovery of Decedent’s Property
  • Probate Code § 2616 – Similar procedures for a conservatorship
• Subpoenaing Records

Types of Actions & Issues 

Capacity & Undue Influence 

• Presumption of Capacity
• Probate Code §§ 810-12
• Estate of Fritschi
• Capacity to execute trust
  • Anderson v. Hunt
  • Walton v. Bank of CA
  • Lintz v. Lintz
• Capacity to execute will
  • Probate Code 6100.5
• Conservatorships (functional capacity)
  • Probate Code 1801 

• WIC § 15610.70
• Burden of proof on contestant
• Estate of Truckenmeiller
• Elements to establish undue influence
  • Estate of Lingenfelter
  • Estate of Yale
  • Estate of Little (where decedent suffers from debilitating illness, less evidence of pressure might be required)
  • Estate of Allen (where alleged wrongdoer committed undue influence while acting in a fiduciary capacity, the requirements are diminished).
• Presumption of Undue Influence – Burden shifting
  • David v. Hermann
  • Estate of Rugani
  • Estate of Llewellyn

• Rebutting Presumption of Undue Influence
  • Clear and convincing evidence
  • Transfer to person who drafted instrument, presumption is conclusive and cannot be rebutted.
  • Unsuccessful rebuttal results in bearing of all costs including reasonable attorney fees.

Contests  

• Trust Contests
• Will Contests / Revocation or Probate
• Contract to Make a Will

Removal of Fiduciaries and Accounting Litigation 

• Appointment of temporary trustee.
  • Demand all communications b/t prior trustee and counsel (Moeller).
• Probate Code § 17206.
• Probate Code § 15642(e).
• Strategy re proposing neutral PPF.
• Real property – recording interim order.
• Accounting Litigation
  • From trustee
    • Probate Code §§ 16060-61
    • Probate Code § 17200
    • De facto trustee / Trustee de son tort
    • England v. Winslow 

Conservatorships 

• Contested Conservatorships
  • Probate Code § 1800.3
  • Conservatorship of Ramirez
  • Fees – Probate Code § 2640.1
• Substituted judgment petitions – Probate Code 2580
• Representing clients with limited capacity

850 Petitions

• Statute of limitations
  • Estate of Yool
  • CCP 366.2 1-year SOL does not apply
• Real property – lis pendens.
  • Usually not allowed if recovery of property combined with other causes of action seeking damages (BGJ Associates v. Superior Court)
• 859 Damages 

Financial Elder Abuse 

• WIC § 15610.3
• WIC § 15657.5.
• Perlin v. Fountain View Mgmt., Inc.
• Remedies
• Probate Code § 859 – double damages

Prohibited Donees – Probate Code § 21380

• Definitions
• Drafted / transcribed
• Care custodian / dependent adult
•  Exclusions
  • Certificate of Independent Review / Independent Attorney

How To Interpret Probate Notes

Pre-litigation mediation and settlement

• Petitions to Approve Settlement
• Demand letter, draft of unfiled petition

Trials and Evidence

• Final status conference
• Trial prep
• Pre-trial deadlines
• Trial briefs
• Evidentiary issues
• Motions in limine
• Excluding witnesses
• Order of trial
  • Opening statements
  • Whose case is presented first
  • Order of witnesses / Direct & Cross Examinations
  • Expert witnesses
  • Introduction of Exhibits
  • Objections
  • Closing arguments

• Attorney-Client Privilege
• Fiduciaries and Successor Fiduciaries
  • Moeller v. Superior Court
  • Wells Fargo Bank v. Superior Court
  • Eddy v. Fields
  • Borissoff v. Taylor & Faust
• Holder of privilege after death
  • Evidence Code §§ 953-54.
• Exceptions
  • Evidence Code § 957.
  • Evidence Code § 958.
  • Evidence Code § 959.
  • Evidence Code § 960.
  • Evidence Code § 961.

Ethics

Getting Paid: Attorneys’ Fees and Petitions

Professional Fiduciaries: The Nuts and Bolts 

Basic Outline of Matters

• Conservatorship
• Guardianship
• Probate
• Trust Administration/ Litigation
  • Special Needs Trusts
  • Power of Attorney

Accounting and Asset Management

Investment Standards and Rules

Employing Caregivers 

Professional Fiduciaries Code of Ethics – Title 16, Division 41, Article 4, California Code of Regulations

Protecting Yourself from Liability

• • Petition for Instructions
  • NPA
  • Insurance

Neutrality and Role of the Professional Fiduciary 

• • Communications with outside parties
  • Dealing with difficult clients
  • Interacting with PVP attorneys and other parties
  • Courtroom Do’s and Don’ts

Establishing and Growing a Fiduciary Practice

• • Forms and formats
  • Internal systems
  • Choosing the right clients and how to evaluate cases
  • Choosing the right representation
  • When to get out of a matter

Billing and Petitions for Fees

Trusts and Estates 101: Estate Planning from Start to Finish

Initial Interview – Ethical Considerations

• Identify clients
• Conflicts of interest
• Capacity concerns
• Expectations

Wills

• Independent vs. pour over
• Guardianship provisions
• Miscellaneous provisions
• Execution requirements

Trusts

• Community property vs. separate property
• Personal Effects
• Revocable vs. irrevocable
  • ILITs
  • Dynasty trusts
• Common revocable trust structures
  • “A” Trust Plan (Survivor’s Trust)
  • “A” Trust Plan with Disclaimer (Survivor’s Trust with Disclaimer Trust)
  • “AB” Trust Plan (Bypass Trust; Survivor’s Trust)
  • “ABC” Trust Plan (Bypass Trust; Marital Trust; Survivor’s Trust)
  • Clayton QTIPS
• Formula Clauses
  • Pecuniary formula
  • Fractional interest
  • Post-mortem appreciation/depreciation
  • Income tax issues
  • Marital

• Common distribution provisions
• Powers of appointment
• Incentive provisions
• No contest clauses

Fiduciaries

• Types
• Duties
• Consistency of fiduciaries
• Other considerations
• Fiduciary duties of trustees
  • Reporting requirements
  • Waivers and exoneration

Powers of Attorney

• Immediate vs. springing
• Statutory vs. custom
• Powers to amend, revoke and gift

Advance Health Care Directives

• Statutory vs. custom
• Signature requirements
• Multiple agents
• HIPAA/CMIA – compliance with statutory requirements

Funding Documents

• Assignments
• Certifications
• Deeds
• Funding letters
• LLCs, partnerships
• Stale trusts

Common Controversies and Litigation

• Fiduciary liability
• Accountings
• Contests
• Attorney liability

Testimonials

Probate Litigation 101: The Nuts and Bolts

“Excellent. Very Satisfied.” – Laura Bartels, Esq.

“Excellent practical content and engaging presenters.” – Jenny Shin, Esq.

“Great handouts. I found the program to be very helpful and informative.” – Asha Lopez, Esq.

“Lots of great information for a new attorney, thank you. The detailed handout to follow along is a great tool for future use.” – Samuel R. Brown, Esq.

“Topical, practical, and I thoroughly enjoyed the Judge’s point of view on best practices from the bench.” – Jenny Shin, Esq.

“Very satisfied.” – Jackson Morgus, Esq.

“It was educational and as a fairly new probate litigator I learned some very valuable information. The handouts have been invaluable, and I am really glad to have that perk of participating in the webinar.” – Page Allinson, Esq.

“Clear and comprehensive, efficiently presented.” – Brian Beckwith, Esq.

“Comprehensive overview of the probate litigation process.” – Jackson Morgus, Esq.

“Loved the probate note section. Super helpful. I learned so much.” – Laura Bartels, Esq.

“Great.” – Josseph Hudack, Esq.

“Great presentation; great notes. I love that in the handout there were no slides with too much text…right to the good stuff, the notes.” – Edward Batista, Esq.

“The speakers were all great. Learned a lot, filled in a lot of gaps.” – Monica A. Mihell, Esq.

“Excellent! The pace was good-slow enough to take notes and fast enough to keep me engaged.” – Hillary Grosberg, Esq.

“All presenters clearly had the appropriate experience and clarified presentation by including specific examples from their practices. All presenters welcomed questions and fielded them appropriately and fully.” – Brian Beckwith, Esq.

“Practical information I can implement today – that’s what I was looking for.” – Jenny Shin, Esq.

“I liked the interaction among the speakers. All of them are extremely knowledgeable about probate and litigation involved. Hearing their views and hints and exchanges was very interesting.”

“The day again moved very smoothly and efficiently, and I appreciated how seamless it all was.” – Page Allinson, Esq.

Professional Fiduciaries: The Nuts and Bolts

“Seminar was excellent; among the best that I have attended in my career.” – Jeff Moore, CLPF

“Very good overview and practical application of the practice.“ – Camille Boursiquot, CLPF

“As a nuts and bolts presentation, this was very, very good. “ – Lisa MacCarley, Esq.

“All good topics.” – Sam Thomas, Professional Fiduciary

“Very well done – thanks!” – Arthur Brown, Esq.

“This meeting helped me to understand the basics of being a fiduciary.” – Jacob Averett

“I learned a lot on all of the topics presented. Panel was excellent. The opportunity to hear from a sitting judge was excellent. Seminar was excellent. Among the best that I have attended in my career (formerly banking now fiduciary).”

“Speaker Judge Stratton gave me a lot of insight. I liked all the speakers and the topics.”

Trusts & Estates 101 Testimonials

“Excellent overview. The highlight was the excellent speakers. They were very dynamic, engaged, had great banter, and kept it interesting.” – Julia Birkel, Esq.

“Great overview.” – Andres Moreno, Esq.

“Excellent speakers.” – Edward Wallace, Esq.

“Great speakers. Great information. I love Lauriann! I will always attend seminars where I know she’s speaking. She’s a great speaker. Very relatable.”

Faculty

Probate Litigation 101: The Nuts and Bolts Faculty:

Hon. Mary Thornton House (Ret.)
Retired Judge / Los Angeles Superior Court
Alternative Resolution Centers

Judge House recently retired after 22 years on the Los Angeles Superior Court, where she presided over countless jury and court trials in the Civil and Probate departments. With experience serving as the Supervising Judge of the Northeast and North Central districts, Hub Operations and Assistant Supervising Judge of Civil countywide, Judge House brings a unique and in-depth understanding of all aspects of civil case processing and case values. She is touted for her calm demeanor and unbending graciousness to all that appeared in front of her, as well as her extraordinary and relentless, common-sense approach to settling cases.

Judge House was the first Municipal Court Judge to become a Supervising Judge for the Superior Court in the Northeast District. Elevated in 2000, she presided over mandatory settlement conferences in both limited and general civil matters, reducing the civil caseloads throughout the Northeast and North Central Districts. 

In 2004, she moved to a Civil direct calendar court at the Mosk Courthouse, handling civil matters including personal injury, contract, employment, professional malpractice, asbestos and products liability. She routinely conducted successful settlement conferences for her colleagues and her own matters. She returned to Pasadena in 2010, presiding over Probate and Family/Civil harassment cases. In 2016, she returned to a downtown Probate Department for two years before retiring in 2018. 

Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge House was an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Los Angeles. Initially, she was a criminal prosecutor, but transferred to the civil branch to defend lawsuits against the City and its employees. Her last five years included advising the Los Angeles City Council, Police Commission and Fire Commission. She successfully defended the City’s Police and Fire departments in high dollar-value and high-profile cases in both federal and state courts. 

William G. Benz, Esq.
Partner
Carico Macdonald Kil & Benz LLP

 William G. Benz is a seasoned litigator in the firm’s trust and estate litigation and business transactions departments.  He assists a broad array of clients, ranging from private professional fiduciaries to privately-owned companies.

Mr. Benz represents both beneficiaries and fiduciaries in complex probate court matters – including family-member, paid professional, and public fiduciaries.  Due to his background in business and corporate law, Mr. Benz brings to bear a unique set of tools that aids him in trust and estate disputes involving intricate layered corporate entities.  He also helps his clients in cases of financial elder abuse, fiduciary surcharge and removal, and Probate Code section 850 petitions to recover trust property.

Mr. Benz is also experienced in forming businesses and ventures, including limited liability companies, S-Corporations, C-Corporations, and the transition or sale of existing businesses.

He is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in California, has served as counsel for Amicus Curie in front of the California Supreme Court, and has prosecuted cases for the Long Beach City Prosecutor’s office through the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Trial Advocacy Program.

Mr. Benz received his B.A. in Political Science – Public Law from the University of California, San Diego and obtained his J.D. from the University of California, Davis where he served as Senior Editor of the U.C. Davis Business Law Journal. He is also a graduate of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Trial Advocacy Program.

Christopher Carico, Esq.
Partner/Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law
Carico Macdonald Kil & Benz LLP

Christopher D. Carico is a board certified specialist in estate planning, trust, and probate law with over 30 years of legal experience. His practice includes all facets of trusts and estates, and he represents families, individuals, professional trustees, conservators, guardians, and beneficiaries.

Mr. Carico is one of a handful of California attorneys with expertise in both the estate tax planning and litigation components of trust and estate law. Because of this dual expertise, Mr. Carico is able to design estate planning instruments that can stand up to the closest scrutiny and challenge others’ instruments from the ground level up.

Mr. Carico divides his time between: (1) representing beneficiaries and fiduciaries in dispute resolution, will contests, trusts contests, contested conservatorship, Marvin claims, financial elder abuse actions, challenged accountings, fiduciary surcharge and removal actions, property characterization disputes, and 850 petitions; and (2) counseling clients on advanced estate planning techniques including family limited partnership, family limited liability companies, designated beneficiary trusts, grantor retained annuity and unitrusts, qualified personal residence trusts, intentionally defective grantor trusts, charitable remainder trusts, charitable foundations, self-cancelling installment notes, and life insurance trusts.

Mr. Carico has frequently served as a court-appointed expert to provide his opinions and recommendations to the probate court in the following types of actions: trust reformation proceedings, fiduciary accountings, actions for breach of fiduciary duty, actions for fiduciary suspension and removal, fee petitions, and compromise of creditors’ claims.

Committed to helping individuals resolve trust and estate disputes as quickly and efficiently as possible, Mr. Carico consistently volunteers time as a mediator on the various Court-sponsored pro bono probate mediation panels, and is currently acting as a volunteer Probate Settlement Officer on Los Angeles County Superior Court’s Probate Settlement Conference Panel. Mr. Carico also serves on the Executive Committee for the Trust and Estate Section of the State Bar of California.

Mr. Carico graduated with a J.D. cum laude, from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif. He obtained his B.A in economics from Occidental College.

Robert Eroen, Esq.
Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law
Hill, Farrer & Burrill LLP

Mr. Eroen is licensed by the state of California as a Certified Public Accounting (CPA), is certified by the Financial Planning Board of Standards, Inc. as a Certified Financial Planning™ certificant (CFP®) and Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law (CEPTPLS).

Robert Eroen is a seasoned trust, estate and probate attorney who represents professional fiduciaries, trustees, executors, administrators, conservatees, conservators, guardians, beneficiaries and omitted heirs in all probate court related matters. He has handled a wide range of cases from challenging the validity of multi-million dollar trusts to releasing seniors from inappropriate conservatorships, removing renegade trustees and handling international guardianship matters. He is an extremely talented and aggressive litigator.

This diverse background enables Mr. Eroen – and his firm – to provide clients with an unparalleled depth of knowledge, attentive service and the resiliency and cost effectiveness of a smaller firm.  The firm’s specialties include difficult contested estate and trust matters; complex issues of taxation; “accountings gone wrong” and the like.

Daniel B. Herbert, Esq.
Partner/Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law
Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP

Daniel B. Herbert is a partner in the law firm of Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP, where he has been head of the firm’s trust and estate litigation group since 2005. Previously he was a partner with McKay, Meyer and Herbert, APC, where he was in charge of that firm’s trust and estate litigation for eight years. He has successfully litigated many contested trust and estate matters, including at trial and on appeal, including winning a .4 million judgment at trial and a .1 million appeal in the same day. He is certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization as a specialist in estate planning, trust, and probate law.

Mr. Herbert has made several presentations to attorneys including to the American Bar Association at the 2009 Annual Symposia of its Real Property, Trust & Estate Section in Washington DC (regarding trust and probate litigation); the State Bar of California at its 2014 Summit in Newport Beach (Litigated to Death: How to Sue, Defend, and Settle with the Dead); the Los Angeles County Bar at its Trusts & Estates Symposium in 2015 (ethics for the probate bar); and post-death litigation presentations to civil litigation and trial attorneys in Los Angeles (broadcast live to five other cities) in 2012, 2016.

His presentations for Pincus Professional Education include specialist-certification courses in 2013, 2015; Trust & Estate Boot Camp in 2014; Probate practical course in 2016; Advanced Estate Planning seminar for complicated estates in 2016; and Probate Litigation 101 in 2017 & 2019.

He authored Trustees Face Big Liability published in the Insurance Journal on December 20, 2010, and Last Beneficiary Standing: Identifying Proper Parties in Fiduciary Litigation published in the ABA e/Report in June 2009.

Mr. Herbert is admitted to practice law in the state and federal courts of California (1990), Illinois (1994), and New York (2002), and before the Seventh and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeal. He graduated cum laude from Whittier Law School in 1990 with many honors and distinctions (Law Review, Dean’s List, Honor Roll, Dean’s Merit Scholarship, and several American Jurisprudence Awards). He is a member of the trust and estate sections of the American Bar Association, California Lawyer’s Association, Illinois State Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association, and Pasadena Bar Association.

Mark A. Lester, Esq.
Partner
Jones, Lester, Schuck, Becker & Dehesa, LLP

Attorney Mark A. Lester is an estate planning attorney with extensive experience in a succession planning, probate, trust administration, and trust and estate litigation.  Mr. Lester has received an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell for maintaining the highest standards of professional and ethical excellence in the legal community. He is focused primarily in the following areas of practice: Trust and Estate Litigation; Succession and Estate Planning; Trust Administration and Probate

In a career spanning over 35 years, Mr. Lester is widely recognized for his legal achievements.  He has been certified as an estate planning, trust, and probate law specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.  He is currently serving as one of 7 members of the Board of Trustees of the California Board of Legal Specialization after 5 years of service as one of the nine (9) appointed commissioners on the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization, Estate Planning Law Advisory Commission, which is responsible for writing, administering and grading the certification examination and approving the application for California attorneys seeking to become California Certified Specialists in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. In 2015 through 2019, Mr. Lester has been recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyer™ in Estate & Trust Litigation, in 2015 and 2018 in Estate Planning & Probate, and in 2018 in Corporate and Business areas of the law.

Mr. Lester earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University in 1977.  In 1980, he earned his Juris Doctor degree from Seattle University School of Law.  While attending law school, he was Chairman of the Membership Committee of Phi Delta Phi and an Associate Editor for the Puget Sound Law Review, now known as the Seattle University Law Review.  He also received the American Jurisprudence Award in Trusts and Estates.  After graduating from law school, Mr. Lester went on to earn his Master of Laws, or LL.M., Taxation degree from Boston University School of Law in 1981. 

Mr. Lester is a local community leader as well, volunteering for the Ventura County Wellness & Caregiver Resource Center and the golf committee for the Ventura County Council Boy Scouts of America, is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Family Health Care Centers of Greater Los Angeles, Inc. and formerly on the Oxnard Police Foundation, and continuing as an Assistant Scoutmaster for Western Los Angeles County Council Boy Scout Troop 485, where three of his sons attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He is also an avid outdoorsman with a fondness for golfing, camping, hiking and RV-ing.

Jeffrey Marvan, Esq.
Founder
Marvan Law APC

Jeff Marvan has been practicing law in the State of California since 1999. After graduating from UC Davis, King Hall School of Law, he began his legal career as a public defender in Northern California. As a public defender, Jeff was in court everyday, arguing on behalf of his clients. He engaged in dozens of jury trials and hundreds of contested hearings. Jeff proved himself to be both a fearless advocate and a compassionate counselor. 

Through his experience as a public defender, Jeff developed a deep understanding of the California judicial system. He is at home in the courtroom and conveys a steady confidence and sincere demeanor to both judges and juries. Jeff’s experience in the adversarial court system is a valuable asset if and when cases become litigious.

Over the past three years, Jeff has continued to practice private criminal defense, but has also expanded his legal expertise to estate planning, trust/probate administration, trust/probate litigation, and conservatorship law. Jeff has proven himself to be a highly skilled estate planning attorney. His approach is patient, empathetic, and detail oriented, and he has helped his clients plan for an economically advantageous estate.

Jeff also has extensive experience helping clients navigate the complexities of being an administrator/trustee of a friend or family member’s estate. Clients have consistently commented on Jeff’s compassion and support during these emotionally trying times.

Jeff’s experience as a criminal defense litigator translates quite well into the probate/trust litigation sector. He has proven to be both an effective negotiator and, when necessary, a ferocious litigator to secure his clients’ interests.

Jeff is an active member of the State Bar of California, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Beverly Hills Bar Association, California Public Defenders Association, and LACBA Barristers Domestic Violence Project.

Edgar Saenz, Esq.
Principal/Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law
Law Office of Edgar Saenz

Edgar Saenz is a Los Angeles estate planning attorney and graduate of Stanford Law School.   He is a member of several bar trust and estate sections.  He serves on numerous community and professional boards, including past president of the Westchester Rotary Club (2013-2014) board member of the LAX Area Chamber of Commerce.  Edgar is rated AV by Martindale Hubbell.

Edgar has performed pro bono legal services for the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice and other nonprofits. 

He has been a judge pro tem with the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Lauriann Wright, Esq.
Partner
Wright Kim Douglas ALC

Lauriann Wright is an experienced probate litigator and estate planner located in Glendale California. For over 25 years, she has been practicing all phases of probate law and litigation, including conservatorships, guardianships, trusts, and probate estates, throughout Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties. The focus of her practice is the representation of professional fiduciaries, with success in helping fiduciaries maintain neutrality amid litigation among family members. She also represents select private clients in trust and estate litigation matters, like will and trust contests. She has been named as a Southern California Super Lawyer in Trust and Estate Litigation for over ten consecutive years, from 2012 through 2022. In fact, for 2020 through 2022, she has been named one of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Southern California and, for 2021, she was named one of the Top 50 Women Super Lawyers in Southern California. For 2016 through 2022, she is also listed as one of "The Best Lawyers in America" in Litigation / Probate by Best Lawyers and her law firm has been named a Best Law Firm by U.S. News & World Report as well.  And she has been named as a member of the National Advocates: Top 100 of Wills, Trust, and Estates Lawyers. She has also been AV Rated Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.

Mrs. Wright has conducted numerous contested probate bench trials, dozens of depositions, and written and argued several probate appeals. She has successfully represented professional fiduciaries in contested and protracted probate litigation proceedings in numerous multi-million dollar trusts and estates. Her representation of fiduciaries has included high-profile matters involving the Disney family as well as Britney Spears. She has also served as a fiduciary herself through court appointments as a receiver for real property, guardian ad litem, and trustee. Mrs. Wright has worked with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office on numerous financial elder abuse cases and has been able to successfully recover substantial assets for the elderly victims. She is also a member of the Los Angeles County Court Appointed Counsel Panel as well as the Trusts and Estates Sections of the State Bar and the Los Angeles County Bar. 

Four key qualities make Mrs. Wright an effective advocate for her clients: (1) a keen understanding of probate law and procedure, garnering the respect of her fellow attorneys and bench officers; (2) thoroughness and attention to detail; (3) expansive litigation experience from a concurrent business litigation practice; and (4) social intelligence and understanding of the emotionally charged nature of probate disputes.

 In addition to her probate experience, Mrs. Wright is also an experienced business litigator, knowledgeable in all phases of civil litigation, including jury and bench trials in both state and federal courts. She has briefed and argued cases in appellate matters, including the successful, published opinion in Soderberg v. McKinney, 44 Cal. App. 4th 1760, 52 Cal. Rptr. 2d 635 (1996) which reversed the law on real estate appraiser liability in California. Through her business litigation experience, she has substantial knowledge in the areas of commercial finance, factoring, real estate, construction defect, intellectual property, and complex litigation.

 Mrs. Wright graduated from University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1994 with her Juris Doctorate, including a semester of specialized coursework in international law completed at University of Leiden Law School, Leiden, the Netherlands. Mrs. Wright was admitted to the California Bar in December 1994 and is admitted to practice in all the California state and federal trial and appellate courts. 

Professional Fiduciaries: The Nuts and Bolts Faculty:

Hon. Maria Stratton
Judge
Los Angeles County Superior Court

Judge Stratton received her BA magna cum laude from the University of Southern California and her law degree from Boalt Hall School of Law.  She served as a law clerk for the Honorable Harry Pregerson at both the U.S. District Court and U.S. Circuit Court. In 1981, Judge Stratton joined the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Los Angeles as a deputy federal public defender.  In 1985, she joined Talcott, Lightfoot, Vandevelde, Woehrle and Sadowsky, where she practiced civil and criminal litigation until 1993 when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals appointed her Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California.  In 2006 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed her to the Los Angeles County Superior Court.  Her assignments on the Superior Court have included misdemeanor trials, Proposition 36 court, drug court, preliminary hearings, limited and unlimited civil, probate, and mental health. From 2015 through 2016, she was Supervising Judge of the Probate and Mental Health Departments of the Superior Court and she is a former Assistant Supervising Judge of the Van Nuys branch of the court and of the court’s criminal division. She currently serves on the Judicial Council’s Probate Curriculum Committee and Probate and Mental Health Advisory Committee.     

In 2016, Judge Stratton received the Ernestine Stalhut Award, the highest award given by Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, for her outstanding character, dedication to service and significant contributions to the cause of justice.  In 2005 and 2004, the Los Angeles Daily Journal named Judge Stratton among the "Top 75 Women Litigators" and “Top 50 Women Litigators,” respectively. In 2003 she received the Morton Herbert Service Award from the Criminal Courts Bar Association in Los Angeles. She was also named 2001 Defense Attorney of the Year by the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Criminal Justice Section and is a recipient of the State Bar Commendation for Delivery of Pro Bono Services and Wiley W. Manual Award for Pro Bono Legal Services. She is a founding member of the Los Angeles Criminal Justice American Inn of Court. 

Judge Stratton is married to former law school classmate, Stephen B. Sadowsky.  They have three children, Elena, Jacob, and Lily.  

Yevgeny L. Belous, Esq.

Rodnunsky & Associates

Yevgeny L. Belous completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California Santa Cruz in 2005, graduating with a degree in Economics and Business Management. Mr. Belous earned his J.D. from Thomas Cooley Law School in 2009. For 10 years, Mr. Belous has been practicing exclusively in the areas of trusts and estates, conservatorships, guardianships, estate planning and probate litigation. A large portion of Mr. Belous’ practice is devoted to representing professional fiduciaries in court proceedings and private trusts. This includes representing professional fiduciaries in disciplinary proceedings by the Professional Fiduciaries Bureau. Mr. Belous is a frequent lecturer on probate law, fiduciary ethics and fiduciary practice management. He has been named a SUPER LAWYER RISING STAR for 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Erin Fukuto
Certified Public Accountant
Raimondo Pettit Group

Erin Fukuto, Certified Public Accountant, heads Raimondo Pettit Group’s estate, gift, and trust services with offices in Irvine and Torrance. She specializes in income tax and estate planning with an emphasis on minimizing taxes, increasing corporate profits and individual net worth, and helping not-for-profit organizations maintain their tax exempt status.

Erin has over 20 years of experience in public accounting providing tax compliance services and consulting for high net worth individuals, closely held businesses and not-for-profit organizations. Erin graduated from USC with a B.S. in Accounting and completed her Masters’ Degree at Golden Gate University. Along with being a board member on the Orange County Estate Planning Council, she is the former Chairman of Orange County/Long Beach Estate Planning Interest Group, Member of the CalCPA State Estate Planning Committee, and member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Additionally, Erin is a founding member and officer of the Orange County Chapter of Advisors in Philanthropy and a member of the Professional Advisory Council for Children’s Hospital of Orange County. 

Samuel Ingham III, Esq.

Law Offices of Samuel D. Ingham III

Mr. Ingham is a State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law and has practiced extensively in this field since being admitted to the California Bar in 1975. In addition, he has been trained and qualified as a mediator by the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Mr. Ingham’s practice is primarily devoted to conservatorships and trusts, regularly representing banks and licensed professional fiduciaries as well as individuals. He has appeared in more than 700 court proceedings.

Mr. Ingham is a co-author of two leading practice books published by California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) and teaches regularly on issues involving trusts, estates and protective proceedings. He is presently serving his third term on the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and is currently a member of its Court Liaison Subcommittee.

Mr. Ingham received his B.A. in Latin (summa cum laude) from the University of California, Irvine and his J.D. from the UCLA School of Law. His offices are in Downtown Los Angeles.

Aaron Jacobs, CLPF

Sentry Services

Aaron Jacobs is a California Licensed Professional Fiduciary and owner of Sentry Services.  Aaron founded his company in 2015 after working for some of the most experienced fiduciaries in Southern California.  Aaron specializes in assisting his clients as trustee, successor trustee, conservator, power of attorney, and guardian, as needed.

He has built his reputation in Pasadena and throughout the Southern California area through caring, discrete work with families in need of a trusted agent to act on their behalf.  Mr. Jacobs has handles the management of complex estates as an administrator.  He provides his clients and their beneficiaries with the comfort of knowing that a fair and transparent distribution of assets will take place.  He currently acts as trustee and successor trustee for many large private, court supervised, and special needs trusts.  In this role he prudently manages the assets and affairs of the trustor in accordance with their estate plans.  Additionally, Mr. Jacobs works with attorneys and the courts as a Conservator, both for the person and the estate.  

Mr. Jacobs speaks at events throughout Southern California, educating attorneys and affiliated professionals on the benefits of using a professional fiduciary in estate planning.  Aaron Jacobs is the co-president of the Professional Fiduciaries Association of California’s San Gabriel Valley Chapter.  

Aaron holds degrees in business and economics from California State University, Los Angeles.  Prior to practicing in his chosen profession, Aaron spent nearly two decades running a successful manufacturing & import business.  Aaron holds certificates in Fiduciary Management for Trustees and Fiduciary Management for Conservators from California State University, Fullerton. 

David Kim, Esq.
Managing Partner
Wright Kim Douglas

David Kim, Managing Partner of Wright Kim Douglas, is an experienced litigator with an extensive business and real estate background, and handles exclusively probate and trust matters, both litigated and non-litigated.

Mr. Kim has successfully conducted several notable trials involving probate and trust disputes on behalf of Private Professional Fiduciaries and individuals.  He also counsels clients in all phases of trust administration, conservatorships and probate matters. 

Prior to practicing law, Mr. Kim’s background and experience was mainly in real estate finance, working for Comerica Bank, California Federal Bank, and the Irvine Company.  He has been an active licensed broker for more than 25 years and has transacted numerous investment properties throughout California.

Since graduating from law school, Mr. Kim has obtained over a decade of legal and management government experience.  His prior government experience included working at the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, and various Los Angeles County departments, including:  the District Attorney’s Office, Child Support Services (CSS), Department of Beaches & Harbor, Department of Children & Family Services, Office of Affirmative Action Compliance (OAAC), and Department of Human Resources (DHR).

During his tenure at the District Attorney’s office and CSS, Mr. Kim honed his trial skills by conducting numerous preliminary hearings, bench and jury trials.  Mr. Kim is comfortable in a courtroom and is an experienced passionate trial advocate.  During Mr. Kim’s last three years at Los Angeles County, he was the Risk Manager at the OAAC and DHR responsible for overseeing all aspects of Title VII (Federal) and FEHA (State) litigation involving a workforce of over 100,000 government employees within 37 County departments.  Mr. Kim was directly responsible for assessing numerous high risk claims against the County, working with the Board of Supervisors to reduce the County’s potential exposure.  Mr. Kim is experienced in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of claims, determining which ones should be settled and which claims should instead go to trial.

Mr. Kim serves on several non-profit boards, including as an Executive Board Member and Head of the Scholarship Committee at the California Association of Equal Rights Professionals, which is a collaboration of local, state and federal government agencies in furtherance of fostering equal rights and equal access to education and employment opportunities.  He is also a Board Member at the YMCA of the Foothills providing youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.  Lastly, Mr. Kim also serves on the Executive Committee at the National Advocates Top 100 Lawyers.

Mr. Kim received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Southern California, with an emphasis in Real Property and Development Finance and his Juris Doctorate from Western State University.  During law school, he received the American Jurisprudence Bancroft-Whitney Award for being top in his class for Legal Research and Writing.  Mr. Kim was also within the top 5% of his class for both Trial and Advanced Trial Practice. 

Mr. Kim is admitted and certified to practice before all courts in the State of California, the United States Federal District Court for the Central District, Washington D.C., and United States Tax Court.

Scott MacDonald
Senior Financial Advisor
Merrill Lynch, Pierce Fenner and Smith, Incorporated

Scott MacDonald is the founder and leader of the Special Needs Team at Merrill Lynch, a group of Financial Advisors and Client Associates dedicated to enhancing the long-term well-being of special-needs, disabled and elderly individuals. Scott joined Merrill Lynch in 1987 and has spent his entire career addressing the unique needs of society’s most vulnerable members.

Passionate about his work, Scott is a recognized authority on wealth planning and investment management for Special Needs Trusts and other court-supervised trusts, as well as probate investing for Conservatorships and Guardianships. He offers extensive knowledge of California Probate Code restrictions on investments, as well as the terms of the Uniform Prudent Investor Act. Scott facilitates close collaboration with attorneys, caregivers, trustees, fiduciaries, benefits counselors, and other professionals. A regular lecturer and media contributor, he is the author of numerous articles and publications related to special-needs and elder financial strategy.

Scott earned his B.S. in Finance and his B.A. in Economics with Honors from the California State University system. He is the recipient of the prestigious David Brady award, bestowed upon the Merrill Lynch employee who goes beyond expectations in his dedication to clients.

Jeffrey Marvan, Esq.
Founder
Marvan Law APC

Jeff Marvan has been practicing law in the State of California since 1999. After graduating from UC Davis, King Hall School of Law, he began his legal career as a public defender in Northern California. As a public defender, Jeff was in court everyday, arguing on behalf of his clients. He engaged in dozens of jury trials and hundreds of contested hearings. Jeff proved himself to be both a fearless advocate and a compassionate counselor. 

Through his experience as a public defender, Jeff developed a deep understanding of the California judicial system. He is at home in the courtroom and conveys a steady confidence and sincere demeanor to both judges and juries. Jeff’s experience in the adversarial court system is a valuable asset if and when cases become litigious.

Over the past three years, Jeff has continued to practice private criminal defense, but has also expanded his legal expertise to estate planning, trust/probate administration, trust/probate litigation, and conservatorship law. Jeff has proven himself to be a highly skilled estate planning attorney. His approach is patient, empathetic, and detail oriented, and he has helped his clients plan for an economically advantageous estate.

Jeff also has extensive experience helping clients navigate the complexities of being an administrator/trustee of a friend or family member’s estate. Clients have consistently commented on Jeff’s compassion and support during these emotionally trying times.

Jeff’s experience as a criminal defense litigator translates quite well into the probate/trust litigation sector. He has proven to be both an effective negotiator and, when necessary, a ferocious litigator to secure his clients’ interests.

Jeff is an active member of the State Bar of California, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Beverly Hills Bar Association, California Public Defenders Association, and LACBA Barristers Domestic Violence Project.

Lauriann Wright, Esq.
Partner
Wright Kim Douglas ALC

Lauriann Wright is an experienced probate litigator and estate planner located in Glendale California. For over 25 years, she has been practicing all phases of probate law and litigation, including conservatorships, guardianships, trusts, and probate estates, throughout Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties. The focus of her practice is the representation of professional fiduciaries, with success in helping fiduciaries maintain neutrality amid litigation among family members. She also represents select private clients in trust and estate litigation matters, like will and trust contests. She has been named as a Southern California Super Lawyer in Trust and Estate Litigation for over ten consecutive years, from 2012 through 2022. In fact, for 2020 through 2022, she has been named one of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Southern California and, for 2021, she was named one of the Top 50 Women Super Lawyers in Southern California. For 2016 through 2022, she is also listed as one of "The Best Lawyers in America" in Litigation / Probate by Best Lawyers and her law firm has been named a Best Law Firm by U.S. News & World Report as well.  And she has been named as a member of the National Advocates: Top 100 of Wills, Trust, and Estates Lawyers. She has also been AV Rated Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.

Mrs. Wright has conducted numerous contested probate bench trials, dozens of depositions, and written and argued several probate appeals. She has successfully represented professional fiduciaries in contested and protracted probate litigation proceedings in numerous multi-million dollar trusts and estates. Her representation of fiduciaries has included high-profile matters involving the Disney family as well as Britney Spears. She has also served as a fiduciary herself through court appointments as a receiver for real property, guardian ad litem, and trustee. Mrs. Wright has worked with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office on numerous financial elder abuse cases and has been able to successfully recover substantial assets for the elderly victims. She is also a member of the Los Angeles County Court Appointed Counsel Panel as well as the Trusts and Estates Sections of the State Bar and the Los Angeles County Bar. 

Four key qualities make Mrs. Wright an effective advocate for her clients: (1) a keen understanding of probate law and procedure, garnering the respect of her fellow attorneys and bench officers; (2) thoroughness and attention to detail; (3) expansive litigation experience from a concurrent business litigation practice; and (4) social intelligence and understanding of the emotionally charged nature of probate disputes.

 In addition to her probate experience, Mrs. Wright is also an experienced business litigator, knowledgeable in all phases of civil litigation, including jury and bench trials in both state and federal courts. She has briefed and argued cases in appellate matters, including the successful, published opinion in Soderberg v. McKinney, 44 Cal. App. 4th 1760, 52 Cal. Rptr. 2d 635 (1996) which reversed the law on real estate appraiser liability in California. Through her business litigation experience, she has substantial knowledge in the areas of commercial finance, factoring, real estate, construction defect, intellectual property, and complex litigation.

 Mrs. Wright graduated from University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1994 with her Juris Doctorate, including a semester of specialized coursework in international law completed at University of Leiden Law School, Leiden, the Netherlands. Mrs. Wright was admitted to the California Bar in December 1994 and is admitted to practice in all the California state and federal trial and appellate courts. 

Trust and Estates 101 Faculty:

Hon. Mary Thornton House (Ret.)
Retired Judge / Los Angeles Superior Court
Alternative Resolution Centers

Judge House recently retired after 22 years on the Los Angeles Superior Court, where she presided over countless jury and court trials in the Civil and Probate departments. With experience serving as the Supervising Judge of the Northeast and North Central districts, Hub Operations and Assistant Supervising Judge of Civil countywide, Judge House brings a unique and in-depth understanding of all aspects of civil case processing and case values. She is touted for her calm demeanor and unbending graciousness to all that appeared in front of her, as well as her extraordinary and relentless, common-sense approach to settling cases.

Judge House was the first Municipal Court Judge to become a Supervising Judge for the Superior Court in the Northeast District. Elevated in 2000, she presided over mandatory settlement conferences in both limited and general civil matters, reducing the civil caseloads throughout the Northeast and North Central Districts. 

In 2004, she moved to a Civil direct calendar court at the Mosk Courthouse, handling civil matters including personal injury, contract, employment, professional malpractice, asbestos and products liability. She routinely conducted successful settlement conferences for her colleagues and her own matters. She returned to Pasadena in 2010, presiding over Probate and Family/Civil harassment cases. In 2016, she returned to a downtown Probate Department for two years before retiring in 2018. 

Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge House was an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Los Angeles. Initially, she was a criminal prosecutor, but transferred to the civil branch to defend lawsuits against the City and its employees. Her last five years included advising the Los Angeles City Council, Police Commission and Fire Commission. She successfully defended the City’s Police and Fire departments in high dollar-value and high-profile cases in both federal and state courts. 

Beti Tsai Bergman, Esq.
Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law
Peninsula Law

Beti Tsai Bergman is an attorney and counselor at law dedicated to serving her clients with judgment, courtesy, and diligence. She is an attorney, in good standing, licensed to practice law in the State of California. She was admitted to the CA State Bar in 1997.

Ms. Bergman is the principal shareholder of the law firm, Peninsula Law, A Professional Law Corporation, which specializes in probate, trusts, estates, conservatorships, and elder abuse. Ms. Bergman has extensive experience in representing conservators, trustees, and executors, as well as, heirs and beneficiaries in uncontested and contested trust and estate matters. Before specializing in probate, Ms. Bergman was a city attorney for Los Angeles and was a business litigator in private practice.

Ms. Bergman is certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization in estate planning, trust and probate law and has earned an Advocate Designation from the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.

Her speaking engagements include CEB live webcast on estate planning, panels discussing women in the law, mothers balancing career and family, starting your law practice, and preparing for advanced age healthcare and financial care.

Samuel Ingham III, Esq.

Law Offices of Samuel D. Ingham III

Mr. Ingham is a State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law and has practiced extensively in this field since being admitted to the California Bar in 1975. In addition, he has been trained and qualified as a mediator by the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Mr. Ingham’s practice is primarily devoted to conservatorships and trusts, regularly representing banks and licensed professional fiduciaries as well as individuals. He has appeared in more than 700 court proceedings.

Mr. Ingham is a co-author of two leading practice books published by California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) and teaches regularly on issues involving trusts, estates and protective proceedings. He is presently serving his third term on the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and is currently a member of its Court Liaison Subcommittee.

Mr. Ingham received his B.A. in Latin (summa cum laude) from the University of California, Irvine and his J.D. from the UCLA School of Law. His offices are in Downtown Los Angeles.

David Rice, Esq.
Managing Partner & Founder, Certified Specialist in Taxation
The Law Office of David Lee Rice

Mr. Rice has been in private practice since November 1979 as a tax professional. Prior to law school, Mr. Rice worked for the accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand. Mr. Rice is the sole proprietor of the law firm of David Lee Rice, APLC, rated AV by Martindale & Hubbell, and is one of Los Angeles Magazine’s Super Lawyers for 2006-2015. Currently, Mr. Rice is in charge of the Tax Program at Cal Poly Pomona. Mr. Rice has taught on the Masters of Taxation Program at California State University at Northridge and Golden Gate University, as well as many courses at the University of West Los Angeles School of Law.

Mr. Rice is a Certified Specialist in Taxation with the State Bar of California and is also a Certified Elder Law Specialist in Elder Law.

Mr. Rice has published numerous articles, which have been published in the Tax Developments Journal, Journal of Tax Practice and Procedure, Journal of Taxation, the Estate Planning Journal, Practicing Law Institute, University of Southern California Tax Institute, UCLA Tax Institute, California Tax Lawyer, Los Angeles Lawyer, Association of Certified Family Law Specialists, the Daily Journal and Tax Notes.

He has drafted numerous papers for presentations to the IRS and Treasury concerning substantive changes to the Tax Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder and has testified before the IRS, Department of Treasury, House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee.

Mr. Rice has also lectured before the Internal Revenue Service, USC Tax Institute, Annual UCLA Tax Institute, American Bar Association, Annual Meeting of the California Tax Bar and California Tax Policy Conference, HELP, South Bay Bar Association, Beverly Hills Bar Association, Loyola Law School, California Society of CPAs, Orange County Society of CPAs, Estate Planning Counsels of Los Angeles, South Bay and San Fernando, Dean Whittier, Jewish Federation Council, Anti-Defamation League, Kaiser Permanente, Miller & Company, California State Bar Educational Institute, Annual California State Bar Meetings, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, COSMA, and before various Elder Care Groups sponsored with the Los Angeles County Bar Association in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

Mr. Rice is the former Chair to the Individual and Family Income Tax Section of the American Bar Association, the State Bar Income Tax Committee, the Los Angeles County Bar Association Committee on Procedure and Litigation, and the State Bar Committee on Procedure and Litigation.

He is also the former Commissioner and Chair of the Board of Legal Specialization Committee of the State Bar on Taxation. He is the former Chair of the Tax Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, and the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Tax Section. He is a member of the following additional associations: The Planning Committee for the UCLA Tax Institute, the Planning Committee for California State University Polytechnic Pomona Tax Institute, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, the Beverly Hills Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, South Bay Bar Association and the South Bay Estate Planning Council. He is the former Director on the Board of Directors of the Fibromyalgia Treatment Center, the Wellness Center in Redondo Beach, CA, and Former Trustee of the Board of Trustees of the University of West Los Angeles Law School.

Edgar Saenz, Esq.
Principal/Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law
Law Office of Edgar Saenz

Edgar Saenz is a Los Angeles estate planning attorney and graduate of Stanford Law School.   He is a member of several bar trust and estate sections.  He serves on numerous community and professional boards, including past president of the Westchester Rotary Club (2013-2014) board member of the LAX Area Chamber of Commerce.  Edgar is rated AV by Martindale Hubbell.

Edgar has performed pro bono legal services for the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice and other nonprofits. 

He has been a judge pro tem with the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Lauriann Wright, Esq.
Partner
Wright Kim Douglas ALC

Lauriann Wright is an experienced probate litigator and estate planner located in Glendale California. For over 25 years, she has been practicing all phases of probate law and litigation, including conservatorships, guardianships, trusts, and probate estates, throughout Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties. The focus of her practice is the representation of professional fiduciaries, with success in helping fiduciaries maintain neutrality amid litigation among family members. She also represents select private clients in trust and estate litigation matters, like will and trust contests. She has been named as a Southern California Super Lawyer in Trust and Estate Litigation for over ten consecutive years, from 2012 through 2022. In fact, for 2020 through 2022, she has been named one of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Southern California and, for 2021, she was named one of the Top 50 Women Super Lawyers in Southern California. For 2016 through 2022, she is also listed as one of "The Best Lawyers in America" in Litigation / Probate by Best Lawyers and her law firm has been named a Best Law Firm by U.S. News & World Report as well.  And she has been named as a member of the National Advocates: Top 100 of Wills, Trust, and Estates Lawyers. She has also been AV Rated Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.

Mrs. Wright has conducted numerous contested probate bench trials, dozens of depositions, and written and argued several probate appeals. She has successfully represented professional fiduciaries in contested and protracted probate litigation proceedings in numerous multi-million dollar trusts and estates. Her representation of fiduciaries has included high-profile matters involving the Disney family as well as Britney Spears. She has also served as a fiduciary herself through court appointments as a receiver for real property, guardian ad litem, and trustee. Mrs. Wright has worked with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office on numerous financial elder abuse cases and has been able to successfully recover substantial assets for the elderly victims. She is also a member of the Los Angeles County Court Appointed Counsel Panel as well as the Trusts and Estates Sections of the State Bar and the Los Angeles County Bar. 

Four key qualities make Mrs. Wright an effective advocate for her clients: (1) a keen understanding of probate law and procedure, garnering the respect of her fellow attorneys and bench officers; (2) thoroughness and attention to detail; (3) expansive litigation experience from a concurrent business litigation practice; and (4) social intelligence and understanding of the emotionally charged nature of probate disputes.

 In addition to her probate experience, Mrs. Wright is also an experienced business litigator, knowledgeable in all phases of civil litigation, including jury and bench trials in both state and federal courts. She has briefed and argued cases in appellate matters, including the successful, published opinion in Soderberg v. McKinney, 44 Cal. App. 4th 1760, 52 Cal. Rptr. 2d 635 (1996) which reversed the law on real estate appraiser liability in California. Through her business litigation experience, she has substantial knowledge in the areas of commercial finance, factoring, real estate, construction defect, intellectual property, and complex litigation.

 Mrs. Wright graduated from University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1994 with her Juris Doctorate, including a semester of specialized coursework in international law completed at University of Leiden Law School, Leiden, the Netherlands. Mrs. Wright was admitted to the California Bar in December 1994 and is admitted to practice in all the California state and federal trial and appellate courts. 

Fees

Save $450!

Audio Recording and Materials Packages (two programs total): Download format: $799

Audio Recording and Materials Packages (two programs total): CD format $799, plus $8.50 shipping and, in CA, sales tax.

(The total cost of purchasing each seminar separately, including taxes and shipping, would be $1324!)

CLE Credit

This program is available for both Self-Study and Participatory CLE.*

CA General:  This program is approved for 23 units of general CLE in California.

CA Certified Legal Specialist: Due to the bar’s expiration policy, all programs in this bundle are available for Self Study and one program is available for Participatory Certified Legal Specialist CLE in Trust, Estate and Probate Law as follows:

Probate Litigation 101 The Nuts and Bolts (Three-Part Nine-Hour Webinar Series): Approved for Self-Study Certified Legal Specialist CLE in Trust, Estate and Probate Law through 11/10/2025.

This program is approved for CLE in the states listed above.  Upon request, Pincus Pro Ed will provide any information an attorney needs to support their application for CLE approval in other states other than what is listed above.

Terms and Policies

Recording policy: No audio or video recording of any program is permitted.

Seminar Cancellations: Should you be unable to attend for any reason, please inform us in writing no later than 14 days prior to the event and a credit voucher will be issued. If you prefer, a refund, less a $50 non-refundable deposit, will be issued. No refunds or credits will be given for cancellations received within 14 days of an event. However, if you notify us within 14 days of an event, and wish to convert your in-person attendance registration to an Audio CD package (with handout), we can do so. A small additional shipping charge, and sales tax in CA, will be incurred. No shipping charge is incurred for downloads. We will also issue a voucher for the amount paid if you notify us within 14 days and prefer not to have the audio recording.

Substitutions may be made at any time.

Webinars, Tele-seminars and Webcast Cancellations: Once log-in codes and passwords are issued for a webinar, tele-seminars or webcasts, a refund is not possible. If for any reason you cannot attend the event after you have received the codes, we will automatically convert your registration to an instant streaming/instant download or CD format and provide you with the information you need to access the recording after the program concludes and the recording is available.  Conversions to CD require a $8.50 shipping fee, and in CA, 9% sales tax.

Downloads/CDs/DVDs – Refund policy:

Downloads are non-returnable/non-refundable once purchased and received. Tapes, CDs and DVDs are returnable for a full refund or replacement if defective, within 90 days of purchase.

Reminder: The room temperature at hotels and other seminar locations are notoriously hard to control. Please bring a sweater or jacket in case it gets cold and/or layer as if you are going to the movies so you are comfortable.