Trust and Estate Planning 101: The Nuts and Bolts (CA) (OnDemand Streaming or Recorded Packages)

What You Will Learn

Part 1 Topics

Initial Interview – Ethical Considerations

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

Wills

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

Trusts

• Trusts vs. other methods of transfer (i.e., Probate, operation of law, small estates)
• Revocable vs. irrevocable trusts
• Exoneration/Ademption/Abatement
• Spousal set-asides – family claims/protection issues (omitted spouse, omitted children)
• Distribution options (immediate vs. long term)
• Trust protectors
• Asset protection
• Incapacity (settlor or trustee)
• Presumption of fraud or undue influence
• No contest clauses

Part 2 Topics

Fiduciaries

• Types [Trustees, Trust Protectors, Agents, Attorneys in Fact]
• Duties
• Consistency of fiduciaries
• Other considerations
• Fiduciary duties of trustee
  • Reporting requirements
  • Waivers and exoneration

Powers of Attorney

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

Advance Health Care Directives

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

Funding Documents

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

Avoiding Litigation: Common Controversies Leading to Litigation

• Fiduciary liability
• Accountings
• Contests
• Attorney liability

 

Recorded/Recording on March 1 & 3, 2022

 

 

 

Testimonials

“Wonderful program with lots of difficult situations addressed. Loved the examples provided, particularly about the A, AB, and ABC trusts.” – Manohar Sukumar, Esq.“It was very well done.” – Cathay Fulton Ericksen, Esq.

“Good presentation.” – Maria Rohaidy, Esq.

Today’s session was excellent with good explanations for why an estate planning attorney should do what she should do and things to consider.” – James LawrencePagano, Esq.

“Today’s session was extremely informative, and the speakers did a great job tying the information to real life situations.”- Barbara Ehrlich, Esq.

“Today’s session was excellent with good explanations for why an estate planning attorney should do what she should do and things to consider.” – James Lawrence Pagano, Esq.

“Wonderful program once again and loved all the specific answers to my questions.”- Manohar Sukumar, Esq.

“Part 2 was excellent.”- Richard Hall, Esq.

“It was good.” – Michael Fallon Jr., Esq.

“It was very well done and easy to follow.” – Nazanin Ghazi, Esq.

“Great speakers and content.” – Marie Mondia, Esq.

“Today’s session was extremely informative, and the speakers did a great job tying the information to real life situations.”- Barbara Ehrlich, Esq.

“Wonderful program once again and loved all the specific answers to my questions.”- Manohar Sukumar, Esq.

“It was excellent.”- Richard Hall, Esq.

“It was very well done.” – Cathay Fulton Ericksen, Esq.

“Good presentation.” – Maria Rohaidy, Esq.

“It was good.” – Michael Fallon Jr., Esq.

“Wonderful program with lots of difficult situations addressed. Loved the examples provided, particularly about the A, AB, and ABC trusts.” – Manohar Sukumar, Esq.

“It was very well done and easy to follow.” – Nazanin Ghazi, Esq.

“Great speakers and content.” – Marie Mondia, Esq.

“Great overview.” – Andres Moreno, Esq.

“Excellent speakers.” – Edward Wallace, Esq.

“The program was very informative. I liked the practical approach and the hypos at the end.”

“Good introductory and good speakers.”

“This was an excellent program with excellent presenters.”

“Loved each of these speakers.  They were each knowledgeable and explained things well.  Thorough answering of viewer questions.”

“It was good, covered some new codes.”

“Excellent speakers, excellent conveyance of relevant information. All of the speakers were very respectful with timing and answering questions.”

“I thought the program today was much more energetic and captivating than yesterday. I think having 3 speakers is a great because you don’t have to listen to the same person talk the whole time. There is also a mix of opinions and ideas as well as banter between the speakers that makes the program more interesting.  I was highly satisfied with the entire program.”

“Great information. Knowledgeable speakers. I appreciated the “in practice” examples.”

“It was terrific.”

“All of the speakers today were clear and informative.”

“I thought it was very thoughtful, and the speakers were very informative and organized.”

“I find this course to be very helpful. I am a young attorney who just started in a law firm specialized in estate planning and estate administration. I am eager to learn as much about this topic as possible. I really like that the speakers not only talk about the theory of the subject, but also about the practice.”

“Excellent as usual.”

“Very informative program! The visuals in the Trust section were fantastic.”

“All speakers were excellent.”

“Very organized and thorough. I liked the PowerPoints.”

“I liked that the slides were provided, and it was helpful that they included the code sections.”

“The presenters were all highly knowledgeable and presented some tangible examples and advice on wills and trusts.”

“So far, I am happy with it.”

“Excellent! All speakers were incredibly knowledgeable, clear, and concise. I appreciated that they were all able to provide a different background and experience.”

“I found the portion of the presentation that Willow did on common trust structures to be a very good refresher.”

“Great information presented in an easy-to-understand format.”

“Mr. Belous’ presentation was the easiest to follow.”

“It was very informative.”

“Excellent program–I learned a lot, thanks!”

“Great speakers.”

“Thorough presentation.”

“Excellent program, thank you!”

“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.”

“The program was very informative. I liked the practical approach and the hypos at the end.”

“Good introductory and good speakers.”

“Loved each of these speakers.  They were each knowledgeable and explained things well.  Thorough answering of viewer questions.”

“It was good, covered some new codes.”

“Excellent speakers, excellent conveyance of relevant information. All the speakers were very respectful with timing and answering questions.”

“Great information. Knowledgeable speakers. I appreciated the “in practice” examples.”

“All of the speakers were clear and informative.”

“I thought it was very thoughtful, and the speakers were very informative and organized.”

“Excellent as usual.”

“Very informative program! The visuals in the Trust section were fantastic.”

“All speakers were excellent.”

“Very organized and thorough. I liked the PowerPoints.”

“I liked that the slides were provided, and it was helpful that they included the code sections.”

“The presenters were all highly knowledgeable and presented some tangible examples and advice on wills and trusts.”

“Excellent! All speakers were incredibly knowledgeable, clear, and concise. I appreciated that they were all able to provide a different background and experience.”

“I found the portion of the presentation on common trust structures to be a very good refresher.”

“Great information presented in an easy-to-understand format.”

“It was very informative.”

“Thorough presentation.”

The following testimonials are from our 3-Part Probate Litigation 101 program in 2020, with most of the same faculty:

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

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

“It was excellent – very helpful to me as someone just starting out in this area of law.” – Gabrielle J. Korte, 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.

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

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

“Excellent speakers and materials.”

“All of the speakers were excellent. Top notch. Outline is a terrific resource.”

“I thought these speakers were well-informed and excellent.”

“The speakers are excellent. Part of my practice is in this area.” of law. The areas I know were well presented and I also learned new things. I like the lists of the SOL and the statutes with summaries in the written materials. I will use that later for reference.”

“Excellent. These folks know their material.”

“Excellent. Just what I needed as a first-year associate in a trust and estates litigation firm.”

“Informative, right level of detail—appreciate that the handouts have more detail than the slides/presentations. I have only been practicing probate for 1 year. For those concepts I am familiar with, it was a nice refresher. On those issues that haven’t arisen, it will help me issue spot.”

“I thought it was very helpful. Lots of good information and taught in clear and concise manner.”

“I appreciated the very hands-on information and checklist provided in this presentation. More than the other two days. A very practical walk-through is what I value most.”

“Some good practical examples provided in the handouts along with insights.”

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

“Great presentations and materials, thanks!”

“Great to have materials to refer to after this program.”

“Excellent material and presentations. I found the trials and evidence section to be particularly helpful.”

“Excellent overview, coverage, and material.”

“Really enjoying it so far. Really good information.”

“Presenters are knowledgeable.”

“Excellent.”

“Informative, especially the Evidence session.”

“Very good. Trial and evidence very informative.”

“Comprehensive overview of the probate litigation process.”

“Very good!”

“Very good; clear and organized information.”

“Informative and useful information.”

“Very content rich.”

“Very well-done presentations. Clear and knowledgeable.”

“It was great. Great slides/handouts.”

“Great content.”

“Very informative. Learned new material and practice tips.”

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

“Very well-executed.”

“I liked the probate note section – very useful.”

“I am enjoying the program and finding it very informative.”

“Very informative and thorough.”

“This was good, particularly the conservatorship section.”

“I enjoyed it!”

“Very informative.”

“Very useful program (Part III). Love the hypos for ethics. Fantastic and practical.”

“Clear and comprehensive, efficiently presented.”

“Part III was the best session of the series!”

“Steller!”

“Good speakers.”

“Great program – thank you for answering my questions.”

“Very helpful.”

“Good topics. Good panel. A good refresher.”

“All really good.”

 

The following testimonials are from our previous all-day Probate Litigation 101 programs, taught by many of the same speakers.

“Excellent.” – Paul Miller, Esq.

“Totally satisfied. Highly relevant to my practice area.” – Justin Otten, Esq.

“Excellent primer. Excellent faculty.” – Ruth Stoner Muzzin, Esq.

“I think it was great to have the insights of a judge.” – Ronda Dixon, Esq.

“Great overview. Speakers were all great!” – Ian Guthrie, Esq.

“Judge House was the best presenter because I loved her real-life, practical experience.” – Cheryl Nelson, Esq.

“This was well done.” – Diane Herring-Ysaguirre, Esq.

“This was a fantastic program, very complete and very substantive. Great panel with great information. I learned a lot which I know will help my practice. The seminar handbook really was like a goldmine of information. ” – Steven A. Friedman, Esq.

“I really enjoyed the content. It appeals to new probate attorneys, attorneys new to litigation, and is a refresher for those who are more experienced.” – Savannah Estenson, Esq.

“My goal was a brief overview of Probate Litigation, with some helpful practice takeaways – both were accomplished!” – Abigail McLaughlin, Esq.

“Well-organized. Very informative. Good Q&A.” – David Kim, Esq.

“Enjoyed the program. Learned a great deal of material…comments from the bench are always helpful.” – Tom Borchard, Esq.

“There were certain areas I had not considered before, but which will be helpful for practicing in both L.A. County and Orange County.” – Austin Borchard, Esq.

“Speakers were super knowledgeable and practical. Learned a few very important nuggets to keep me malpractice free.” – Elizabeth Vozzella, Esq.

“Great presentation! Very relevant. Great panel. Thank you!” – Marta N. Jonsson, Esq.

“I really enjoyed the dialogue between panelist Judge House and Ms. Wright. Similarly, I liked the panelist discussion between Ms. Bergman and Mr. Saenz.” – Tracy T. Woo, Esq.

“Thank you.” – Phuong Kim Nguyen, Esq.”

“Loved Lauriann Wright’s real-life case experience and practice tips. She was so helpful.” – Jill Piano, Esq.

“Lauriann presented very useful material. Very entertaining speaker. Robert is awesome. Judge House is a really good speaker with great stories.” – William Benz, Esq.

“All speakers were clear, informative, organized, and engaging. Fantastic panel. Thank you! Content was incredibly relevant and informative. The speakers paced through the amount of information well without sacrificing quality. I am a new practitioner and I appreciate the overview of each topic. Each speaker clarified many practical issues (not just probate concepts): e.g., filing petitions, considering how to handle difficult clients and/or court appearances. Well-organized event. Thank you! I look forward to taking part in more CLE events with Pincus.”

“I just started in probate law and this was a wonderfully informative program, and provides a great overview.”

“The program overall was exceptional. The thoroughness of what was covered in the time constraint of one day was well done.”

“Excellent presentations. Speakers were great. Judge Thornton was an excellent, engaging speaker and I felt lucky to have such an experienced judge teaching us. Excellent materials.”

“Great refresher course – highlighted items/issues not used often.”

“Very satisfied.”

“Ethics session was very well done. I enjoyed the hypotheticals.”

“The program was very good.”

“Mr. Saenz was enlightening. Mr. Herbert was well-organized, a good speaker with great advice. Ms. Wright is always great! Animated, interesting, practical and generous with forms. Judge House is always great! She’s personable, practical and knowledgeable, and her delivery is well-organized.”

“It was a really good program.”

“Great program. Appreciated the focus on practical ‘how-to’.”

Great opportunity for insight from a sitting judge. Thanks for the tips! Very intensive course with great depth. Covered a lot of smaller issues, and the insight into these, and lesser-known tricks and tips, was great.”

“Really appreciated the judge’s intro and big picture overview at the beginning. Appreciated Edgar Saenz’s cheat sheets.”

“Having Judge House was great!”

“Lauriann Wright was very knowledgeable as to litigation and providing case examples to cover points. Thanks for sharing witness tips!”

“The handout materials are great.”

“Really good handouts.”

“I found it very helpful to have the judge’s perspective. The materials are very useful.”

“Excellent overview.”

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. 

---

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.

 

---

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.

---

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.

---

Willow A. Mc Jilton, Esq.
Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law
Willow Law Group

Willow is a Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law, certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization, California State Bar.

Willow was born and raised in southern California. She graduated from UC Irvine in 1998 with a B.A. in Criminology, Law & Society, and a B.A. in Psychology and Social Behavior. After working in the non-profit sector for two years, Willow moved to Los Angeles to attend UCLA School of Law.

Since graduating from UCLA in 2003, Willow has worked exclusively in the fields of estate planning and trust administration with two prestigious estate planning firms in Century City. Willow began her own estate planning firm in 2010.

Willow has been an instructor with UCLA Extension since 2007, teaching courses in estate planning. Willow served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Trusts & Estates Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association (2004 – 2010) and Chair of such section (2009 – 2010).

Willow was featured as a "Rising Star" in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 by Southern California’s Super Lawyers magazine.

---

John Roney Stubbs, Esq.
Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law
Law Office of John Roney Stubbs

John Stubbs is an attorney focused on Estate Planning, Probate, and Trust Administration, practicing in Manhattan Beach, California. He is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and

has been licensed to practice law in California for 30 years. He was the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Sony Pictures Entertainment. Prior to Sony, John was a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) advising global clients in the entertainment industry for over 18 years.

John Stubbs earned a bachelor of science degree in Physics from St. Mary’s College, California; a masters of business administration (MBA) from University of California at Los Angeles, and a JD from Loyola Law School. In 1985, he became a Certified Public Accountant (Illinois) and has been a member of the California State Bar since 1984. He proudly served as a Naval Aviator flying the A-6 Intruder deployed aboard USS Midway during the Vietnam conflict.

As part of the estate planning process, John Stubbs prepare documents for clients and work to educate them on the importance of titling assets to ensure their estate planning documents work the way they intend. His goal is to make this process as accessible, efficient and streamlined as possible so that individuals are more motivated to develop and complete their plan, and families do not have to deal with the fallout from a lack of planning.

In addition to creating estate plans, he works in the probate arena and assists families in implementing plans when loved ones pass away, and in setting up guardianships for minors, individuals with special needs, and individuals who can no longer manage their own affairs.

In order to stay in-tune with the latest trends and developments in Estate Planning, John Stubbs is an active member of WealthCounsel, a national community of top estate planning professionals committed to the highest standard of practice excellence. This collaborative organization, along with attending seminars taught by nationally recognized thought leaders, keeps John Stubbs on the leading edge of the newest estate planning ideas and approaches.

---

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

Seminar Materials are included with OnDemand and all recorded package options.

OnDemand Streaming!  On-Demand Streaming allows for a single person to view the seminar unlimited times until one year after the seminar is held.

Recorded Packages!  Recorded Packages allow for a single person to download and view the program recording and are also available via DVD or CD.

Discounted rates are available for 2-4 attorneys at your firm.  Licenses are available for law firms or agencies that would like to distribute the video package or OnDemand Streaming access to more than four attorneys at their firm or agency.

Fees:

OnDemand Streaming:  $429

Recorded Packages via Download or CD/DVDs:

Video Recording – DVD or Download: $429

Audio Only (for in your car, etc.) Recording – CD or Download:  $429

Order both the Video and Audio Only Packages for only $50 more – Download, DVD or CD: $479

$8.50 shipping and sales tax (in California) are added at checkout to DVD/CD orders.

Your OnDemand access is good for up to one-year from the time of purchase.  Please be sure to select OnDemand Streaming to the right and check out. OnDemand can be watched from any type of device.

*The Video recording is a video of the webinar (with sound). The Audio Only recordings are audio files only and are for those who wish to listen to it without watching a video (such as in the car or while walking).

Note: OnDemand Streaming can be watched from any device. However, all download packages must be downloaded to a computer first, before transferring them to another device due to downloading as zip files containing both the video/audio and a large folder with seminar materials contained in the download package.

CLE Credit

CA General:  This program is approved for 6.5 units of general CLE in California.

CA Certified Legal Specialist:  The bar now has expiration dates for Certified Legal Specialist CLE courses.  This program is approved for 6.5 units of Participatory Certified Legal Specialist CLE in California in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law through March 1, 2024 and 6.5 units of Self Study Certified Legal Specialist CLE in California in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law through March 1, 2027

NY General: This course is eligible for approval, under New York’s CLE Approved Jurisdiction policy, for up to 6.5 CLE units. Pincus Professional Education is a CA Accredited Provider, which is a NY approved jurisdiction. See Section 6 of the New York State CLE Board Regulations and Guidelines for further information.

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. Many attorneys ask for this and are approved in other states.