Best Lawyers in California, United States for Litigation - Trusts and Estates
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Rachel Harris counsels clients in connection with all aspects of domestic and international estate planning for individuals and families, pre-immigration planning prior to arrival in the U.S., trust and estate administration, trust and estate income taxation, charitable giving, and operation of tax-exempt organizations. Her practice extends to all facets of estate and gift tax planning and encompasses multijurisdictional and international matters. Highly regarded for her breadth of experience...
Mat is the Managing Partner in the Pasadena office of RMO LLP. He handles disputes over contested wills, trusts, and conservatorships in probate court as well as business disputes in a wide variety of contexts, with a focus in the financial services space. Using his lengthy experience as a litigator, Mat works closely with clients to resolve complex disputes that often involve complicated family dynamics. Mat has experience with claims relating to disinheritance, elder abuse, and undue influe...
Gabrielle Vidal is co-chair of Loeb & Loeb’s Trust and Estate Litigation Practice. She concentrates on high-net-worth trust, probate, conservatorship, and guardianship litigation, and is known for her success at trial in high profile private wealth disputes. Most recently, she served as lead trial counsel to Sumner Redstone, controlling shareholder of Viacom Inc. and CBS Corp., securing complete dismissal of the matter after the first day of trial. Cited by The Wall Street Journal a...
Andrew M. Katzenstein is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. Andrew M., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Andrew M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Michael is a partner in the trust, estate and inheritance disputes team at Withers Bergman LLP and is the regional division leader of the US private client and tax team. Michael has extensive experience representing individuals, families, charities, corporate trustees, private professional fiduciaries and creditors in litigation involving complex trusts and estates. Michael’s diverse practice includes will and trust contests, accounting disputes, breach of duty actions, elder abuse and ...
Richard S. Kinyon is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. Richard S., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 1987. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Richard S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Sean D. Muntz serves as Managing Partner of RMO LLP. Sean is an experienced trial and appellate lawyer, with litigation experience spanning a broad range of subject matters, including banking, general commercial, employment, probate, real estate, securities, intellectual property, maritime and environmental disputes. Sean has litigated matters in state and federal courts throughout California, and in alternative dispute resolution forums, including AAA and JAMS, and before the NASD/FINRA and ...
James K. Andrade is a Partner at Valensi Rose PLC in Los Angeles, California. His practice focuses on Litigation involving Trusts and Estates, with an emphasis on private client and fiduciary disputes. Mr. Andrade also advises individuals and families on private client wealth planning and management , elder financial abuse matters, and a range of business, ownership, and succession planning issues. Mr. Andrade represents companies, financial institutions, professional fiduciaries, trustees, a...
Shawn S. Kerendian is the founder and Managing Partner of Keystone Law Group, P.C., and is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law (State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization). Shawn founded Keystone to provide clients with specialized, focused and efficient legal services in probate, trust and estate matters. Shawn supervises and manages a team of probate attorneys in the administration and litigation of estates, trusts, conservatorships, and guardiansh...
John A. Hartog is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. John A., who practices law in Orinda, California, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jeffrey R. Loew is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Trusts and Estates. Jeffrey R., who practices law in San Mateo, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jeffrey R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
For high-net-worth individuals with interests on both coasts and around the globe, Abby Feinman acts as a trusted counsel for all their estate, trust and tax-planning needs. She puts advanced creative strategies to use in advising clients on wealth transfer, administering trusts and estates after death and resolving disputes over trusts and estates. She has extensive experience with philanthropic and charitable giving. Abby's clients include family offices, owners of closely held businesses, ...
Paul J. Barulich is the founder, Shareholder and Director at Barulich Dugoni & Suttmann Law Group, Inc. Mr. Barulich's law practice focuses on estate planning clients with high net worth, business owners, and people with significant financial interests in high-tech, wholly owned and start-up companies. Mr. Barulich specializes in representing individual and corporate executors and trustees, and conservators in administrations of estates in contested and non-contested matters.
Jeb U. Burton is the President of The Burton Law Firm, based in Sacramento, California. His practice centers on Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Tax Law, Trusts and Estates, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, and Litigation and Controversy – Tax. Mr. Burton’s work includes advanced estate and tax planning for domestic and international matters, business and investment structure and governance, exit planning, asset protection strategies, and business su...
Scott Rahn is regarded as a top probate trial attorney, focusing on high-stakes private wealth disputes, fiduciary litigation, and contentious trust, probate estate and conservatorship cases. Mr. Rahn deftly helps guide clients - heirs, beneficiaries, trustees, executors, administrators, charities, creditors and conservators - through the emotional, legal and financial issues that arise when a loved one becomes compromised, is taken advantage of, and after they pass, whenever the theft, manip...
Matthew Gershman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Real Estate and Litigation - Trusts and Estates. Matthew, who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Matthew is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.