Best Lawyers Near You in San Diego, California for Trusts and Estates
Roland Achtel is a trust and estate attorney with extensive litigation experience. In his practice, Mr. Achtel prioritizes establishing clear expectations with his clients and maintaining close contact with them throughout each case. Though his legal expertise is highly specialized – trust and probate litigation, trust and probate-related elder abuse, probate conservatorships, trust administration, and general probate matters – his cases are highly diverse. His typical clients inc...
HFM Trusts & Estates Partner Brian Tsu is a Fellow of the American College of Trusts and Estate Counsel and California Certified Legal Specialist. Mr. Tsu represents high-net-worth individuals in the areas of domestic and international estate planning, related areas of taxation and closely-held family business planning. He also advises fiduciaries in complex trust and estate administrations, particularly when tax or cross-border issues are present. His work includes: International Estate ...
In his law practice, HFM Partner Bruce O’Brien’s focuses on all aspects of federal and state taxation, with a particular emphasis on tax controversies, partnerships, limited liability companies, and business planning. Mr. O’Brien represents taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service, Franchise Tax Board, and State Board of Equalization. He also represents clients before the United States Tax Court, and he is a certified specialist in Taxation Law. Additionally, Mr. O&rsqu...
Laura Nichols is a Shareholder in Buchalter’s San Diego office, and a member of the Tax, Benefits and Estate Planning practice group. Ms. Nichols is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and is also certified as an Accredited Estate Planner® by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils. Only approximately five percent of California’s attorneys are certified as specialists...
HFM Partner Susan Mercure specializes in representing high net worth clients in sophisticated estate planning and estate and trust administration. On the estate planning side, Ms. Mercure utilizes techniques to reduce the size of an estate for estate tax purposes and employs other techniques to accomplish the distribution goals of her clients. She effectively communicates technical concepts and is able to convey complex concepts in a way that is easy to understand. She also assists her client...
Daniel R. Weiner is the Founder and CEO of Weiner Law: Trust, Probate & Litigation Lawyers. He represents individuals and families across California in trust litigation , probate litigation, contested estate matters, and disputes involving trustees, beneficiaries, heirs, and personal representatives. Daniel’s practice is focused on helping clients navigate high-conflict estate disputes with clear strategy, careful analysis, and steady guidance. Whether a case involves breach of fidu...
Phillip Szachowicz is an attorney in the San Diego office of RMO LLP. Phillip represents beneficiaries, trustees, administrators, executors, heirs, creditors, and conservators in contested trust, estate, and probate litigation matters. Phillip brings extensive experience in all phases of litigation, from initial case analysis and strategy through appeal. Phillip grew up in Morton Grove, Illinois, and graduated cum laude from Loyola University Chicago with a B.A. in Philosophy and Minor in Pol...
Michael McDonald is a partner who represents clients in litigated matters including trust disputes , elder abuse actions , breach-of-trust actions , will contests, heirship contests, contested conservatorships, and related actions. Michael has spent the entirety of his career handling these matters, as well as in civil litigation, and has earned success for countless clients, whether at trial or through advantageous and strategic settlement. Michael joined The Estate Lawyers in May 2025 after...
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.
