Best Lawyers Near You in San Diego, California for Trusts and Estates
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...
Louis Mezzullo’s principal areas of practice are Taxation, Estate and Business Succession Planning, and Employee Benefits. He was on the faculty of the University of Miami School of Law Graduate Program in Estate Planning from 2004 to 2007 and on the faculty of the University of San Diego School of Law in 2009. He was an adjunct professor of law at the University of Richmond Law School from 1978 until 2006. He is listed in Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who in Emerging Leaders and Who...
Helen is a partner in the private client and tax team at Withers Bergman LLP. She is a trusts and estates attorney who focuses on exempt organizations and international tax planning for inbound and outbound transactions. She assists clients in all aspects of estate planning, estate and trust administration and charitable planning. Helen brings a diversity of experience to her clients. After graduating from Stanford Law School, she practiced international corporate tax law in China and Califor...
At Withers Bergman LLP, Steven focuses his practice on estate planning, trust and estate administration, charitable giving and representing tax-exempt organizations. He has designed and used computer modeling to show the economic consequences of various estate planning and charitable giving techniques. Steven is also experienced in the area of executive compensation, focusing on compensation and intermediate sanctions issues for tax-exempt organizations. Steven has represented exempt organiza...
Sara Pike is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Nonprofit / Charities Law and Trusts and Estates. Sara practices law in La Jolla, California Best Lawyers has recognized Sara Pike since 2025. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Sara Pike is held by other lawyers.
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.
