Best Lawyers in California, United States for Trusts and Estates
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Paul Gordon Hoffman is a founding member of the Firm. He practices in the areas of tax, estate planning, trust administration and probate, and charitable planning. Mr. Hoffman was chosen by Best Lawyers as the 2010 “Top Tax Lawyer” in the metropolitan Los Angeles area. He also has twice been recognized as one of the “Top 100 Lawyers” in Southern California by “Super Lawyers.” He is a former Chairperson of the Tax Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association...
Stanley Heyman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. Stanley, who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stanley is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Danielle Diebert is a Senior Counsel in the Firm’s Sacramento office and a member of the Litigation and Tax, Benefits and Estate Planning practice groups. She is certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Ms. Diebert represents individuals, corporate fiduciaries, and professional fiduciaries throughout the State of California in all aspects of trust and estate administration, with a special focus on t...
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 A. Zwicker is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Laura A., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Laura A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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...
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...
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, ...
Amy L. Hespenheide is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Amy L., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Amy L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jeffrey Loeb practices in the areas of estate planning and trust and estate administration. He represents many high net worth individuals and families, including a large number in the film, television, and music industries. For those clients who own intellectual property, including copyrighted works, Jeffrey advises as to the approaches needed to ensure that his client’s post-mortem wishes will be carried into effect. Jeffrey also represents individuals and financial institutions servin...
Darryl Cluster is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Nonprofit / Charities Law and Trusts and Estates. Darryl, who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Darryl is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Natacha Kolb is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Natacha, who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Natacha is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Alyse Pelavin focuses her practice on estate and gift tax planning for high net worth individuals and closely held businesses and in the administration of estates and trusts. She also has extensive experience in the areas of charitable giving and tax-exempt organizations. Her clients range from young entrepreneurs and corporate executives to multigenerational family groups. Alyse works closely with clients at every stage to implement tax-efficient wealth transfer and preservation strategies t...
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...
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.