Best Lawyers Near You in West Covina, California for Trusts and Estates
Carol Johnston works with individual clients to develop sophisticated planning techniques for the preservation and protection of family wealth. Her advice covers an array of estate and tax planning issues, and she represents fiduciaries and handles administration of estates and trusts. Widely recognized in legal industry publications as a leading lawyer for trusts and estates, Carol is praised by peers as "knowledgeable" and someone who "works well with others." Carol is recognized as a leadi...
Verlan Y. Kwan is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. Verlan Y. practices law in Los Angeles, California Best Lawyers has recognized Verlan Y. Kwan 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 Verlan Y. Kwan is held by other lawyers.
Alan S. Watenmaker is the managing member of the Firm. He practices in the areas of tax, estate planning, trust administration and probate, and charitable planning. Mr. Watenmaker has twice been recognized as one of the “Top 100 Lawyers” in Southern California by “Super Lawyers” and has been selected as a “Southern California Super Lawyer” every year since 2004, when the list was first determined. He has also been listed in Best Lawyers in America every yea...
Eric M. Tokuyama practices in the areas of tax and estate planning, probate and trust administration, and probate and trust litigation. He has more than 20 years of experience and is dedicated to helping high-net-worth individuals achieve their estate planning goals. Mr. Tokuyama is well-versed in all aspects of probate and trust administration, including the preparation and filing of federal estate tax returns. He also utilizes his tax and estate planning experience to help resolve trust and...
Elizabeth is a partner in the private client and tax team at Withers Bergman LLP. She focuses her efforts on estate planning, planned giving and tax-exempt organizations. Elizabeth represents clients in matters related to family wealth transfers for large estates, sophisticated estate and gift tax saving techniques, charitable planned giving, and complex probate and trust administrations. She also regularly represents tax-exempt organizations in formation, organizational and operational issue...
Mary K. Ramsden is senior counsel for the firm, practicing primarily in the areas of trust and estate administration. Since 1994, she has been a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law (certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization). She has been recognized as a “Southern California Super Lawyer” Ms. Ramsden was admitted to the California Bar in 1981. She received a B.A. degree from the University of California at Los Angeles, and a ...
Vivian Lee Thoreen chairs the firm's California Private Wealth Services Group. She is a litigator and experienced trial attorney whose practice – both in Superior Court and in the California Courts of Appeal – focuses on complex trust, estate, conservatorship and guardianship matters. She represents individuals, families, charities and financial institutions in cases including will and trust disputes, contested conservatorships and guardianships, breach of fiduciary duty matters, ...
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...
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...
Lindsey F. Munyer, a Partner at Keystone Law Group, P.C., is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law (State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization), and has an LL.M. in Taxation. Lindsey has experience litigating trust and estate matters, and is adept at handling all stages of litigation, including discovery, mediation, law and motion and trials, as well as representing fiduciaries in the administration of estates and trusts. Lindsey has represented client...
Paul is of counsel in the private client and tax team at Withers Bergman LLP. He has over 35 years’ experience focused on global planning matters. Paul is widely recognized for his practice in cross-border and entertainment tax planning. His clients have ranged broadly from high-net-worth individuals; foreign investors in U.S. real estate and other U.S.-situated assets; Americans with offshore investments, acquisitions and business activities; and actors, musicians, writers, producers, ...
Jeff Marvan is the lead attorney at MarvanLaw, A.P.C. MarvanLaw, A.P.C. is a boutique firm focused on probate litigation, trust litigation, estate planning, guardianships, and conservatorships. After graduating from UC Davis’ King Hall School of Law, Jeff began his legal career a public defender in Yolo County. Over the four years at the public defender office Jeff handled misdemeanors, felonies, juvenile delinquencies, dependencies, and LPS Conservatorships. This time period allowed Je...
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 ...
Chang H. Chae is a member of the firm, practicing in the areas of estate planning, trust administration and probate, entity formation and tax and charitable planning. Mr. Chae is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law (certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization) and is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). He is a former Co-chair of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Beverly Hil...
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.
