Westport Estate Planning Lawyers

Attorney Amanda Johnson has an extensive background in law, graduating from Trinity Law School in Santa Ana, California. While attending law school she worked with the Orange County Rescue Mission providing legal services to members of society who might not otherwise have access to legal aid. She was also a member of Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, the Public Relations Director for the Student Bar Association, and she attended an International Human Rights Program in France. Before moving to California for law school, she attended the University of Wisconsin La Crosse where she obtained a Bachelors in Science and...

Rebecca Sommer is licensed with the California state bar and has been practicing law since 2015. She has numerous scholastic achievements, including ranking top 10% of her graduating law school class and earning several scholarships for extracurricular activities. Additionally, Rebecca has a Certificate in Financial Planning from Boston University and participated in the tax honors program at Loyola Law School. She combines her general finance training with specialized legal knowledge to offer practical legal solutions for managing your assets. Work with Rebecca to create legal documents which encapsulate your wishes rather than relying on state systems and rules. You can avoid...

An eye for detail. Ms. Ho is a Partner at Core Law Group. She is that rare breed of individual that has the analytical skills and patience to find the most intricate details about her cases. Whether it’s an opposing party’s retirement plan or a motion the opposing attorney filed with the court, Ms. Ho is known for being able to spot the weakness in the other side’s case and taking the tactical steps necessary to take advantage of that weakness. Ms. Ho has extensive experience clients in both Federal and State courts. Her...

Kate is a California bar-certified attorney with more than seven years experience currently operating an eponymous law practice: The Law Offices of K. Kelso. Since graduating from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., Kate, an ocean-minded South Florida native, consciously endeavors to hone her talents as a communicator, connecting with clients from diverse backgrounds. Through targeted community outreach and dedication to volunteerism, Kate developed the philosophy on which K. Kelso Law is based: to provide comprehensive custom estate plans that are individualized and compassionate, to empower every client through wills, trusts, and estate planning as they contemplate and arrange their...

Daniel Sallus is a partner of Stone & Sallus, LLP focusing on business litigation, business and real estate transactions, estate planning, entity formations, and real estate litigation. Born and raised in the Los Angeles area, Daniel obtained his B.S. in Management from the Eller School of Business and a minor in Spanish at the University of Arizona. Previously he worked at a large bank where he interacted with businesses and obtained a deeper understanding of their needs. While in college, Daniel started investing in real estate where he was able to manage and rent the property to pay for his undergraduate...

Samuel graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy where he also studied the Japanese language. He went on to teach English in Japan for three years, immersing himself in the culture and becoming fluent in the language. Samuel earned his J.D. at the University of California, Davis, School of Law where he received a merit-based scholarship and the Witkin Award for Academic Excellence in the field of International Taxation. ?Samuel’s passion for estate planning has driven his career for the past decade. He has lectured at the California Society of CPA events on transfer tax issues. He...

Edlin Martin is a founding partner of MacKay & Martin, LLP. Her practice focuses on family law and estate planning. Prior to founding her own practice, Ms. Martin was a senior family law associate attorney, where she specialized in litigation of high-conflict family law issues such as domestic violence restraining orders, move-away cases, and child custody and visitation arrangements.

Ms. Martin has devoted much of her career to helping children and other victims of violence in family law and related immigration matters. Ms. Martin is particularly proud of her contribution to the drafting of California bill AB-1678, which was signed...

As an attorney, Mr. Lum has over fifty years of experience, specializing in all aspects of immigration applications and immigration litigation. His immigration application practice includes consultation and representation on applications for Immigrant Investor Visas (EB-5), PERM, Nonimmigrant Business Visas (E-2, L-1, H-1, B-1/B-2), and all forms of family based visa applications. Mr. Lum’s immigration litigation practice includes representation for Asylum, TPS, VAWA, and Cancellation of Removal.

Mr. Lum also provides personal representation to individuals, partnerships, and corporations regarding all business and corporate matters, trust, wills, and estates, and business litigation and real estate litigation matters.

Mr. Driskell focuses his practice on business, tax, estate, bankruptcy and related matters. He is a member of the Pasadena Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the California Bar Association. Prior to the formation of Primuth & Driskell, LLP with Partner Jonathan Primuth in 2014, Mr. Driskell worked at a multi-state law firm, handling a wide variety of matters for individuals and small and medium sized businesses. Mr. Driskell earned his juris doctor from the University of Toledo College of Law, where he was president of the American Bar Association-Law School Division and was a member, officer...

Jack Chammas is the Managing Attorney at the Chammas Law Office, APLC. Practicing since 1996, his experience ranges from Business and Transactional Law, Real Estate Law and Civil Litigation. Two years into his practice, he joined a California Based Corporation as its in-house General Counsel. What started out as a small business venture eventually became the experience of his lifetime. Within ten years, the company grew exponentially to a multi-million dollar institution operating in 50 States. As General Counsel, Jack handled all aspects of running a multi-state multi-million dollar operation including working with law firms nationwide, participated in litigation at...

Attorney Drucker has been practicing law for over 35 years! He has developed a unique and revolutionary Flat Fee model for Divorce and Family Law. Clients can purchase services on his website www.LegalActionWorkshopLAW.com or can speak with him by phone or in our Glendale office. Attorney Drucker also handles Probate and Estate Planning documents such as Wills, Trusts & Powers of Attorney.

Stephen Grant focuses his practice exclusively in probate, trust and estate law – including estate planning and estate litigation. Stephen enjoys getting to know his clients and he prides himself on finding effective and efficient solutions for his clients’ needs. As a result, Stephen is a 5-Star Attorney on Yelp and a Client’s Choice winner on AVVO. In addition, Stephen has been selected to Super Lawyers® Rising Stars each of the last four years. Stephen has represented clients from across the country, he has administered probates in counties throughout California, and he continues to work with countless Southern California individuals and...

A’ja began her career in the entertainment industry with TV Guide and Lions Gate but soon found her true passion in law. She joined a leading Los Angeles litigation firm, focusing on family law, civil rights, personal injury, and criminal defense. A’ja has been a compassionate advocate for fathers' rights and has represented high-profile clients, including the Estate of Michael Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson, DMX, Keyshia Cole, Freddie Gibbs, Faith Evans, and Christopher Wallace Jr. (the late Notorious B.I.G.'s son). Her achievements include a $1 million wrongful termination verdict, multiple six-figure settlements, a not-guilty verdict in a murder trial, and successfully handling...

Amir graduated from Loyola Law School in 2013 and received his Bachelors of Science at UC Irvine in 2009. During his tenure at Loyola Law School, Amir externed at various law firms to get real world legal experience and learned how to effectively represent clients. After graduating law school, Amir worked at a business litigation firm in Century City and was part of an integral team handling complex litigation disputes. After experiencing the litigation side, Amir decided to expand his legal experience and took up an opportunity to work at an estate planning and business law firm where he learned...

Lisa M. Burkdall provides sophisticated wealth transfer services for high net worth individuals and families. She specializes in multi-generational planning designed to preserve the client's values while achieving both tax and non-tax objectives. Adept at drafting complex, integrated estate plans, Lisa coordinates the disposition of assets through revocable trusts, life insurance trusts, customized beneficiary designations for retirement plans and lifetime gifting strategies, such as grantor retained annuity trusts and residence trusts. Her practice also includes the modification and reformation of irrevocable trusts to accommodate the beneficiaries' evolving needs and circumstances, while staying true to the trust creator's intent. Lisa enjoys...

Ann Michael has a broad background across estate planning, estate and trust administration and probate and trust litigation. She applies this knowledge to draft various estate planning documents, including, but not limited to, living trusts, gift trusts, GRATs, QPRTs, and life insurance trusts.

Ann is a member of Phi Delta Phi legal honors fraternity and is admitted to practice law in California, Oklahoma and Illinois (inactive).

Andrew Smith applies a broad background in litigation to resolve disputes involving trusts, estates, probate and conservatorships. He works closely with fiduciaries, beneficiaries and institutions, effectively guiding them through all stages of litigation, including discovery, mediation and trial. Andrew fervently protects the best of his clients, actively pursuing all avenues of resolution.

Before joining Weinstock Manion, Andrew began his career as an associate in the Litigation Department at Winston & Strawn LLP, where he represented corporations engaged in various types of complex commercial litigation, including trade secret, product liability, trademark and maritime disputes. He joined Weinstock Manion to specialize in estate...

Jill focuses on estate and gift tax planning, probate and trust administration. She advises individuals on a broad variety of matters, including drafting living trusts, insurance trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, children's trusts and defective grantor trusts; formation of partnerships and limited liability companies; and other transfer tax techniques.

Jill also represents trustees and executors in the administration of trusts and estates. She drafts pleadings for matters before the Probate Court and appears before the Probate Court.

In addition, Jill handles a variety of property tax matters, including appearances before the Assessment Appeals Board.

Listed as a SuperLawyer. Martindale-Hubbell Highest Rating AV Preeminent. Author of 110 articles in professional journals, chapters in professional treatises and books for professional societies. 43 years of practice in (i) ordinary income tax planning; (ii) reducing, deferring and eliminating capital gains taxes; (iii) eliminating estate taxes; (iv) planning for protection from future plaintiffs; and (v) potpourri of international tax, real estate tax, Tax Court, Probate Court, and estate planning.

The law firm of John R. Ronge, Attorney at Law has been providing quality, personalized legal and professional guidance to individuals, estates, trusts and businesses across Los Angeles for over 25 years. The law firm's expertise ranges from income, income tax and accounting, to more in-depth services such as probate estate and planning. The Law Firm of John R. Ronge provides a wide range of legal, tax, and professional services to individuals, businesses in a variety of industries, trusts and estates across Los Angeles, Santa Monica and surrounding areas.

Darlynn graduated near the top of her law school class from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, California in 1996. While at Loyola Law School, Darlynn was a member of the prestigious Loyola Law Review. After graduation, Darlynn served as a judicial law clerk to federal Judge John E. Ryan. She subsequently practiced at a premier business litigation firm in Orange County. Darlynn is an active member of Wealth Counsel, LLC, a national organization of trusts and estates attorneys who maintain the highest level of expertise through collaboration in estate planning. She is also active in the Orange County Bar Association. Darlynn...

Ms. Minto has been a business and estates transactional attorney based in California since 2003. Her practice is now located in Tustin, CA but represents individuals and entities based throughout the United States and abroad. Her practice is unique in that she endeavors to represent clients globally by bridging the gap between trust planning/administration and business planning and management. She and other members of her firm have an ongoing relationship with growing or transitioning businesses all the way from weighing the best business entity structure and jurisdiction for each client, through business formation, to eventually structuring liquidation and dissolution of...

Jonathan was born and raised in Idaho. He earned his juris doctor from the University of Idaho College of Law and then completed a judicial clerkship in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 2005, he moved to California and began his law career as a civil litigator and then General Counsel (corporate attorney) for a health insurance company. Motivated by a desire to start a law firm that would make an important contribution to his clients’ lives, Jonathan launched his estate planning practice. Jonathan helps individuals, families, and business owners pass their hard-earned property to their loved ones using innovative estate planning techniques. As an...

Ms. Solomon began her legal career working at a mid-size law firm in downtown San Diego, where she had the opportunity to work as part of a sophisticated team of business lawyers. Ms. Solomon is a member of the Probate Attorneys of San Diego and currently serves on the Probate Handbook Committee. Passionate about efficiency in all things, Ms. Solomon co-founded Broaden Law LLP so she could combine her entrepreneurial spirit with the law business. Ms. Solomon is dedicated to identifying a variety of strategies based on the client’s situation and unique goals to ensure her clients are involved in the...

Giovanni A. Correa is an estate planning, probate, and trademark attorney with more than 10 years of legal experience, including 6+ years as a California licensed attorney. Giovanni has extensive experience in estate planning and trademark registrations. His passion for his profession is evident in his commitment to providing exceptional customer service while always keeping costs at the forefront.

Juanita Guillen-Mellman is a co-founding partner of Mellman & Mellman LLP, a law firm that has represented clients in various legal matters, including estate planning and probate, family law, real property, civil litigation and estate litigation. As an attorney licensed to practice in all California state and federal courts, Ms. Guillen-Mellman has gained extensive litigation experience by conducting and successfully arguing hundreds of motions, trials, and other hearings. Attorney Guillen-Mellman is well versed in what it takes to obtain results, both in and out of court. At Mellman & Mellman, LLP attorney Juanita Guillen-Mellman is an integral part of the...

Mr. Mellman provides clients with a full range of legal services including estate planning, estate litigation, family law, divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, civil litigation, business transactions, business law, intellectual property, real property, and asset protection. Mr. Mellman received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida and obtained his Juris Doctorate from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, where he graduated in the top four percent of his class with honors of Magna Cum Laude. While in law school, Mr. Mellman served as the Managing-Editor of the Thomas Jefferson Law Review...

Ashley L. Dudley is the owner, president and lead counsel at the Law Offices of Ashley L. Dudley, APC. Her law practice focuses on family law and estate planning. Her family law practice focuses primarily on high conflict child custody cases, child and spousal support, domestic violence restraining orders, high value asset division. Her goal is to provide quality legal services not only to those who can afford it, but to all those who need an advocate to navigate the legal system on their behalf. Her first and foremost priority is to figure out the best avenue for helping her...

Joann Deutch is an experienced and versitle attorney ready to serve those legal needs which must be litigiated in Los Angeles County. Some matters require litigation while others can be handled more informally. The presence of local counsel answers the question of whether you are serious about pursuing your case. It is important to have all the facts and know the law so that you can make good decisions about your case. I advise and represent SMALL BUSINESSES with legal issues in Los Angeles. I will file Sister State Judgments for enforcement. I advise individuals and companies in SMALL CLAIMS...

Rivka Israel, Esq. is an experienced and knowledgeable internationally licensed attorney who has been practicing law for over 20+ years. Attorney Israel is admitted to practice in: State of California U.S. District Court - Central District State of Israel Rivka was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2000. In June of 2009, after years of working for large law firms, Rivka opened her own law office and redirected her focus to self-help assistance, uncontested divorces, Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements, individual assistance and personal guidance in the area Family and LGBT Family Law issues. Rivka also provides document drafting services...

I enjoy many thing in San Diego including sailing, off roading and time with my kids, wife and friends. Our firm only handles estate planning and related matters. We Help Parents Make Sure Their Assets And Children Are Protected When The Unthinkable Happens To Them. Avoid Probate. Keep the government out of your affairs. Estate Planning is accessible for all and necessary for most. Yet, nearly 2/3 of all adults have no planning in place. Ask yourself: 1) Do you have an estate plan in place for your family (Will, Trust, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directive, etc)? (2) If you have an estate...

Omid John Afati started Afati Law Firm in 2019 with the goal of providing the Southern California community's estate planning and trust litigating needs. Mr. Afati directs his focus on addressing his clients' concerns and desires when planning for life’s unexpected twists and turns. His experience goes beyond trust and will formation, providing his clients with a secure and manageable estate as well as formidable litigation services.

I have worked at the Lawyer in Blue Jeans Group for eight years. I received my Juris Doctorate from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 2016.

I have extensive knowledge of estate planning and asset protection and I take personal accountability in ensuring that each client’s needs are met. I am committed to carrying out the Lawyer in Blue Jeans Group’s philosophy of delivering sensible and reliable service.

In addition to helping clients with their estate planning needs, I also host a weekly legal show on the radio. I can be heard on Sunday’s at 9 a.m. on 760 KFMB AM with...

Darshan Patel is an entrepreneur as well as an attorney. He has deep knowledge of the hospitality industry, gained through his work as an owner and manager of independent and franchised hotel properties.

Leading a team of hospitality attorneys at DPA Law Group, Darshan combines his operational insights with an understanding of federal and state law when resolving disputes involving hotels, restaurants, and other businesses across the state of California.

He understands the practical business need to minimize employment litigation through management training and other preventative measures. As a defense lawyer, he focuses on the efficient and timely resolution of employment and...

Scott C. Soady, Esq. is admitted to practice in California as well as the Southern and Central Federal District Court. He is an active member of the Trust and Estates section of the State Bar of California and the San Diego County Bar Association.

Scott C. Soady was born in Toronto, Canada and raised in Los Angeles. He attended the University of California, San Diego and graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He went on to obtaining his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of San Diego, School of Law in 2005.

Attorney Soady has focused his...

Kevin Forrester has more than 20 years experience as a trust and fiduciary lawyer, arbitrator, and mediator of civil, securities, and real estate disputes; and more than 30 years real estate practice experience as a Realtor® and licensed real estate broker.

A lawyer who understands the concerns you have and the situations you are going through, may be hard to find. As someone who has been through a divorce and heavily involved in the criminal justice system, attorney Heath L. Baker may understand your concerns regarding your family law, criminal law, and personal injury cases, more than you would expect. Mr. Baker understands what it is like to face emotionally difficult situations, which go beyond “winning” a case. Mr. Baker retired from the Riverside Police Department after obtaining years of experience with the courts, investigations, and the judicial process, seeing both sides of...

Richard Young is a Master lawyer with the Orange County Bar Association practicing in Family Law, Divorce Law, Custody, Support, Domestic Violence, Asset Division, Pre Nuptials, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Trusts, Wills, Bankruptcy. He graduated from Pepperdine University School of Law in 1994 and immediately formed his firm. He has won awards from the Orange County Bar Association from the Judiciary and Pro Bono Publico as well as Graduating from the Pepperdine College of Advocacy. He has served as a Judge Pro Tem, Senior Mandatory Fee Arbitrator and has successfully handled thousands of Family law matters.