San Diego Estate Planning Lawyers

Principal Owner
Jack E. Stephens J.D., LL.M. has been practicing law in San Diego since 1990, helping thousands of taxpayers reduce taxes and homeowners protect their property with Trust strategies. Jack Stephens has been designated as Top Lawyer by San Diego Magazine, Best of the Bar, and Avvo on a consistent basis. He has received annual awards including the AV Preeminent Attorney Rating by Martindell-Hubbell, representing the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards. As an active contributor to continuing education in Estate Planning, Jack Stephens has authored and edited quarterly newsletters, pamphlets, and contributed articles to the...

T.L. Brown Law Firm was awarded an A+ by the Better Business Bureau. Filing over 300 cases each year, Attorney Tristan Brown remains a leading bankruptcy attorney in San Diego and the Southern California area. Additionally, T.L. Brown’s estate planning and immigration law practices continue to grow. Attorney Tristan Brown obtained his Juris Doctor degree from UCLA School of Law and quickly earned recognition as a leader in bankruptcy law. He was awarded "Rising Star" by Super Lawyers in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

What makes me unique is that I am both a Business Owner and a Corporate & Business Law Attorney. I actually started my first business at age 8 when I launched “Dan’s Bird Farm.” As the owner of the Kehr Business Law PC, I provide business, corporate general counsel, technology, Internet, e-commerce and tax law, as well as trust, will, estate and succession planning legal services. I founded, managed and have run my own law firm for over 17 years. My experience as a business owner makes me uniquely suited to approach legal representation from the business owner’s perspective. I...

Nikki Semanchik is the Founding Attorney of Semanchik Law Group. Nikki started out her legal career advising small businesses and individuals in need of estate planning. An interest in international law and her background in immigration led her to represent multi-national high-net worth individuals with business law, asset protection and tax planning. After assisting clients with tax planning through the formation of private foundations and charitable trusts, Nikki found herself drawn to nonprofit law. She now assists nonprofit organizations with formation, compliance and governance.

Nikki is passionate about nonprofit law and enjoys speaking about nonprofit formation and compliance. Her most recent...

Practice Areas
Will and Living Trust drafting and review
Powers of Attorney and Advance Health Care Directives
Will and Trust Amendments and Updates
Estate, Gift, Income, and Property Tax planning Techniques for avoiding probate
Represent Executors and Administrators in Probate
Represent Trustee in Trust Administration
Advanced Estate Tax Planning: Irrevocable Trusts, Gifting Trusts, Grantor Retained Trusts (GRIT, GRAT, GRUT, QPRT), Life Insurance Trusts
Charitable Planning ? Charitable Trusts (CRAT, CRUT, CLT)

Education
University of San Diego School of Law ? Juris Doctorate in 1977
University of California, Irvine ? Bachelor of Arts in 1974
Personal Philosophy
Roberta helps families plan to transfer assets to the next generation while avoiding probate and miniming...

I am a State Bar of California Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate law. I have over 30 years of experience as a trusts and estates attorney. I advise clients regarding estate planning, estate/trust administration and litigation. I have offices in Northern and Southern California and can assist you regardless of your location. I can help you with setting up your estate plan, resolving a family dispute regarding a trust or estate and with administration issues after a loved one passes away. Listen to my podcasts at www.adamsandrafferty.com to find out more information about...

Ruth Ryan-Cruz is an attorney in San Diego, California with Ryan-Cruz Law, APC. Attorney Ruth Ryan-Cruz practices in the areas of business and corporate law, intellectual property, estate planning, wills, trusts, copyrights, trademarks and more. Contact San Diego Attorney Ruth Ryan-Cruz for a consultation. Ruth is a fluent Spanish-speaking attorney providing counseling and transactional services in Spanish in the areas listed above. Ruth earned her Juris Doctor Degree from California Western School of Law and received a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in High Tech Management from California State...

RMO LLP resolves contests, disputes and litigation related to trusts, estates and conservatorships, creating a welcome peace of mind for clients. We represents heirs, beneficiaries, trustees and executors, utilizing our experience to develop and implement strategies that swiftly and cost-effectively address the financial issues, fiduciary duties and emotional complexities underlying trust contests, estates conflicts and probate litigation. Driven by a commitment to provide relief to people grieving the loss of a loved one, RMO collaborates closely with clients. We pursue and defend claims involving incapacity, incompetence, undue influence, breach of fiduciary duty, and other similar areas of dispute. Our advice and counsel...

Professional Life: California State Bar member, Asaph Abrams represents individuals, families and businesses in obtaining federal bankruptcy protection. He has filed over 650 successful bankruptcy cases in San Diego and has been co-chair of the San Diego County Bar's Bankruptcy Law Section. He has parted ways with the large law firm sector to focus personally on clients in need. He offers sliding-scale rates to make bankruptcy an affordable solution for all San Diegans. Asaph volunteers and is active in the legal community through the San Diego County Bar Association and the National Association of Consumer...

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...

California Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law
Master of Laws in Taxation

Practice Areas
Will and Living Trust Drafting
Powers of Attorney and Advance Health Care Directives
Estate Planning Review
Will and Trust amendments and updates
Estate, Gift, Income, and Property Tax planning
Techniques for avoiding probate
Probates - Represent Executors and Administrators in Probate
Represent Trustee in Trust Administration
Email: DanielWilson@TrustLaw.us

Professional Associations and Memberships
Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation, Board Member
Rancho Bernardo Business Association
Probate Bench?Bar Committee
San Diego County Bar Association
North County Estate Planning Council
San Diego North County Bar Association
Personal Philosophy
Daniel has a passion for working with people and assisting them achieve their goals. He provides clear and simple...

San Diego Attorney Joel Weissler (619-281-1888) has practiced law for over 25 yrs. Early on, his personal experiences focused his career on Estate Planning, Elder law, Asset Protection & Probate. Joel has been recognized for the past 3 years by Martindale-Hubble & Lawyers.com receiving their “Client Distinction” award as being in the top 1% of attorneys in client service & satisfaction. A 2008-2013 recipient of San Diego Magazine’s five star award program, in 2010, Attorney Weissler was selected through a peer nomination process as a "Top Attorney" in the Estate Planning Category by the San Diego Daily Transcript. Attorney...

Attorney Milda Goeriz is skilled with all estate planning matters and experienced with tax audits and representation before the Internal Revenue Service and state and local tax authorities. In reaching the best results, Attorney Milda Goeriz applies modern methods and an honest approach to law. She employs creative strategies when forming revocable and irrevocable trusts and handling other estate planning matters. Ms. Goeriz has a unique ability to explain the complex planning devices in a simple fashion and is valued by her clients for effective asset protection. A multilingual tax lawyer with a background in international business transactions, Ms....

May Harris (she/her) serves as CEO and Managing Attorney at FPLG. She chairs the firm’s transactional practice group, working with an outstanding team of FPLG attorneys and professionals in service to clients of all sizes, including museums, schools, churches, medical organizations and other charitable tax-exempt entities. Serving in the roles of nonprofit founder, board member, corporate counsel and executive director over the course of her career, Ms. Harris has been instrumental in the development of each of the organizations she has led, and she understands the challenges facing nonprofit executives every day. Over her two decades of legal practice, Ms. Harris has...

I am dedicated to helping my clients build and protect wealth and to prepare for and deal with life cycle events.

Paul Hilton is committed to the idea of “service to country” which translates into the work he does for his clients. After graduating from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, Magna Cum Laude, Paul Hilton began his practice in the San Diego area and is licensed to practice law in California’s state and federal courts.

A retired Marine, Paul finds that his law career allows him to pair his passion with his purpose within his home community. During his time in law school, he was awarded the Veterans Assistance scholarship and served as the Executive Editor of Law Review. As a lawyer,...

Kevan P. McLaughlin is an award-winning San Diego tax attorney whose practice focuses on civil and criminal tax litigation and controversies. Kevan defends taxpayers and resolves all types of tax disputes with the IRS, FTB, EDD, U.S. Tax Court, CUIAB, and Department of Justice. In 2009, Kevan formed a boutique law firm with special emphasis on civil and criminal tax preparation. The firm has since grown, adding estate planning, tax planning, trust administration, and tax preparer and CPA defense practice areas. The firm is dedicated to representing taxpayer in these concentrated practice areas, and today helps individuals and businesses with...

As a former business owner myself, my goal is to help other business owners and entrepreneurs with their legal issues. It's important to have someone in your corner who understands what it's like to be in your shoes. Advice is only helpful if it makes sense in the real world, and my prior experience allows me to see the real world implications. Before law school, I opened a small coffee shop that I grew into a full-fledged restaurant within four years. In the beginning, I was able to use marketing to help grow the business over 200% from year to...

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...

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...

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...

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 been practicing law since 1980 and as a sole practioner since 1981. My focus has been on Estate Planning, Probate, Elder Law and related litigation and appeals since the 1990's. My primary experience is with the various courts in San Diego county but have also appeared in the Los Angeles county and Orange county courts, as well. My goal is to provide personal,individualized legal services to each one of my clients.

Hi... My name is Ralph Charles Busch. Please call me Chad. I have been providing state & local (SALT) corporate income/franchise and capital tax technical consulting and controversy assistance for the past two decades.

?I obtained my Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Arizona State University in 1989 and my Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Western State University School of Law (now Thomas Jefferson School of Law) in 1993. After a short period running a sole practice, I attended University of San Diego School of Law and obtained an LL.M. in taxation in 1999.

?For the past 16 years I have provided...

Alejandra Rodriguez attended the University of San Diego, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and Psychology. Ms. Rodriguez attended California Western School of Law, where she was ranked in the top 10% of her class and graduated cum laude. She was a member of Law Review and her article entitled Is the War on Terrorism Compromising Civil Liberties? A Discussion of Hamdi and Padilla was published in the California Western Law Review Journal. While attending Cal Western, Ms. Rodriguez served as a legal intern in immigration law at Casa Cornelia, and later as a judicial...

Our operation is focused on providing cost effective solutions and expert customer service to all our clients. In addition to real estate, the firm represents clients in business litigation, construction defect problems, estate planning, arbitrations and mediations. We want our clients to fully understand the legal process and what will be involved in finding a constructive result to their legal issue. I am very active in the legal and real estate community. I continue to educate myself on the most up to date information within my field. I maintain active memberships with both local and national groups in the industry....

Ms. Williams is a 2006 UCLA School of Law graduate and Superlawyer Rising Star from 2015-2019. Ms. Williams has also attended the University of San Diego LLM program, and will obtain her LLM in May 2019. Ms. Williams began her legal career in complex litigation, with an emphasis corporate matters. After over a decade of litigation practice, Ms. Williams determined that her legal skills were best used helping people and businesses plan for the future.

Ms. Williams provides formation, restructuring, and general counsel services to small- and mid-sized businesses. Through her time in litigation, Ms....

San Diego Esquire was founded by Ms. Kymeshia Morris in 2012. She has built a law practice that focuses on providing personal attention and candid legal advice to clients. San Diego Esquire is established on the belief that each and every client deserves the best legal representation possible. If you are looking for a lawyer that is hard working, professional, and honest, then you have come to the right place. We represent a diverse clientele in family, estate planning, personal injury & contract law.

John M. Preston is the founder and principal of Preston Estate Planning, a firm dedicated exclusively to the practice of estate planning. He is certified by the California State Bar as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law. Mr. Preston has been practicing law for over 35 years and has developed a revolutionary process called the Life Plan™, which provides protection beyond the scope of a typical estate plan. The program represents one of the most comprehensive systems for planning an estate, keeping documents current, and ensuring that clients are informed and educated. You deserve the peace of mind...

I have represented both debtors and creditors in Chapter 7, 11 and 13 Bankruptcy Cases in San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside Counties since 1977. On occasion, I also represent clients in the Northern District of California.

I have previously served as a Chapter 7 Trustee for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of California and understand that filing for bankruptcy is an important decision and one that is to be considered very carefully.

Many times a bankruptcy may not be necessary, if it is possible to be avoided by debt settlement and negotiations. I am...

See professional experience below.

Michael aims to bring the same level of compassion that he had for his patients to the practice of law. Michael began his professional career as a registered nurse, working in cardiology and surgical services before supervising a pre and post-operative area. After starting a family and becoming enamored with the law through Caroline’s experiences, Michael decided law school and a career as an attorney was also for him. Estate planning became personal to Michael when his father passed away suddenly without any plan in place. Since that day Michael has made it his mission to educate everyone on the need...