Areas of Practice

Your estate plan is designed to protect your loved ones, preserve your assets, and ensure that your wishes are carried out as intended. Because many estate planning issues do not become apparent until after death, it is important that your documents are carefully drafted and tailored to your individual circumstances.
As a Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, our attorney prepares customized Living Trusts, Wills, and related estate planning documents designed to meet your family’s unique needs and goals.
Because our firm also assists clients with trust and probate administration, we understand the practical challenges that often arise when a loved one passes away. This experience helps us create estate plans that are clear, comprehensive, and designed to facilitate a smooth administration process for your family in the future.
We also review existing estate plans and can recommend updates or amendments when appropriate to ensure that your documents continue to reflect your wishes and comply with current law.

Revocable Living Trusts are commonly used estate planning tools designed to help families avoid the time, cost, and complexity of probate and, in some cases, conservatorship proceedings. When properly drafted and funded, a trust can provide a clear and efficient plan for the management and distribution of assets.

However, not all trusts are prepared with the same level of care or attention to detail. We customize each Revocable Living Trust based on the client’s unique circumstances, including family dynamics, assets, business interests, and long-term goals. Effective estate planning requires a tailored approach rather than a one-size-fits-all template.

Because laws and tax rules change over time, existing trusts should be reviewed periodically to ensure they continue to reflect your intentions and operate as expected. We offer trust reviews and can recommend updates or amendments when appropriate.

Families with a loved one who has special needs often face unique estate planning considerations. Without proper planning, an inheritance or financial gift may unintentionally affect eligibility for important government benefits and assistance programs.

We work with families to incorporate special needs planning into their overall estate plan, helping ensure that loved ones with disabilities are provided for while preserving eligibility for available public benefits whenever possible. Through carefully drafted trust provisions and customized planning strategies, we can help create a long-term framework that supports your loved one’s quality of life and future care.

Every family situation is unique. We take the time to understand your goals and develop an estate plan designed to provide security, flexibility, and peace of mind for those who matter most.

A Successor Trustee, Executor, or Administrator serves in a fiduciary capacity and is entrusted with significant legal responsibilities. These individuals are required to act in the best interests of the beneficiaries and the estate. Failure to fulfill those duties can result in personal liability for losses caused by improper actions or omissions.

While most families hope to avoid disputes following the loss of a loved one, disagreements regarding trusts, estates, and fiduciary responsibilities do arise. Addressing these matters promptly and professionally is often essential to protecting assets, preserving rights, and preventing further complications.

Whether you are a fiduciary seeking guidance or a beneficiary with concerns regarding the administration of a trust or estate, we are committed to helping you achieve the most effective and practical resolution.

In California, a guardianship is a court process used to appoint a responsible adult to care for and manage the affairs of a minor child under the age of 18 when the child’s parents are unable to do so.

Guardianships may be established in advance through proper estate planning nominations or may become necessary after an unexpected event, such as the death or incapacity of a parent.

Because these matters often arise during stressful and urgent circumstances, careful planning can help ensure that a trusted individual is appointed to care for the child and manage their needs without unnecessary delay or court conflict.

Upon the death of the creator of a Living Trust, the trust generally becomes irrevocable and enters the trust administration process. During this process, the Successor Trustee must identify and manage trust assets, satisfy outstanding debts, taxes, and expenses, fulfill legal obligations, and ultimately distribute the remaining assets to the beneficiaries.

A common misconception is that trust assets automatically transfer to beneficiaries upon death. In reality, a Successor Trustee has significant fiduciary duties and must administer the trust diligently, impartially, and in accordance with the law. Even when the Successor Trustee is also the sole beneficiary, important legal and administrative requirements must be completed before distributions can be made.

Our firm provides comprehensive guidance throughout every stage of trust administration. We help Successor Trustees fulfill their responsibilities, avoid costly mistakes, and minimize the risk of personal liability. With experienced legal counsel, trustees can administer the trust with confidence and ensure that beneficiaries receive their inheritances as efficiently as possible.

Probate is the court-supervised process of administering a deceased person’s estate and transferring assets to heirs or beneficiaries. Probate may be required when a person passes away without a Living Trust or when certain assets were not properly transferred to a trust during life.

The probate process often involves filing court petitions, identifying and valuing assets, notifying creditors, resolving debts and taxes, and obtaining court approval before distributions can be made. Because probate is governed by strict legal procedures and deadlines, experienced legal guidance can help avoid unnecessary delays and complications.

Our firm represents Executors, Administrators, heirs, and beneficiaries throughout the probate process. We handle all aspects of probate administration and work to ensure that estates are administered efficiently, properly, and in accordance with California law.

 

California Statutory Probate Fees

 

Attorney fees in probate matters are set by California law and are based on the gross value of the probate estate:

 

Estate Value

Statutory Fee*

$200,000

$14,000

$300,000

$18,000

$400,000

$22,000

$500,000

$26,000

$750,000

$36,000

$1,000,000

$46,000

$2,000,000

$66,000

 

*Additional court costs, filing fees, and extraordinary attorney fees may apply. Contested matters can substantially increase the overall cost of probate.

In some cases where a Living Trust has not been established, a surviving spouse may be able to use a Spousal Property Petition as an alternative to formal probate proceedings.

This streamlined court process allows a surviving spouse to request that the court confirm and transfer the deceased spouse’s community property interest based on appropriate documentation and supporting evidence.

When applicable, a Spousal Property Petition can provide a more efficient and cost-effective way to transfer eligible assets without the need for a full probate administration.

However, this procedure is only available in limited circumstances and does not apply to all assets or estate situations. It may not be appropriate where property characterization is unclear, where separate property issues exist, or where third-party creditor or title complications are involved.

Questions about a legal issue?

ASK OUR EXPERTS

Questions about a legal issue?

ASK OUR EXPERTS

Awards & Honors

Distinguished Specialization

It’s important to have knowledge and expertise you can count on. We are proud that our attorney is certified as a Legal Specialist by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization, in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate law, a certification and distinction awarded to less than 1% of all California attorneys.

Nationally Recognized

Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The patented selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. We pride ourselves that our attorney continues to hold this honor.

Trusted Reputation

Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™, the gold standard in attorney ratings, have recognized lawyers for their strong legal ability and high ethical standards for more than a century. This designation is the product of our commitment to excellence in communication skills, legal knowledge and ethics. Our attorney has received this distinguished honor of professional excellence.

Highly Rated

Our attorney has consistently received the annual Avvo Client’s Choice Award for exceptional ratings in professionalism and client satisfaction. This distinction reflects the overall experience our clients have when retaining our services, as well as how often we are recommended to others by our clients.

Voted Best Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Attorney

Easy Reader newsweekly recognizes outstanding establishments in the South Bay community, from Manhattan Beach to Redondo Beach. In their “Best of the Beach” magazine, which circulates 45,000 households, Mark Swatik was voted Best Trust Attorney. We are so grateful to the local residents for this honor.

Voted Best Living Trust Attorney

The Daily Breeze, The Beach Reporter and the Palos Verdes Peninsula News have teamed up to recognize outstanding businesses in the community. We are so thankful for this award as South Bay’s Best Attorney and are committed to upholding this honor for many years to come.

OFFICE

Telephone:
(310) 540-6000

ADDRESS

21250 Hawthorne Blvd, Suite 500
Torrance, CA 90503

OFFICE

Telephone:
(310) 540-6000

ADDRESS

21250 Hawthorne Blvd, Suite 500
Torrance, CA 90503

Contact Us