We practice in all areas of probate and trust litigation including:

• probate and trust administration
• distribution of estates
• conservatorships
• guardianships
• will and trust contests
• suspension or removal of trustees, executors and conservators
• compelling accounting by fiduciaries
• termination or reformation of trusts

We work closely with our clients in two distinct ways concerning probate estates, living and testamentary trusts, conservatorships (involving impaired adults) and guardianships (involving minors). To begin with, we handle the creation, administration and distribution of all of these types of estates and relationships, which are governed by the California Probate Code. Then, as circumstances warrant, and to an increasing degree, we call upon nearly half a century of experience in protecting our clients' interest in initiating or defending contested proceedings.

The head of our department, Howard S. Klein, is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law (State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization). Mr. Klein is the immediate past Chair of the State Bar Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Advisory Commission. He has also written several legal articles and appeared on the TV shows The Insider and Starting Over, and he has given numerous Continuing Legal Education lectures and participated in panels. Los Angeles Magazine has named him a Super Lawyer for four consecutive years, from 2005 to 2008, and he holds an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

An expert in contested probate litigation, Howard Klein also has a rare niche area in California as an expert in probate/family law crossover issues, and he has practiced family law since the 1970s. With respect to divorce, state law has certain provisions called "Automatic Temporary Restraining Orders" or ATROs, regarding what a person can and cannot do with their assets during Family Court proceedings. These play an important role should you want to alter your estate plans because you do not want your ex-spouse to wind up with your assets.

Mr. Klein and his team of estate lawyers serve clients with warmth, compassion, intelligence, and honesty. We always have the best interests of our clients in mind, and we bring extensive experience, focus, and tenacity to our work.

Our probate administration attorneys can help you answer common questions related to will, trusts and estate, such as when it is appropriate to file a will contest or a trust contest; what the downside of doing so is; and whether you can have a dishonest or incompetent executor or trustee removed. Our goal for every client is to achieve a just result, as expeditiously and inexpensively as possible. If this is achievable out of court, we will go about it in this way; otherwise, our probate attorneys are always ready to defend your rights in litigation.

The top goal of FMBK's probate and trust litigation department is to get excellent results for our client, whether in negotiation or contested litigation. With our unique specialization in crossover matters between probate and family law, our first-rate service, and years' worth of experience, we can help effectively prosecute or defend our clients' positions.

You can view the bios of our probate and administration lawyers by clicking on their names below:

• Howard S. Klein
• Donna Shapiro