Throughout Wendel Rosen’s long history as the leading East Bay law firm, clients have turned to us to counsel them through a wide variety of trust and estate related disputes regarding family wealth transitions, fiduciary actions (or inactions), and elder protection issues.
While our litigators actively work with our clients, their families and their advisors to avoid or minimize such issues, sometimes litigation is unavoidable. In such instances, our experience allows us to lead our clients from the outset of a matter to its conclusion; from pre-litigation investigation and strategic planning to mediation, arbitration, trial and appeal. Our litigators leverage their deep knowledge of trust and estate law, as well as their procedural and tactical litigation skills, to guide clients through these complex, and often emotional, disputes.
In addition our attorneys regularly serve as mediators, arbitrators and private judges in matters related to trust and estate disputes.
Examples of the matters our trust and estate litigators regularly handle are:
- Trust administration disputes, including complex tax and accounting issues
- Trust and will contests
- Breach of fiduciary duty actions against trustees, agents and personal representatives
- Fiduciary removal and surcharge actions
- Petitions for instructions and interpretation of wills and trusts
- Financial elder abuse
- Contested conservatorships
Publications

Much Ado About Standing: Probate Court Reopened to Disinherited Trust Beneficiaries
02/10/2020 | The Daily Journal
Wendel attorneys Kevin Rodriquez and Matthew John were featured in Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal, providing perspective on a recent California Supreme Court ruling that changed the precedent…
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Show Me The Money: When Can Trustees Use Trust Funds to Litigate?
10/01/2017 | Contra Costa Lawyers Magazine
In the article,“Show Me The Money: When Can Trustees Use Trust Funds to Litigate?” partner and Chair of the firm’s Trust & Estate Litigation Practice Group, Kevin M. Rodriguez discusses how…
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The Family Law Practitioner & Same-Sex Marriage Issues
03/18/2016 | Sterling Education Services
Wendel Rosen Trusts and Estates attorney Virginia Palmer will be a presenter at "Family Law and Same-Sex Marriage Issues," on Friday, March 18, 2016, at the Chancellor Hotel on Union Square, 433…
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Cross-Over Issues in Estate Planning and Family Law
10/18/2012 | Southern California Tax and Estate Planning Annual Forum
Wendel Rosen estate planning attorney Virginia Palmer presented “Cross-Over Issues in Estate Planning and Family Law,” and “Ten Key Issues in Representing LGBT Clients,” at the Southern California Tax and…
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Gen Silent Movie Screening and Discussion: Discrimination and LGBT Elder Care
06/13/2012 | East Bay Trusts & Estates Lawyers
Wendel Rosen Trusts & Estates attorney Virginia Palmer, will be part of East Bay Trusts & Estates Lawyers 2012 Spring Symposium on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at Kaiser Center Auditorium, 300 Lakeside Drive, Oakland….
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News

Wendel Rosen Scores Six “Tier 1” Rankings on Best Law Firms List
11/05/2020 | Wendel Rosen LLP
Wendel Rosen LLP, one of the largest and most widely-recognized law firms in the East Bay, has been named to the 2021 Best Law Firms list published by U.S. News & World…
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Wendel Rosen Attorneys Examine Court Decision on Disinherited Trust Beneficiaries
02/06/2020 | Daily Journal
In their byline article for the Daily Journal, Partner Kevin Rodriguez and Attorney Mathew John examine the California Supreme Court’s recent Barefoot v. Jennings decision. The court held that previously…
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Wendel Rosen Welcomes Attorney Mathew John to Trust and Estate Litigation Practice
04/03/2019
OAKLAND, Calif., Apr. 3, 2019 – Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP, the largest law firm in the East Bay representing businesses throughout the Bay Area and state, welcomes attorney…
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