Business Details
Trusted Estate Planning & Business Law Services in Westlake Village
Founded by Esther Hopkins, our law firm specializes in estate planning, business planning, and related legal services. With over two decades of experience, including 13 years as a business litigator, Esther brings a unique perspective to preventing family disputes and asset loss through proactive planning. We serve individuals and families in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, offering customized solutions for asset protection, business succession, and probate matters.Our approach combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of family dynamics, ensuring clients maintain control over their legacies while minimizing tax burdens and administrative costs. We prioritize client education, using plain language to explain complex legal concepts and implementing strategies like revocable trusts, dynasty trusts, and business entity structuring to achieve long-term security.
Services
Estate Planning
Business Succession
Probate Administration
Trust Administration
Elder Law
Tax Planning
Asset Protection
Business Formation
Special Needs Planning
Crisis Management
Highlights and features
- We offer 20+ years of experience in estate and business planning with a litigation-informed perspective.
- Our customized plans address complex family dynamics and high-net-worth asset protection needs.
- We utilize advanced tools like dynasty trusts and captive insurance companies for tax optimization.
- Our founder personally oversees cases, ensuring continuity of service and attention to detail.
- We prioritize client education, explaining legal concepts in plain language without jargon.
Services
Estate Planning
We create customized estate plans to protect assets and ensure client wishes are honored. Our services include wills, trusts, and tax strategies for individuals and families. We focus on preventing family disputes and minimizing probate costs through revocable living trusts and advanced techniques like dynasty trusts.
Business Succession
Our firm designs transition strategies for business owners to ensure continuity during leadership changes. We address valuation methods, ownership transfers, and dispute prevention for family-owned businesses. Services include buy-sell agreements and tax-efficient exit strategies to preserve business value across generations.
Probate Administration
We guide executors through California's probate process, handling asset inventory, tax filings, and creditor claims. Our team streamlines estate distribution while minimizing delays and costs. We also represent clients in probate disputes and contested will matters.
Trust Administration
We assist trustees with post-mortem trust administration, including asset transfer, tax compliance, and beneficiary communications. Our services ensure proper accounting and legal compliance while mitigating fiduciary liability risks. We administer both revocable and irrevocable trusts.
Asset Protection
Our strategies safeguard assets from creditors and litigation through legal structures like limited partnerships and offshore trusts. We integrate protection measures with estate plans to secure wealth for future generations while maintaining client control over distributions.
People
Esther Hopkins
Founder & Principal Attorney
Esther Hopkins is an estate planning attorney with 25+ years of experience, including business litigation background. She focuses on complex estate solutions for high-net-worth families, combining technical expertise with family dynamics understanding. Admitted to California Bar since 1993, she holds Loyola Law School JD and UCLA BA.
Questions
What does your estate planning service include?
Our estate planning covers wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and tax strategies tailored to your family's needs.
How can business owners prepare for succession?
We create customized succession plans addressing valuation methods, ownership transfers, and tax-efficient exit strategies.
What happens during probate administration?
Probate involves court-supervised asset distribution, debt settlement, and tax compliance for estates without proper planning.
Why choose a trust over a will?
Trusts avoid probate, provide privacy, and allow controlled asset distribution while maintaining creditor protection.
Do I need an attorney for trust administration?
Yes, proper trust administration requires legal expertise to ensure tax compliance and mitigate fiduciary liability risks.
