Stuart David Zimring
We are a broad-based firm concentrating in Elder Law, Estate and Life Planning and transactions involving family businesses. We pride ourselves on our ability to provide our clients with high quality personalized service in a cost-effective manner.
Elder Law
"Elder Law" is a holistic approach to the practice of law that focuses on the client - usually a senior or disabled person - and his or her family. It seeks to integrate legal, social, welfare, medical/psychological and financial planning solutions to the problems at hand by involving specialists from the respective disciplines as needed.
Our expertise in Elder Law enables us to counsel our clients on the appropriate use of various available techniques and planning opportunities to effectively deal with the myriad opportunities and issues facing our aging population. We work with financial and insurance advisors, caregivers and health care professionals to analyze our clients' overall needs, and the most effective method of meeting those needs. This includes, where appropriate, advice regarding long term care insurance, reverse mortgages, public benefits (Med-Cal/SSI), intervention and negotiation with health care providers in cases where advance directives are not being honored or where benefits are being denied. Our practice focuses on the preparation of wills and trusts, conservatorships and powers of attorney, and helping clients plan for loved ones with special needs.
To enable us to remain current in the rapidly evolving and changing area of Elder Law, we are active and participating members of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the American College of Trusts and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR), the Southern California Council of Elder Law Attorneys, and the Special Needs Alliance.
Estate & Life Planning
We have a full service estate and life planning practice, capable of providing virtually all the estate planning needs of our clients. We work closely with our clients' accountant, insurance advisor, stockbroker, pension and profit sharing plan administrator or other financial advisor to assist them to achieving their dispositive intent with minimum estate, gift and property tax consequences.
Incapacity and Post-Mortem Administration
Related to our practice areas of Elder Law, Estate and Life Planning, is our trust administration, probate and conservatorship practice, which assists our clients in dealing with the many problems that occur upon incapacity or death.
* Trust Administration
The popularity of "Living Trusts" has created unique opportunities for clients to maximize the value of their estate through probate court avoidance and estate tax deferral and/or avoidance. However, the death of a Settlor (the person creating the trust) triggers a sequence of procedures that must be followed in order to preserve the trust's benefits. We are fully equipped to assist our clients in all aspects of administering their trusts (whether prepared by our office or by others). We prepare and participate in audits of estate tax returns when required.
* Probate Court Practice
We help families deal with the Probate Court when necessary, and avoid its jurisdiction where appropriate. Our representation includes all matters that may come under the Probate Court's jurisdiction including conservatorships, guardianships, conventional probate and continuing court supervision of certain trusts (such as Special Needs Trusts).
We handle will and trust contests, disputes between beneficiaries, and other specialized litigation unique to the Probate Court and to elder abuse issues.
* Special Needs Trusts
Special Needs Trusts are a type of trust created for disabled individuals. They are designed to respond to the unique needs of the trust's beneficiary. Where the beneficiary is receiving or is entitled to receive governmental benefits, the trust is designed to protect those entitlements, while at the same time enabling the trustee to enhance the beneficiary's quality of life through the use of the trust.
As a direct result of our expertise in the areas of Elder Law and Estate Planning, we have developed unique insights into this area.
We are members of the Special Needs Alliance, a nationwide alliance of attorneys focusing on special needs planning.
Business & Real Estate Law
The firm has over twenty years experience in the formation, operation and dissolution of for-profit and nonprofit business entities, including organization of corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships and other business entities.
We serve as counsel to our business clients for day-to-day transactional matters, as well as advising management and Boards of Directors regarding non-recurring corporate actions of a unique nature, including preparation of employment and consulting contracts, leases, transactional documents and corporate minutes. We work closely with our clients' accountants, stockbrokers, insurance agents and other financial advisors to achieve the most desirable results in any given transaction.
We have over two decades of both transactional and litigation experience in real estate. We represent our clients in business, real estate, construction and other civil litigation.
Our litigation philosophy begins with the belief that litigation is the last resort in any dispute. Thus our services include realistic counseling of clients prior to the initiation of and throughout the litigation process. This affords our clients the opportunity to make more informed decisions on whether to litigate or settle disputes. When appropriate, we favor available alternate dispute resolution sources.
While we believe in resolving disputes through productive negotiations rather than litigation whenever possible, we aggressively pursue our clients' cases to obtain the best possible result for them.
Stuart D Zimring
12650 Riverside Dr
North Hollywood CA 91607-3492
Tel: 818 755-4848
Fax: 818 755-4853
E-mail: zimzim@elderlawla.com
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