About Jeffrey Galvin

Drawing on his experience as a litigator, Jeff guides trustees, executors and other fiduciaries who are dealing with difficult situations, such as murky trust documents and challenging beneficiaries. He helps clients understand their duties and complete the administration process, seeking judicial rulings as necessary. Jeff also represents beneficiaries, including individuals and charities, who seek their rightful shares of trust and probate assets. Jeff pursues conservatorships in high conflict situations, as when siblings are in conflict over an elderly parent’s care and/or finances.

Over the years, Jeff has prosecuted and defended many will and trust contests, which often arise from a late-in-life estate planning change that favors one person over another. Mental capacity, undue influence, and financial elder abuse are commonly at issue in such cases. Many of Jeff’s cases involve seniors with dementia, usually attributed to Alzheimer’s disease.

Jeff often works with clients who have little or no experience with legal disputes. He helps clients understand their rights and duties, looks for cost-effective solutions, uses mediation when appropriate, and takes matters to hearing or trial. Jeff brings an assertive, thoughtful and experienced approach to this emotionally-charged area of litigation.

Jeff created and edits Trust on Trial, a leading blog on California trust and estate litigation that is an educational resource for lawyers and members of the public. He serves in a statewide leadership position as a member of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association. He speaks frequently on trust and estate disputes to audiences of lawyers and related professionals.

Having started his legal career at the Federal Trade Commission, Jeff handles complex business litigation and contract disputes in addition to trust and estate cases, with special interest in the areas of unfair competition and false advertising.