Family Law

• Guardianship
  Legal Guardianship is a court order that establishes someone other than the parents as responsible for taking care of a child. This may occur if the parents die or are deemed incompetent, unable, or unfit to be in charge of their children. A legal guardian has the same rights and responsibilities as a parent. A legal guardian may be a grandparent, foster parent, aunt or uncle, sibling, friend of the family, or someone else who knows the child.
• Child Abuse
  Elder abuse is very similar to child abuse because it is imposed upon a victim who is often helpless and doesn't have a voice. When an elderly adult suffers from Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or is challenged by similar symptoms of aging, their abuse can go undetected. Because of the aging population's inherent vulnerability, the elderly often suffer in silence and it is assumed that elder abuse is grossly underreported because many don't have the strength to report their abuse, nor do they have anyone to turn to for help.

Criminal Law

• Forgery
  An interested party may contest a will before or after a will enters into probate with the intention to prevent probate of the tendered will or to revoke a will that has been admitted to probate but it is a timely matter. While it is a legal document, a trust is often subject to the interpretation of all involved parties so it must be made with and scrutinized for the specific language. If all the details are not completely clear, a legal battle may very well ensue.

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  The Law Offices of David A. Shapiro, P.C. has real estate law related to trusts and estates as one of its main areas of practice. If you require legal assistance or representation in any aspect of real estate involving a trust or an estate, our Los Angeles real estate attorney may be able to help you.
• Real Estate Transactions
  These transactions and lawsuits may concern not only single-family homes and multi-family units but commercial real estate as well, including office buildings, shopping malls, hotels, warehouses, university buildings, restaurants, and other industrial or commercial structures. David A. Shapiro is proficient at dealing with deeds, trust documents, real estate purchase contracts, mortgage contracts, lease and rental agreements, and other real estate documents and legal procedures. Additionally, David A. Shapiro can help protect you from beneficiaries who may later claim that you acted improperly.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Whether you suffer catastrophic injuries in a severe car wreck or survive a debilitating stroke, your nomination of conservatorship will give authority to one single individual to make important decisions for you, or for an incapacitated loved one. The conservator who you pick in your nomination of conservatorship document will be able to manage your life and assets just as you would. If you need help with establishing a conservatorship in Los Angeles, our skilled estate planning team at The Law Offices of David A. Shapiro, P.C. would be happy to assist you.
• Wills
  The average person will administer a trust only once within their lifetime, meaning they are always entering uncharted territory. With wills and trusts, it is not uncommon for problems to arise when there are conflicting interpretations of the deceased person's wishes, or when trust assets are left to friends instead of family members, or when beneficiaries have conflicting opinions about what to do with certain assets or property. When there is a significant amount of wealth at stake, it's not uncommon for trust and estate disputes to end up in court.
• Trusts
  Whether you are interested in helping your family to avoid probate after your passing or you are hoping to avoid probate when administering a loved one's estate, it is important to understand that this process is not always necessary. In fact, there are certain steps that you can take to avoid probate entirely. By discussing the specific nature of your case with the Los Angeles trust administration lawyer at the Law Offices of David A. Shapiro, P.C., you can take steps to avoid the hassle, time and money involved in probate. While there are a number of different ways that you can accomplish this, it is imperative that you find a solution that is right for both you and your family. For this reason, you should not hesitate to schedule a free initial evaluation with our firm today.
• Power of Attorney
  There are many reasons that can cause you to become unpleased with the individual you chose to make decisions for you for the durable power of attorney. If you need to put an end to this situation, it is important to know that you can revoke the power of attorney at any time. By speaking with a Los Angeles lawyer from our firm, our attorney can help you through the steps to ensure the document is completely revoked. This can be done by making a new power of attorney, but the revocation should also be done in a written form.
• Probate
  Due to the complex and time-consuming nature of probate, it is beneficial to retain the counsel of a seasoned Los Angeles probate attorney. Our founding lawyer is board certified in probate law and can provide the insight and support you need. We can keep you informed every step of the way, ensuring you understand the process.