Shawn S. Kerendian - Los Angeles, CA

Shawn S. Kerendian is the founder and Principal of Los Angeles Probate and Trust Litigation Law Firm and is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law (State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization). Shawn founded Keystone to provide clients with specialized, focused and efficient legal services in the Probate, Trusts and Estates field of law. Shawn supervises and manages a team of probate attorneys in the administration and litigation of estates, trusts, conservatorships, and guardianships in this highly specialized and complex area of the law.

As an experienced litigator, Shawn is comfortable handling all stages of litigation, including discovery, mediation, law and motion and trials, and has appeared before judges throughout Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties on matters related to Probate, Trusts and Estates. Shawn has represented trustees, beneficiaries, heirs, executors, administrators, corporations, non-profit organizations, conservators and guardians, including matters where the estate/trust is valued in excess of $50 million.

Representative Matters:

• Recovered tens of millions of dollars in cash and assets for the spouse of a decedent who was improperly deprived of her community property rights by the successor trustee of her deceased husband's trust. Led a team of multiple attorneys in three states over a period of three years in this highly complex and difficult litigation
• Obtained long overdue accountings from executors, administrators and trustees on behalf of numerous heirs and beneficiaries
• Recovered surcharges and damages against fiduciaries who improperly managed and/or embezzled estate or trust assets
• Represented administrators, executors and trustees in estates and trusts valued from a few hundred thousand dollars to tens of millions of dollars
• Provided advice and guidance to trustees and personal representatives in the administration of trusts and estates, so as to minimize the risk of litigation by the heirs/beneficiaries
• Assisted families in recovering assets that were embezzled by persons who took advantage of elderly parents, grandparents and other family members. Litigated claims of financial elder abuse against the embezzlers
• Successfully litigated for and defended against will contests and trust contests involving claims of mental incapacity, undue influence, fraud, duress and forgery
• Litigated various claims regarding entitlement to estate distribution and trust distribution, including heirship petitions, equitable adoption claims, and Marvin actions
• Represented creditors in enforcing claims and judgments against the estates and trusts of decedents
• Recovered over a million dollars for a creditor from the trustee of a decedent's trust
• Assisted families with initiating conservatorship proceedings for loved ones in order to allow the conservator to make important medical and financial decisions for the incapacitated conservatee