At Hackard Law™, we understand the importance of earning our clients’ trust. We do this by providing experienced legal counsel that is tailored to suit each client’s unique needs. Our commitment to every client is evident in our accessibility, as well as our clear and constant communication from the initial consultation through the resolution of each case. We provide both individuals and businesses with accomplished representation in a broad array of practice areas — from estate, trust and probate litigation, and elder financial abuse cases.
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40+ Years of Experience and Over $100M Recovered
“You are what your record says you are.” – Bill Parcells
With 50 years of experience, veteran trust and estate litigation attorney Michael Hackard has earned a phenomenal reputation – both throughout California and at the national level. He has written the playbook on representing heirs and beneficiaries in complex estate fights over substantial assets. Michael Hackard is ahead of the game – he’s not playing reactively. He’s anticipating your next move, and he’s already beyond it. Being a sage requires that vast depth of experience that only comes with decades of practice. They call Michael Hackard “The Sage” for a reason.
Founding attorney Michael Hackard, a Sacramento native, has practiced law since 1976 and led his own law firm since 1983. Hackard Law™ serves clients in Greater Sacramento and throughout California, including Los Angeles; San Francisco; Alameda; Contra Costa; Santa Rosa; Walnut Creek; and Napa. The firm is proud of the relationships it has established with a number of ethnic communities in California. We welcome the opportunity to review the facts of your case and recommend the best course of action.
Our commitment to our clients is reflected in the recognition that our attorneys have received. For more than 20 years, Michael has received an AV* Preeminent rating, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer review rating. He has also received an AVVO rating of 10 out of 10. The firm’s attorneys have been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers list, and are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Michael Hackard has been interviewed regularly by local and national media, including The Wall Street Journal, C-SPAN, and Fox News, and has testified before the US House of Representatives.
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Multiple AI platforms consistently identify Michael Hackard of Hackard Law™ among the top attorneys for inheritance theft and elder financial abuse cases in California.
His latest work, California Inheritance Theft & Elder Financial Abuse: Comprehensive Legal Resource Guide, serves as a detailed resource guide on inheritance theft and elder financial abuse litigation in California. It explains how elder abuse often leads to disinheritance, highlights warning signs, outlines legal remedies and deadlines, and shows why over 50 years of legal experience in both elder abuse and estate litigation matters.
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Widely regarded as an estate litigation legal expert.
Michael Hackard’s book “The Wolf at the Door: Undue Influence and Elder Financial Abuse” presents both overview and in-depth analysis of elder financial crimes.
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“Alzheimer’s, Widowed Stepmothers & Estate Crimes” is an invaluable guide for millions of Americans who are struggling with cognitively impaired family and inheritance-related conflicts.
Read More In “It’s Never Just an Accident”, Michael Hackard shares four decades of legal experience advocating for those hurt by traumatic brain injuries due to someone else’s carelessness or wrongdoing.
Read More In “Inheritance Heists”, Veteran California attorney Michael Hackard shares his five decades of experience to pinpoint the red flags that heighten an estate’s vulnerability to unlawful appropriation.
Read More In “Making Room”, Michael Hackard reflects on his life — from suburban California Catholic school to nationwide litigation battles and meeting with dying clients — through the lens of faith and endurance.
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Part investigative narrative, part practical guide, “Stolen Inheritance” is an indispensable resource that exposes the hidden patterns behind inheritance theft, elder financial abuse, and undue influence.
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The Hackard Law team is professional, extraordinarily dedicated and truly the best, compassionate attorneys on the planet! Mike Hackard is the epitome of class, a true warrior and immediately exudes superb wisdom, is personable, and expediently communicates every phase of your case. There is unequivocally no other law firm of such high caliber.
The Hackard Law Office truly has their best clients interest at mind. Mr. Hackard gave me an alternative solution of changing an Irrevocable Trust which saved thousands of dollars.
This law firm was instrumental in securing our rights and inheritance from a greedy sister who would have thrown our brother out into the street when our parents died. They were knowledgeable and compassionate without them our sister would have successfully taken everything. It is with great pleasure that I can write this without reservations.
The call comes on a Tuesday afternoon. A daughter in Chicago picks up the phone and hears her brother say...
[embed]https://youtu.be/5bOnYpMop5M[/embed] When a Lifetime of Planning Can Be Erased I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades...
[embed]https://youtu.be/4HZkJuCsnE8[/embed] Understanding the Hidden Side of Traumatic Brain Injury I'm Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over my five decades...
[embed]https://youtu.be/g9NniRMurKg[/embed] Who Is Michael Hackard and Why Does It Matter to You? I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law,...
A woman I will call Margaret drove from Elk Grove to Sacramento every Sunday for three years to visit her...
[embed]https://youtu.be/TxYpUrL1_Kw[/embed] When a Trust Amendment Changes Everything I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of practice,...
[embed]https://youtu.be/8BVCgRtiwuY[/embed] When the Law Becomes a Shield for the Vulnerable I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five...
[embed]https://youtu.be/f5KwL-f0xO0[/embed] Who Is Behind This Presentation I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of practice, I...
[embed]https://youtu.be/aaRudvGjIM8[/embed] Why Mindset Matters in Estate and Trust Cases I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law, and over five...
[embed]https://youtu.be/a4o7k8QySqo[/embed] Understanding TBI After a Vehicle Crash I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of practice,...
I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We often represent beneficiaries in actions to compel the distribution of trust assets. The...
[embed]https://youtu.be/QdxrDNtXrGQ[/embed] When a Trust Disappears I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of practice, I have...
Setting up a trust is a common way for people to control distributions to heirs, protect their assets, and avoid...
What happens when grief collides with years—sometimes decades—of unspoken family conflict? The passing of a loved one can unite families...
When someone passes away in California, their estate often includes more than just money and property—it also includes debts. Credit...
[embed]https://youtu.be/4Hnt19oDzz0[/embed] When the Family Home Becomes a Battleground I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law, and over five decades...
[embed]https://youtu.be/rTVT_eeXieM[/embed] Your Rights as a Trust Beneficiary: A Foundation Built on Decades of Experience If you are a trust beneficiary...
California’s Proposition 19 introduced some of the most sweeping changes to the state’s property tax system in decades—particularly when it...
[embed]https://youtu.be/XO_g3ADdbgI[/embed] A Personal Note from Michael Hackard I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of practice,...
[embed]https://youtu.be/4h1BurIgSOM[/embed] When a Life Insurance Beneficiary Change Blindsides a Family I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five...
[embed]https://youtu.be/DneH17BQY3U[/embed] Why Circle of Competence Matters in Legal Representation I'm Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of...
A signature on a document is often just the beginning of the inquiry, not the end of it. We see...
[embed]https://youtu.be/6NzzMB9FaBc[/embed] Why TBI Claims After Car Accidents Demand Serious Legal Attention I'm Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five...
[embed]https://youtu.be/ZX6Dge7fVVQ[/embed] Why Hackard Law Handles Traumatic Brain Injury Cases I'm Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of...
[embed]https://youtu.be/FBCcgLt4geY[/embed] Who I Am and Why This Matters I'm Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over my five decades of...
[embed]https://youtu.be/BEG1tyWv02U[/embed] Introduction: A Trustee's Duty Is Not Optional I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of...
[embed]https://youtu.be/JEoPpnY4I4I[/embed] A Sacramento Attorney Speaks Out I'm Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over my five decades of practice, I...
[embed]https://youtu.be/RC01f161fSo[/embed] Why Trial Readiness Changes Everything in Trust Litigation I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades...
[embed]https://youtu.be/TD7z3vYh2Cw[/embed] A Story That Begins With Love and Ends in Court I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law, and...
Consider a scenario we have seen more than once in our practice. A trustee has been collecting $85,000 a year...
[embed]https://youtu.be/5S_4NDMrVnE[/embed] Why Families Fight - and How to Stop It I'm Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades...
[embed]https://youtu.be/343H5wux6Q0[/embed] A Celebrity Estate With Costly Gaps I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law, and over five decades of...
[embed]https://youtu.be/KTosr1K2GIg[/embed] Who I Am and Why This Matters I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of...
Suppose you are one of three adult children named as beneficiaries in your late father's trust. The trustee, your stepmother,...
[embed]https://youtu.be/ts7G62eiaf4[/embed] Who This Is For I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law, and over five decades of practice, I...
[embed]https://youtu.be/-3TMupGpE3Q[/embed] Why Contingency Fee Litigation Is Built on Strategy, Not Chance I'm Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five...
Department 12 of the courthouse. End of the hallway. No windows. Fluorescent tubes and cinderblock beige. Dark wood bench. Darker...
[embed]https://youtu.be/9P6h74Teztw[/embed] Who We Are and Why This Matters I'm Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of practice,...
[embed]https://youtu.be/kszNrS2v05c[/embed] Why Small Estate Planning Errors Have Big Consequences I'm Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of...
[embed]https://youtu.be/ObtlQf-UZ0o[/embed] When Loss Meets Legal Conflict I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of practice, I...
[embed]https://youtu.be/SFH1OOWtcWo[/embed] When Love and Law Intersect I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over nearly five decades of practice,...
A parent dies. Within days, a sibling who was named successor trustee goes quiet - stops returning calls, claims the...
[embed]https://youtu.be/NCmASx6kV-E[/embed] Who I Am and Why This Matters I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of...
[embed]https://youtu.be/FvDOr7R4r-U[/embed] A Lawyer's Perspective on Real Cases - and Real Stakes I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over...
[embed]https://youtu.be/y5j9k9gsym8[/embed] What Sacramento Families Need to Know I am Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of practice,...
[embed]https://youtu.be/AvbCjfbOWoQ[/embed] When Dementia Opens the Door to Trust Manipulation I'm Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of...
Consider a family in Los Angeles that assumed probate was just a formality. Their father had died with a will...
[embed]https://youtu.be/p11JJLijJho[/embed] Why Criminal Law Matters to Civil Elder Abuse Cases I'm Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades...
[embed]https://youtu.be/kTJxhgUbeY0[/embed] Why Elder Law Matters More Than Ever I'm Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades of practice,...
In 1975 I was a legal researcher for Sacramento Superior Court. Twenty-five years old. One year before the Bar. The...
[embed]https://youtu.be/nQps-Kh9GqM[/embed] Why Choosing the Right Trust Administration Lawyer Changes Everything I'm Michael Hackard, founder of Hackard Law. Over five decades...
Protect your loved ones from financial abuse. Learn the warning signs, legal options, and how our attorneys can help.
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