EXPERIENCE. INTEGRITY. INSIGHT.

California Trust & Estate Litigation

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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As Featured On

Case Results
$5,250,000
Trust Beneficiary vs....
$5,200,000
Trust Beneficiaries vs....
$3,350,000
Trust Beneficiaries vs....
$3,200,000
Trust Contest and...
$2,800,000
Financial Elder Abuse
$2,650,000
Trust Beneficiary vs....
$2,300,000
Estate Heirs vs....
$1,900,000
Petition for Instructions
$1,860,000
Will Contest
$1,750,000
Trust Beneficiaries vs....
$1,750,000
Financial Elder Abuse
$1,130,000
Trust Beneficiary vs....
$1,060,000
Defense of Trust...
$900,000
Trust Beneficiary vs....
$830,000
Petition for Accounting
$675,000
Trust Beneficiary vs....
$620,000
Petition for Distribution
$600,000
Competing Inheritance Claims
$500,000
Trust Beneficiary vs....
$460,000
Petition to Establish...
$450,000
Trust Beneficiary vs....
$400,000
Petition to Invalidate...
$400,000
Petition to Invalidate...
$390,000
Financial Elder Abuse
$385,000
Financial Elder Abuse
$370,000
Petition for Distribution
$350,000
Trust Beneficiary vs....
$350,000
Financial Elder Abuse
$340,000
Petition for Distribution
$310,000
Petition to Invalidate...
$280,000
Petition to Invalidate...
$250,000
Petition for Distribution
Our Areas Of Practice
Trust Litigation
Trust
Litigation
trauntic
Traumatic
Brain Injuries
estate
Estate
Litigation
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Life Insurance
Beneficiary Litigation
will
Will
Contests
elder
Elder Financial
Abuse
k
subscribers on YouTube
k
followers on Instagram
million video views

Serving California And
Beyond For Nearly Four Decades

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.

Recognized By Clients
And Peers Alike

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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Watch & Learn Videos
TBI
TBI
Elder Financial Abuse
Elder Financial Abuse
Trust Litigation
Trust Litigation
Probate & Estate Litigation
Probate & Estate Litigation
Contingency Fees
Contingency Fees

building relationships one client at a time.

building relationships

What we have discovered over the past three decades is that when you build a business the right way, you end up building relationships that mean so much more. Led by 40-Year legal veteran Michael Hackard, we exercise a firm-wide commitment to every client that makes it evident we are engaged in our work, empathetic with the client’s situation and intent on producing the best possible outcome. If you are just meeting us, there are a few telltale signs that we live up to the high standards that we set for ourselves — for starters, our 30-plus years as a firm serving individuals and businesses in Greater Sacramento and surrounding counties. That kind of staying power doesn’t come to those who settle for mediocre performance. We believe in better.

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Our Team
Sarah Cullen
Attorney
Brian Geremia
Attorney
John Long
Chief Operations Officer
Mark Hackard
Marketing & Creative Director
Isabel Strait
Attorney
Monica Azmi
Legal Assistant and Social Media
Emma Donley
Legal Assistant/Intake
Lora McKinnon
Controller
Read
Our Books

Widely regarded as an estate litigation legal expert.

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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.

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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.

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client testimonials
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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.

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Tracy W
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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.

D
David S
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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.

A
Anna F
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Our Legal Blog
November 8, 2024
Elder Financial...

I'm Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. Today, we're tackling a critical issue that affects countless families: caregiver exploitation. As our...

elder financial exploitation by caregivers
September 13, 2024
Community, Legal...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. Growing up, I remember seeing lawyers on television dramas and still watch some current...

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September 6, 2024
Estate Litigation,...

Are you battling an estate or trust dispute in Mountain View, California? Don't let financial worries stop you from fighting...

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August 30, 2024
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Day after day, we receive pleas for help from those harmed by estate wrongdoing. Emails flood in, phones ring, and...

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August 20, 2024
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Are you caught in an estate or trust dispute in Santa Monica? Don't let skyrocketing property values or complex real...

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August 12, 2024
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Are you facing an estate dispute in Fremont, California? Don't let financial constraints prevent you from seeking justice. I’m Mike...

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July 19, 2024
Estate Litigation,...

I'm Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. Today, I want to talk about a critical issue affecting California's baby boomers and...

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July 10, 2024
Catastrophic Injury,...

Hackard Law is committed to delivering current, relevant legal information to our clients, prospective clients, and community members. Our primary...

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June 27, 2024
Legal Advocacy,...

I'm Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. Our law firm is dedicated to contingency fee estate, trust, and traumatic brain injury...

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June 14, 2024
Traumatic Brain...

I’m Mike Hackard from Hackard Law. Our firm’s personal injury practice focuses on individuals who have suffered traumatic brain injuries...

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June 7, 2024
Traumatic Brain...

I'm Mike Hackard of Hackard Law. At our firm, we understand the devastating impact a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can...

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May 31, 2024
Traumatic Brain...

I'm Mike Hackard from Hackard Law. Our firm serves individuals who have suffered traumatic brain injuries due to the carelessness...

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May 17, 2024
Traumatic Brain...

I'm Mike Hackard with Hackard Law, and I'm here to talk about a crucial issue that affects many people who...

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May 7, 2024
Traumatic Brain...

I'm Mike Hackard from Hackard Law, and today I want to talk about an important issue that many people struggle...

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April 25, 2024
Traumatic Brain...

I'm Mike Hackard from Hackard Law.  Our firm represents individuals who have suffered traumatic brain injuries due to the negligence...

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April 12, 2024
Traumatic Brain...

Hi, I'm Mike Hackard from Hackard Law. For many years, our firm has handled estate, trust, and elder financial abuse...

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April 5, 2024
Traumatic Brain...

I'm Mike Hackard from Hackard Law. The most heartbreaking cases of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) often involve people who were...

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March 29, 2024
Traumatic Brain...

I'm Mike Hackard from Hackard Law. We know that Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) can deeply affect people and their loved...

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March 26, 2024
Traumatic Brain...

I'm Mike Hackard from Hackard Law. We help people who have been hurt or lost money due to someone else's...

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March 22, 2024
Traumatic Brain...

Hi, I'm Mike Hackard from Hackard Law. We help people who have been hurt or lost money due to someone...

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March 8, 2024
Estate Litigation,...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We represent heirs in tackling wide-ranging problems in estates and trusts.  We do this...

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February 28, 2024
Traumatic Brain...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. I’ve got a long history of passionately representing plaintiffs in areas of law that...

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January 30, 2024
Legal Advocacy

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We litigate trust, estate, and elder financial abuse claims in California’s urban courts. We...

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January 9, 2024
Estate Litigation,...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We’ve been sharing our videos on YouTube for over seven years now. It’s been...

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December 14, 2023
Estate Litigation,...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We litigate estate and trust disputes in California’s Superior Courts. We do this on...

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December 4, 2023
Trust Litigation

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. At Hackard Law we represent heirs and beneficiaries in estate and trust litigation. We...

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October 20, 2023
Estate Litigation,...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We litigate estate and trust cases on a contingency fee basis in most of...

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October 10, 2023
Abused Beneficiaries,...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We litigate disputed wealth transfers – particularly in contentious estate and trust matters. Many of...

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October 3, 2023
Community

If you live in Sacramento, you’ve probably noticed how the homeless problem has spun out of control over the past...

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September 18, 2023
Abused Beneficiaries,...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We represent estate heirs, trust beneficiaries, and victims of financial elder abuse in most...

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August 21, 2023
Abused Beneficiaries,...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We represent wronged heirs and beneficiaries of estates and trusts in California’s largest urban...

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August 15, 2023
Community, Firm...

Hackard Law is happy to donate $5,000 to the American Red Cross relief effort for victims of the devastating wildfires...

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August 8, 2023
Elder Financial...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We represent clients in California trust, estate, and financial elder abuse contingency fee cases....

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July 17, 2023
Abused Beneficiaries,...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. It’s early summer and all the things that summer is known for are underway....

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June 30, 2023
Legal Advocacy

In the 1990s and early 2000s, Michael Hackard was heavily engaged in representing victims of dangerous diet drugs across the...

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June 26, 2023
Community

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. If you live in California, you’ll have noticed a problem that’s only been growing...

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June 16, 2023
Abused Beneficiaries,...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We often represent trust beneficiaries against trustees who have failed to distribute assets. This...

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February 24, 2023
Estate Litigation

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. I handled my first will challenge over 45 years ago. Much has changed in...

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January 16, 2023
Abused Beneficiaries,...

I’m Mike Hackard of Hackard Law. Our law firm represents domestic and foreign trust beneficiaries facing California contentious trusts and...

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December 29, 2022
Estate Litigation,...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We litigate contingency fee trust and estate disputes. Hundreds of things can go wrong...

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October 6, 2022
Abused Beneficiaries,...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. Our California law firm uniquely focuses on contingency fee trust and estate litigation. These...

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September 16, 2022
Abused Beneficiaries,...

I'm Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We regularly represent wronged trust beneficiaries. There are many ways that beneficiaries are wronged....

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August 31, 2022
Uncategorized

For a successful law firm, building a sparkling reputation can provide enormous competitive advantages. For example, a reputation for effective...

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August 30, 2022
Trust Litigation

For the team at Hackard Law, a track record of significant recoveries, coupled with the esteem of the California legal...

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August 18, 2022
Uncategorized

As difficult as it is to imagine, at least one in ten American adults over the age of 60 has...

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August 18, 2022
Elder Financial...

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August 12, 2022
Abused Beneficiaries,...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We represent beneficiaries in trust and estate litigation throughout California. Everyday we speak with...

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August 5, 2022
Community

Hi, I’m Stephanie at Hackard Law. Now that our Summer Guitar Giveaway has concluded, we are happy to announce the...

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August 3, 2022
Uncategorized

For Hackard Law, the Recipe for Success is Equal Parts Preparation, Flexibility, and EmpathyBy S t o r y S...

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July 20, 2022
Community

***Contest for United States residents only. Make sure to have a valid email address in your YouTube profile so we...

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