I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. I handled my first estate litigation case over 40 years ago. It was a disputed Will. I learned a lot from that case. Since then, I’ve worked on several thousand cases on a contingency basis. We’ve found that trust, estate, and financial elder abuse cases often lend themselves to contingency arrangements. California contingency fee agreements generally provide that a plaintiff is only responsible for paying their attorney if they resolve, settle or win the case. The payment is a percentage of the settlement or winnings. These cases closely tie the lawyer’s interest with those of their client. Contingency fee cases help beneficiaries maintain an equal footing in our courts against those who [...]

***Contest for United States residents only.*** Hi, I’m Stephanie at Hackard Law. How crazy is it that 2021 is almost over? But at least we get to end it with the best time of the year – the Christmas season! And we’ve got something incredible for the holidays – a Paul Reed Smith PRS S2 Custom 24 electric guitar in bold scarlet red. This guitar is top of the line! The basic rules for the contest are simple. First step, leave a comment below. What’s was the best Christmas present you’ve ever gotten? It doesn’t have to be a thing – it can be a feeling or a memory! Let us know! Second, you can subscribe to our channel by hitting the red button. And third, you can like this video. The contest ends at 11:59 PM on M[...]

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We litigate California estate and trust disputes. More often than not, the asset in question is a house. Other common assets are bank accounts and securities. It’s our job to keep up with the law and with changing trends. The ownership of crypto-assets is a changing trend. Crypto-assets are going mainstream. Gemini, a cryptocurrency exchange, estimates that 14% of American adults, roughly 21 million people, own cryptocurrency. This ownership rate is moving upward. The asset-management industry is working to cash in on cryptocurrencies by launching new products. While progress is slow, there is progress. Cryptocurrency ownership will become more widespread. This will be a challenge for th[...]

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. I lead a California law firm representing trust beneficiaries and victims of catastrophic injury. My own life experience helps me identify with those who face a crisis. Three decades ago, doctors diagnosed me with a brain tumor. It was a challenge I faced along with my wife and children, and we overcame it thanks to our faith. Back in the early 1990s, there wasn’t an app to share your health journey those close to you, and of course there weren’t any smartphones, either. But now, we have CaringBridge. CaringBridge is a free online tool that enables you to share health updates with family and friends and schedule care – all from one place to keep it simple while you’re focused on treatmen[...]

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We litigate estate and trust cases in California’s largest urban areas. I first represented clients in estate disputes over 40 years ago. Experience has been a great teacher. That said, I’m still a pupil. I learn new things. See new things. I’ve seen how anger – how harboring grudges - can be ruinous. Mark Twain once said: “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.” It’s tragic to see the effects of stored up anger. Vengeance does more harm than good. So, I’ll share some insights where clients gained more from peace than rancor. It’s difficult to move on from rejection to forgiveness. It’s hard to le[...]

I’m Mike Hackard at Hackard Law. We represent beneficiaries in estate, trust and elder financial abuse litigation throughout California. It’s now been four years since my book on elder financial abuse, The Wolf at the Door, was published. In that time, we’ve taken major steps in raising awareness of elder exploitation and undue influence. I’ve been fortunate to discuss these topics with journalists, authors and hosts of radio shows and podcasts. I’m honored that The Wolf at the Door received such a positive reception among readers and reviewers, and I’ve shared the book with thousands – clients, potential clients, and anyone seeking help in cases of fraud and estate theft. Normal, everyday people need the tools that e[...]

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We focus on trust, estate, and elder financial abuse litigation. Trust beneficiary litigation is messy. Messy doesn’t mean impossible. It means we have to get to work. I’m sharing with you some of the things we use when we get down to work. Every case has its own facts. Its own nuances. One size does not fit all. Still, it’s good to have a general approach. Our first meeting, whether in person, zoom, or telephone, identifies the real party in interest. For trusts, this means the trustee, a beneficiary, or disinherited beneficiary. This is what we call standing. We address fee agreements. They are negotiable. Some cases are hourly. Some are contingency. Some are a mix. Costs must be a[...]

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law. We do trust & estate litigation in some of California’s largest urban areas. We respond to dozens of inquiries every month from family members of deceased or cognitively impaired elders. These inquiries often focus on prevention, prosecution, and recovery for financial abuse. The financial abuse may be the result of undue influence, outright theft, or a combination thereof. Every case has its own character. One characteristic, commonly shared, is the litigation burden of introducing evidence, to make a prima facie case – meaning there’s enough evidence to proceed to trial or judgment. California courts have long used the phrase “burden of going forward with the evidence.” This i[...]