Barry L. Adams

I am a State Bar of California Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate law. I have over 30 years of experience as a trusts and estates attorney. I advise clients regarding estate planning, estate/trust administration and litigation. I have offices in Northern and Southern California and can assist you regardless of your location. I can help you with setting up your estate plan, resolving a family dispute regarding a trust or estate and with administration issues after a loved one passes away. Listen to my podcasts at www.adamsandrafferty.com to find out more information about these issues.
I can also help you with heirship issues especially those involving genealogy and family history issues. Please feel free to contact me from this page.

• Estate and Trust Litigation
• Trust Administration

• FaceTime
• Google Meet
• Skype
• Zoom
• RingCentral

• Free Consultation
  Initial one-half hour free consultation
• Credit Cards Accepted
• Contingent Fees
  Possible contingent fee arrangement in trust or will contests

California

Since 1986

Principal Attorney

Law Office of Adams & Rafferty, P.C.

2000 - Current

Practice which consists of all aspects of estate and trust matters. Including estate planning, estate and trust administration, and estate and trust litigation.

Founder and Clinical Professor

Community Elder Law Clinic, Empire Law School

2000 - 2011

Founder of non-profit elder law clinic providing free legal advice to seniors. Recipient of Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Education Award 2003.

Owner

Law Office of Barry L. Adams

1993 - 1999

Associate

Anderson, Zeigler, Disharoon & Gray

1990 - 1992

Associate

Rutan & Tucker

1986 - 1990

University of the Pacific

J.D. (1986) | Law

1983 - 1986

Whitworth College

B.A. (1983) | Journalism

1979 - 1983

Honors: Cum Laude

Activities: Editor of University Newspaper, Captain of tennis team, 4 year varsity letter for tennis, Academic All-American in tennis; Class graduation speaker

Excellence in Education, Teaching Award

Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce

2003

Awarded for teaching Elder Law Clinic at Empire Law School

Pro Bono Award

Sonoma County Bar Association

2003

Pro bono award for service to seniors through Empire Law School Elder Law Clinic

Orange County Bar Association, Trust and Estate Section

Member

2015 - Current

Sonoma County Bar Association, Trusts and Estate Section

Steering Committee Member

2013 - Current

California State Bar  # 125474

Member

1986 - Current

Empire Law School

Founder and Professor Elder Law Clinic

2000 - 2011

Activities: Founder of highly successful Empire Law School Elder Law Clinic. Providing free legal advice for seniors in Sonoma County.

Nuts & Bolts of Trust Administration on Death, Continuing Education for Lawyers, Santa Rosa, California

April 24, 2015

Sonoma County Bar Association, Trusts and Estate Section

An introductory class on trust administration for lawyers providing detailed information, forms and checklists

Probate Nuts & Bolts, Continuing Education for Lawyers, Santa Rosa, California

June 9, 2014

Sonoma County Bar Association, Trusts and Estate Section

An introductory class on probate administration for lawyers providing detailed information, forms and checklists

Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law

State Bar of California

2019

Q. I am 75, my estranged daughter is 35. I have read that an UGMA can be ended if I pay IRS 10%

March 9, 2021

A: When you set up the UGMA account, you made a completed gift to the minor recipient. You cannot now revoke that gift. Therefore, it is not a tax issue - it is a legal issue.

Q. My mother, a California resident, passed away recently and I’m unsure whether her estate is a small estate.

January 31, 2020

A: You are lodging the will with the Court - not filing for probate. Remember you have to wait 40 days before filing 13100 Small Estate Affidavit with the banks and the collective amounts of all accounts must be less than $116,250 for a death in 2020 and $150,000 for a death in 2019.

Q. As a benifaciary of a trust do I have any recourse if another benifaciary refuses to sign release that will close trust?

February 22, 2016

A: Under California law, a beneficiary cannot be forced to sign a release of the trustee. Therefore, I don't see that you would have any recourse against the co-beneficiary.

View More Answers ›