Eric R. Adler’s emphasis involves litigation of complex trust, probate matters, and conservatorships/guardianships. Eric has extensive trial experience in probate court and is often asked to replace litigation counsel once a trial date is set.

Eric further assists with trust administration and the representation of fiduciaries and beneficiaries in uncontested trust matters, especially matters that have the threat of ultimately ending up in litigation.

Eric’s past experience with a more broad based practice, which included assisting clients with estate planning and the succession issues with family owned businesses, including acting as lead counsel in the sale of a business for over $100,000,000, assists him in advising parties in regard to the trust and estate issues.

He regularly acts as outside counsel for (in alphabetical order only): City National Bank, N.A., Comerica Trust, Farmers and Merchants Trust Company, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and many licensed private professional fiduciaries.

Eric is currently on the board of directors of The Guidance Center of Long Beach, acting President of the Board, a Nonprofit that focuses on the mental health needs of disadvantaged youth. Eric is also on the Long Beach Police Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Eric is the past President of the board of directors of Family Services of Long Beach and a past member of a fundraising advisory board to Miller’s Children’s Hospital of Long Beach.

Eric received his B.A. Degree in 1994 from Boston University, Cum Laude, and his J. D. Degree in 1997 from Washington University, St. Louis.

Reported Case: Tunstall v. Wells (2006) 144 Cal.App.4th 554.*

Press: Quoted in New York Times regarding Donald Sterling probate litigation, 8/12/14.

Recent representative matters as lead counsel:

Three-week trial representing trustee in case where petitioners were seeking eight figure surcharge.

Trust contest over $100,000,000 trust. Represented only child and procured favorable pre-trial settlement.

Represented beneficiary in Probate Code 850/859 action against brother and sister-in-law and uncovered millions of dollars in assets mis-appropriated over decades.

Represented heirs against caregiver who secretly married their grandfather before he died. After trial the court disinherited her per Probate Code 259.

Defeated 4 million dollar post trial fee request.

**Case was cited by state legislature in change of no contest statute. After remand, case settled on positive terms.