THE PRACTICE

Practice Areas

Estate Planning
Probate
Trust administration
Conservatorships
Probate Court Litigation
Beneficiary Representation
Business formations and maintenance
General Business

My Approach

I want each of my clients to understand their legal situation, and their options. A good part of my job with my clients is to educate them, and I particularly enjoy that process. "The law" is a very large subject, and no attorney knows it all! Once you understand your situation in its legal context, I then let you know the options open to you. Together we will develop a course of action that is designed accomplish your goals. That process necessarily involves the potential costs involved. There are the obvious financial costs. But when involved in any sort of contested proceeding, there are also non-financial costs such as stress, time and impact on your relationships with family, friends and business associates.

Our Team

Thomas E. Olson

I graduated from UC Davis Law School in 1978 and passed the bar that year. I was admitted to the bar November of 1978. I worked for 42 years with Benton, Orr, Duval & Buckingham, predominantly doing what I am still doing. Estate planning, probate and trust administration are the major share of my practice. I have also been lead counsel in contested proceedings. I have done many trials before the Probate Court in Ventura County over my many years in practice, with good success. I also work with my clients to resolve disputes short of trial, through negotiation, informal mediation and formal mediation.

My undergraduate was at UC Davis as well, graduating in 1972 with Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Russian Literature and History.

I have served as Chair of the Ventura County Bar Association Probate Section.

I have been a member of the Ventura Downtown Lions Club since 1981.

I am AV rated with Martindale Hubbell, a nationally known and respected attorney rating service.

Valerie A. Lopez