First Admitted: 1997, California

Professional Webpage: https://www.peninsula.law/beti-tsai-bergman

Bar/Professional Activity:

2018 to present: LACBA Trusts & Estates Executive Committee; Chair of LPS and Probate Conservatorship Advisory Committee; Chair of Diversity Outreach Committee , 2021
2017-present, Torrance Memorial Medical Center Professional Advisory Council., 2020
South Bay Inn of Court, Member, 2016-present, 2020
Volunteer Settlement Officer for Los Angeles Superior Court, Probate Court. , 2020
Bench-Bar Coalition, Member-at-Large for Southern Region, 2018-present., 2020
Los Angeles Superior Court Probate Court-Apointed Counsel, 2008-present, 2020
Asian Pacific Women Lawyers’ Alliance, Past-President. Chair of MCLE Committee; Board member 2000-present. , 2020
Los Angeles County Bar Association ("LACBA"), Trust & Estates Executive Committee member; Chair of Advisory Committee re Board of Supervisors Motion to Expand LPS and Proate Conservatorships. , 2020
South Bay Bar Association, Probate Co-Chair, 2016-2018., 2018
Los Angeles County Bar, LRS Advisory Committee, 2016-2018., 2017
2011-2013. Los Angeles Superior Court, Southwest District Probate Court Guardianship Clinic volunteer., 2013
2011-2013, Los Angeles Superior Court volunteer mediator. , 2013
Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association, Past-President Past Executive Vice President, Past Vice President, Past Secretary, Past Treasurer, Past Board Member, 2008
2001-2003, UCLA Asian Pacific Alumni Board of Directors. , 2003
Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association, Chair, Trial Skills Workshop, 2001-2003, 2003
Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association, Board of Governors, 2000-2008. , 2000

Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):

Successfully settled contested accounting saving my client what would have otherwise been more in attorney fees and costs to litigate than the disputed amounts. , 2020

Videos:

"Children of Estranged Parents and Inheritance with Beti Bergman and Dr. Carol Francis", 2012

Representative Clients:

Mentally or legally incompetent parties who are unable to make decisions for themselves. , 2021
Family members who need to file for a conservatorship over a parent or loved one so they can have the legal authority make healthare decisions, manage finances, and protect them. , 2020
Defending trustees, their accountings and their acts as trustee. , 2020
Beneficiaries of trusts or estates who needs to compel a trustee or other fiduciary to distribute their rightful share and to account and report their acts. , 2020

Transactions:

Prepare comprehensive estate plans for families. Estate plans include living trusts, asset-protection trusts, heritage trusts for children, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and wills., 2020

Special Licenses/Certifications:

Designated as a Master Advocate by the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, 2018
Certified in estate planning, trust, and probate law by the California Board of Legal Specialization, 2014
CA Real Estate Broker's License. , 2011
LACBA TAP (Trial Advocacy Project), 2003
LACBA iTAP (Trial Advocacy Project), 2002

Pro bono/Community Service:

Asian Pacific Women Lawyers' Alliance, 2018 President; Board of Governors 2000 to present. Current MCLE chair. , 2020
Torrance Memorial Hospital Professional Advisory Council, 2020
Los Angeles Superior Court, Southwest District, Volunteer Mediator, 2012-2013, 2013
Probate Court Guardianship Clinic volunteer, 2011-2013, 2013
UCLA Asian Pacific Alumni Board of Directors, 2001

Honors/Awards:

Top 10 Estate Planning Attorney, Best of the Best, 2021
Top 10 Attorney for Estate Planning, Attorney & Practice Magazine, 2021
Name as a Top 3 Estate Planning Lawyer by ThreeBestRated. , Top 3 Estate Planning Lawyers, ThreeBest RAted, 2018
Published in Los Angeles Magazine 2021, Top Attorneys in Southern California, The American Registry, 2021
10 Best Attorney, American Institute of Legal Counsel, 2021
Selected for the 2018 Best of Torrance Award in the Local Business Category by the Torrance Award Program., Best of Torrance Award, Torrance Award Program, 2018
Names as a 10 Best Estate Planning Attorney by the American Institute of Legal Counsel. , 10 Best Estate Planning Attorney, American Institute of Legal Counsel, 2018
Named as Top Attorney by Los Angeles Magazine., Top Attorney, Los Angeles Magazine, 2018
Advocate Designation, National Institute of Trial Advocacy, 2015
Southern California Chinese Lawyers' Association, President's Award, 2007
Member of UC Davis Law Review. , UC Davis Law Review, member, 1996
Graduated with distinction, Cal State University at Long Beach, 1994

Educational Background:

J.D. from UC Davis School of Law, 1997
Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from UCLA, 1988
Master of Science in Applied Mathematics from California State University at Long Beach, 1994

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

Featured Speaker, Amending a Revocable Living Trust, CEB, 2016
Presented webcast about the basics of conservatorships, when conservatorships are needed, the difference between conservatorships and powers of attorney and other estate planning instruments, court proceedings involved, and different types of conservatorships., Faculty, Conservatorship Basics 101, CEB, 2019
Presented seminar about how to take the Probate Specialization Exam and what to expect on the day of the exam. Discussed a sample essay question and a sample mulitple choice question. Demonstrated how to outline answers to questions and how to best manage time during the exam., Faculty, Welcome to EPIC and How to Take the Specialization Exam, CEB, 2019
Presented segment about Statements of Decisions for this program that covered other trial topics, such as, evidentiary objections to make at trial and preserving the record for appeal., Featured Speaker, Trial Preparation and Advocacy: Part II, LACBA, 2019
Presented a basic seminar to an Alzheimer’s support group to educate them about how get a conservatorship to have the legal authoirty to act and protect a person who has lost capacity, and how to put proper estate planning instruments in place to prevent the possibility of a consevatorship., Featured Speaker, Conservatorships, Probate, and Estate Planning, Cerritos Senior Center, Alzheimer’s Support Group, 2018
Speaker for seminar presented to PVP attorneys on the topic of limited conservatorships focusing on understanding the proposed conservtor and proposed conservatee and family dynamics, the seven powers involved in limited conservatorships, modification of those powers, and the proposed conservatee’s voting rights., Featured Speaker, Know Your Limits: PVP Training for the Limited Conservatorship Practitioner, LACBA, 2018
As one of my main focuses as President of APAWLA, we enhanced our mentoring efforts and partnered up with our sister bar, SCCLA, to present our inaugural joint quarterly mentoring circle to advance and support young women lawyers., APAWLA President, Quarterly Mentoring Circle, APAWLA, 2018
Seleted to represent the Asian legal community to present issue and question to Gavin Newsom., Featured Speaker, Los Angeles Minority/Ethnic Bar Association Meet & Greet Event with Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles City Club, 2018
Speaker for seminar to educate the public on how elder abuse can happen, how to recognize and address it, and what type of legal protetions you can put in place to try to prevent it., Featured Speaker, Protecting Yourself, Your Assets, and Your Relationships, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, 2018
Helped provide civic education, judicial mentorship, and exposure to the judicial branch for high school students from underserved communities. Participated in mentoring sessions with students, worked through legal educational exercises with students, and answered student questions about the practice of law., Featured Speaker, Judge Beverly Reid O’Connell Power Lunch Program, Los Angeles Superior Court, Central Distrct, 2018
Featured Speaker, Drafting Revocable Trusts: Tricky Clauses, CEB, 2017
Faculty, Building Trial Skills, NITA, 2017
Instructor, Estate and Incapacity Planning II, CEB EPIC, 2017
Faculty Instructor, Probate Litigation 101: Nuts & Bolts, Pincus Professional Education, 2017

Other Outstanding Achievements:

Earned Advocate Designation from National Institute of Trial Advocacy ("NITA")., 2015

Industry Groups:

Law

Beti Bergman