First Admitted: 2012, California

Bar/Professional Activity:

Member, East Bay Tax Club (2017-present), 2017
Adjunct professor teaching Wills & Trusts at UCLaw SF (formerly Hastings), 2024
Board Member, East Bay Trusts & Estates Lawyers, President, 2024
Board Member, East Bay Trusts & Estates Lawyers, Vice President, 2023
Board Member, East Bay Trusts & Estates Lawyers, Chair of Estate Planning and Administration Committee, 2022
Member, State Bar of California, Trusts and Estates Section (2015-present), 2013
Board Member, East Bay Trusts & Estates Lawyers, Vice Chair of Estate Planning and Administration Committee, 2021
Member, East Bay Trusts & Estates Lawyers (2014-present), 2014

Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):

Settled dispute regarding division of assets outside of probate proceedings, 2023
Settled trust dispute involving seven trusts with eight beneficiaries, valued at approximately $14.5M, 2023
Settled dispute regarding distribution of artwork from estate, 2022

Representative Clients:

Case involving three probates, one trust petition, and one trust administration, all for the same family and real properties owned by various family members, 2024
Incapacity administration to add clients as trustees and agents to accounts. 15800 notices., 2024
Trust administration where decedent owned property in Italy and US, with gifts to many parties. Use of abatement rules., 2024
Estate planning for elderly parent adding child as co-trustee, 2024
Estate planning for unmarried person with girlfriend, many family members, and planning for dog, 2024
Estate planning for parent whose adult children are not financially responsible, 2024
Estate planning for three person relationship, with two married partners and one unmarried partner, involving several pieces of real property, 2021
Trust administration on death of first spouse, involving 8 pieces of real property (some fractional ownership), 2022
Ancillary probate for real property held in California, 2023
Probate involving assignments of interest, 2023
Trust administration requiring declination to serve and appointment of successor trustee, 2022
Trust administration requiring Heggstad petition, 2022
Estate planning for individual with non taxable estate who holds power of appointment over trust set up by parents, 2022
Estate planning for married couple with non-taxable estate, 2023

Special Licenses/Certifications:

California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law

Pro bono/Community Service:

VLSC Community Legal Assistance Saturday Program (CLASP), volunteer (2018 - present), 2023

Honors/Awards:

Educational Background:

Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington, M.P.A., 2012
University of Pennsylvania, B.A. in History, cum laude, 2006

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

Editor of the Washington Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, University of Washington School of Law
Speaking for client of financial advisor on why you should have an estate plan, speaker, Why you need an estate plan, 2023
Co-Author of Chapter 31: Account, Report, and Petition for Final Distribution, co-author, CEB Decedent's Estate Practice, Estate Planning And Administration, 2024
Talk to Edward Jones clients regarding estate planning, updates to estate plan, and funding the trust, speaker, Estate Planning Updates, 2022
Talk to Bright Spot members regarding: What is an estate plan What you can do on your own What you should not do on your own What happens if you do not have an estate plan, speaker, Estate Planning Basics, 2021
Talk regarding charitable giving, how to talk to client, and estate planning options, speaker, Silicon Valley Community Foundation - charitable giving, 2021
Author of CEB Practitioner, "Advance Health Care Directive - Statutory Form", Author, CEB Practitioner, "Nomination of Guardian", 2022
Author of CEB Practitioner, "Assignment to Trust", Author, CEB Practitioner, "Assignment to Trust", 2022
Author of CEB Practitioner, "Advance Health Care Directive - Statutory Form", Author, CEB Practitioner, "Advance Health Care Directive - Statutory Form", Estate Planning, 2022
Co-Author of Chapter 31: Account, Report, and Petition for Final Distribution, co-author, CEB Decedent Estate Practice, Decedent Estate Administration, 2023

Other Outstanding Achievements:

Rachel A. Dodson