Shawn S. Kerendian Attorney

First Admitted: 2007, California

Professional Webpage: http://www.keystone-law.com/our-team/shawn-s-kerendian/

Bar/Professional Activity:

Beverly Hills Bar Association, Member, 2019
Trusts & Estates and Litigation sections of the State Bar of California, Member, 2019
Trusts & Estates and Litigation sections of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Member, 2019
Member of the Los Angeles Superior Court's Probate Mediator Panel, 2018
Member of the Los Angeles Superior Court's Probate Volunteer Panel where experienced probate attorneys are appointed to represent the interests of minors, conservatees, and others who are unable to obtain representation for themselves, 2017

Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):

Keystone substituted into a protracted, ongoing action on behalf of the sole trust beneficiary involving a hostile trustee, the beneficiary’s mother, who not only refused to distribute any of the beneficiary’s share (despite unambiguous trust language requiring this distribution to be made immediately and free of trust), but who also claimed that the beneficiary should be entitled to nothing due to distributions the trustee allegedly made during the beneficiary’s childhood. Shortly thereafter, by demonstrating that the trustee was no longer acting neutrally or in the best interests of the beneficiary, Keystone was able to get this trustee suspended, which created considerable leverage and ultimately allowed this case to settle for a greater settlement sum to this beneficiary than had ever previously been offered., 2018
For a period of two years after the decedent’s death, the trustee-beneficiary failed to notify the other beneficiaries of their interest in the Trust and proceeded to transfer trust assets to herself. Upon learning of these breaches, Keystone represented two beneficiaries and brought an action against the trustee to recover the properties and to surcharge the trustee for substantial losses (e.g., the trustee residing in trust property rent-free and expending liquid trust assets for her own personal benefit). Keystone negotiated a settlement bringing these converted assets back into the trust and distributing a majority of them to the beneficiaries other than the trustee. Keystone was also able to negotiate payment of its attorneys’ fees and costs from the trust on the basis that its services benefited all beneficiaries., 2017
Decedents, husband and wife, executed a trust naming various individuals as beneficiaries. During their joint lives, one spouse attempted to amend their joint trust by crossing out the names of some individuals directly on the trust instrument and adding the names of others. Following the death of both spouses, the trustees, who stood to benefit from the attempted amendment, took the position that these interlineations were valid. Keystone represented two beneficiaries who had been named in the trust, however, one client’s name had been stricken by the interlineations. Keystone argued that the interlineations were an invalid attempt to amend the trust and also brought claims against the trustees for breach. Ultimately, Keystone negotiated a favorable settlement under which both clients received an inheritance and the trustee was surcharged. Keystone also successfully overcame one trustee’s later attempt to set aside the settlement., 2017
Keystone represented decedent’s son who was involved in a dispute with the decedent’s spouse over whether the decedent had created a valid trust leaving multiple parcels of real property to his son. Keystone represented the son and argued that a trust existed notwithstanding the fact that no one (including the son) had a copy of it, and the spouse expressly denied that such a trust ever existed. Keystone put forth evidence that the decedent and spouse had executed Quitclaim Deeds transferring real property into the trust, and testimony from decedent’s CPA regarding the terms of the trust, and maintained that evidence was sufficient to show that the decedent had in fact intended to create a trust. Subsequent to the CPA’s deposition, the spouse produced unsigned copies of the trust. As a result, Keystone negotiated a settlement on terms similar to what the son would have obtained if he had successfully litigated this case through to judgment., 2017
Keystone successfully settled a case on behalf of the brother beneficiary, who along with his sister were the two trust beneficiaries, against an action brought by his sister contesting the decedent’s will, reforming a trust provision, and holding her brother liable for financial elder abuse, all of which, the sister argued, should have the effect of entirely disinheriting her brother. But through Keystone’s representation, and even though the contested trust instrument was drafted by a paralegal and not a licensed attorney, Keystone was able to obtain a favorable resolution at mediation, which resulted in the brother beneficiary receiving most of what he would have received under the terms of contested instruments., 2018
Keystone represented beneficiaries of decedent’s prior estate plan in an action to invalidate decedent’s new trust, which disinherited Keystone’s clients on the primary basis that Keystone’s clients, who lived with the decedent, were allegedly responsible for her deteriorating physical condition. However, by procuring evidence demonstrating that the new trust was executed by the decedent during a time that the decedent was under a temporary conservatorship and hospitalized, was signed only three days before decedent’s death and was prepared by the attorney who represented the new trust’s beneficiary rather than the decedent, Keystone obtained a settlement for clients which represented the majority of the decedent’s multi-million-dollar estate., 2018
In a combined conservatorship and trust action involving the Petitioner’s request to remove Keystone’s client as successor trustee of his mother’s trust, which the mother endorsed, Keystone achieved settlement with the Petitioner after just one day of trial, which fully vindicated client’s position and allowed him to remain acting as trustee. The testimony of Petitioner’s own expert raised doubt about the mother’s ability to grasp the financial ramifications of removing her son, who was working as trustee without compensation, and replacing him with a paid private professional fiduciary., 2018
Through creative arguments and vigorous litigation, Keystone obtained a settlement on behalf of non-relative, contingent trust beneficiaries of the vast majority of decedent’s multi-million-dollar trust estate, despite the fact that decedent’s new trust was prepared by a premier estate planning firm, it named a third-party as sole beneficiary and Keystone’s clients’ connection to the decedent were as relatives of decedent’s divorced spouse., 2018

Special Licenses/Certifications:

Shawn is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization since September 2014. He is one of the youngest attorneys who is a Certified Specialist in this field., 2019

Pro bono/Community Service:

Shawn has also been selected to act as a settlement officer in the Los Angeles Superior Court’s Pro Bono Probate Settlement Program. This Program is intended to provide parties with probate, trust, estate, guardianship, and conservatorship litigation matters which are pending before the Central District of the Los Angeles Superior Court an opportunity to resolve their cases by an experienced attorney in the field. Shawn has been successful settling probate litigation cases as a settlement officer., 2019
Shawn has been appointed by the Probate Department of the Los Angeles Superior Court as a member of its Probate Appointed Counsel Panel. This designation will allow Shawn to be appointed by the court as counsel to represent persons in special proceedings, such as a proposed conservatee – i.e., a person who is currently the subject of a judicial proceeding to determine whether a conservatorship is appropriate (typically an older adult with symptoms of dementia). These attorneys may also be appointed as guardian ad litem, referees, special masters, court experts or fiduciaries., 2019
Shawn has also been selected to act as a settlement officer in the Los Angeles Superior Court’s Pro Bono Probate Settlement Program. This Program is intended to provide parties with probate, trust, estate, guardianship, and conservatorship litigation matters which are pending before the Central District of the Los Angeles Superior Court an opportunity to resolve their cases by an experienced attorney in the field. Shawn has been successful settling probate litigation cases as a settlement officer., 2018
Shawn has been appointed by the Probate Department of the Los Angeles Superior Court as a member of its Probate Appointed Counsel Panel. This designation will allow Shawn to be appointed by the court as counsel to represent persons in special proceedings, such as a proposed conservatee – i.e., a person who is currently the subject of a judicial proceeding to determine whether a conservatorship is appropriate (typically an older adult with symptoms of dementia). These attorneys may also be appointed as guardian ad litem, referees, special masters, court experts or fiduciaries., 2018

Honors/Awards:

Shawn is AV Rated by his peers on Martindale-Hubbell for exhibiting the highest level of professional excellence., AV Rated, Martindale Hubbell, 2018
Shawn is AV Rated by his peers on Martindale-Hubbell for exhibiting the highest level of professional excellence., AV Rated, Martindale Hubbell, 2019
Shawn is AV Rated by his peers on Martindale-Hubbell for exhibiting the highest level of professional excellence., AV Rated, Martindale Hubbell, 2015
Shawn is AV Rated by his peers on Martindale-Hubbell for exhibiting the highest level of professional excellence., AV Rated, Martindale Hubbell, 2017
Shawn is AV Rated by his peers on Martindale-Hubbell for exhibiting the highest level of professional excellence., AV Rated, Martindale Hubbell, 2016
Shawn has been Lead Counsel Rated every year since 2015. https://www.leadcounsel.org/attorney/keystonelawgroup, Lead Counsel Rated, Lead Counsel, 2019
Shawn has been rated as a 10 out of 10 based on his accomplishments, and both client and peer reviews since 2015., AVVO Rating, AVVO, 2019
Shawn was selected by The Daily Journal (California's largest legal newspaper) as a Top 40 Lawyer Under 40 in California for 2017. This is a great honor as only 20 attorneys are selected from Southern California and 20 from Northern California. He will be published in a special edition in April 2017. https://www.keystone-law.com/articles/Daily-Journal-40-under-40-Shawn-Final-(ID-400092).pdf, Daily Journal, Top 40 Under 40, 2017

Educational Background:

Loyola Law School (JD), 2007
University of California, Los Angeles (Bachelor of Arts), 2004

White Papers:

Beneficiaries who are harmed by the wrongdoing of executors or trustees must decide how to respond. The fact that these fiduciaries are frequently family members can make this very difficult. To shed light on these often-murky situations, we published a white paper called “When Executors and Trustees Go Wrong.” In the paper, we discuss important questions that include: What types of conduct constitute a breach of fiduciary duty? What legal remedies are available to hold trustees and executors accountable for wrongdoing? Why do dysfunctional family dynamics so often contribute to causing these situations? Our paper is a resource intended to help you understand the legal framework in which trustees and executors operate. Reviewing it should be useful in identifying your next steps in responding to wrongful conduct by these fiduciaries. To find out more, give our law firm a call to discuss your specific situation., When Executors and Trustees Go Wrong, 2018

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

Shawn was a guest speaker in Professor Barcal's class and discussed wealth preservation, Guest Speaker, Guest Speaker to Professor Jack Barcal's course on "Family Wealth Preservation", USC Leventhal School of Accounting, 2019
Shawn presented to CNB's Wealth Advisers, Client Managers, Private Bankers and Wealth Analysts, Topics: “Trust Litigation” and “Limitations of the Trustee’s Attorney-Client Privilege,” , Presenter, Presentation on "Trust Litigation" and "Limitations of the Trustee's Attorney Client Privilege", City National Bank, 2018
Shawn presented on the topics of “Probate Litigation” and “Closing the Estate", Presenter, Probate Bootcamp, National Business Institute, 2017
Shawn presented on the topics of “Tax Reporting and Post-Mortem Tax Problems” and “Probate Disputes and Litigation”, Presenter, The Probate Process from Start to Finish, National Business Institute, 2017

Other Outstanding Achievements:

Daily Journal selected and featured Shawn and Keystone Law Group in their Small Firms' section on May 6, 2019. The article focused on Keystone's work-life balance and culture of respect. It was titled "Equitable Equilibrium.", 2019

Firm News (Newsletters):

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