Jennifer Vane

Of Counsel

Jennifer A. Vane is Of Counsel with WKD, specializing in probate and trust administration and litigation.  She received her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Government with a minor in Politics, Philosophy & Economics from the University of Notre Dame, graduating with honors.  She received her law degree (J.D.) from the USC Gould School of Law in 1990. She has been licensed to practice law since 1990.

Ms. Vane began her legal career during law school at the Inner City Law Center, the only legal-services provider on Skid Row in Los Angeles.  She then transitioned to insurance coverage, managing litigation of both first-party and third-party construction defect, environmental and earthquake claims, among others.  As an associate and then a partner at Hancock Rothert & Bunshoft, LLP for 9 years, Ms. Vane developed strategy and directed litigation of multi-party pollution coverage cases, typically involving interpretation of dozens of contracts, novel and complex legal issues, and multi-million dollar claims for damages from Superfund sites.

Ms. Vane’s credentials are unique.  She obtained her Certificate in Fiduciary Management for both Trustees and Conservators from the California State University Fullerton program.  As a result, she brings her extensive complex litigation experience to the complex world of trust and estate litigation.

Ms. Vane has always been active in her community.  She has been a member of her preschool’s School Board and Parish Long-Range Planning Committee, as well as the Parish Women’s Retreat Leader and Speech and Debate Coach.  When she is not attending her teens’ track meets, Ms. Vane can be found at her “home away from home” – Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena and the Huntington Library in San Marino.

Tamra Otten

Tamra Otten

Partner

Tamra Otten is a Partner with WKD.

Mrs. Otten’s practice focuses on probate, trusts and conservatorships. She handles both litigation and administration, including Special Needs Trusts. She represents numerous Private Professional Fiduciaries in contested and uncontested matters, including bench trials, evidentiary hearings and contested petitions.

Currently, she serves as Court Appointed Counsel representing proposed conservatees in conservatorship petitions in Los Angeles County.

Mrs. Otten started with WKD as an Associate in 2017. She was promoted to Senior Associate and recently to Partner. Given her experience and rise within the firm, she often mentors the associate attorneys.

She has a keen eye for detail which goes hand-in-hand with a strong analysis of the law. Her approach to her cases is understanding the procedure and strategizing to get the best and most efficient result.

Previously, Mrs. Otten was a Deputy Public Defender representing clients in both pre-trial and trials. At the Public Defender’s Office, she conducted jury trials, drafted and argued various motions requiring testimony and negotiated countless pleas on behalf of her clients.  She also represented clients in probation proceedings. 

Mrs. Otten received her Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from City University of New York (CUNY). She received her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Justice Studies with a minor in Political Science from San Jose State University. She was admitted to the California Bar in January 2015.

At CUNY, Mrs. Otten interned at the Legal Aid Society where she shadowed various attorneys, drafted motions and even represented clients. She also participated in a year long clinic at CUNY focusing on criminal defense.  During law school, she interned at the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office in the Juvenile Division as well as California’s Office of the State Public Defender.

Mrs. Otten grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and cat. She handles matters both in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles County.

Speaking Events: 

  • LACBA- CAC Training- 2024 Edition, Current Fundamental Topics: Obtaining Information from Third Parties, with Co-Speakers Rebecca Loo, Law Office of Rebecca Loo, and Leona Shapiro, Law Office of Katz & Shapiro, Los Angeles, CA, October 5, 2024
 
         
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hayley Herrera

Paralegal

Hayley is a Senior Paralegal and has been with WKD since 2017. Ms. Herrera graduated from California State University Northridge with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with an emphasis in Law and Society in 2017. She earned her Paralegal Certificate in 2020 from Pasadena City College.

Hayley has been passionate about the legal field since beginning her Political Science degree, and she continues that same passion as a paralegal at WKD. Since working with WKD, Hayley has worked on many probate matters involving conservatorships, trusts, and estates.

 
 
 

Kacie Akau

Paralegal 

Kacie Akau is a Senior Paralegal with over 20 years of paralegal experience, including civil litigation, employment law, and probate experience.  Kacie has been with WKD since 2012, and has worked on conservatorship, guardianship, trust, and estate administration matters as well as the related litigation matters.  

 
 

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