David Kim

Managing Partner

David Kim Photo

David Kim, Managing Partner of WKD, is an experienced litigator with an extensive business and real estate background, and handles exclusively probate and trust matters, both litigated and non-litigated.

Mr. Kim has successfully conducted several notable trials involving probate and trust disputes on behalf of Private Professional Fiduciaries and individuals.  He also counsels clients in all phases of trust administration, conservatorships and probate matters. 

Prior to practicing law, Mr. Kim's background and experience was mainly in real estate finance, working for Comerica Bank, California Federal Bank, and the Irvine Company.  He has been an active licensed broker for more than 30 years and has transacted numerous investment properties throughout California. 

Mr. Kim also serves as Court Appointed Counsel on Conservatorship cases and Guardian ad Litem for Trust matters for the Los Angeles Superior Court.  He continues his role as Special Master for the California State Bar in connection with conducting searches for documentary evidence under the control of attorneys, physicians, psychotherapists and clergy members, Penal Code 1524.

Since graduating from law school, Mr. Kim has obtained over a decade of legal and management government experience.  His prior government experience included working at the Orange County District Attorney's Office, and various Los Angeles County departments, including:  the District Attorney's Office, Child Support Services (CSS), Department of Beaches & Harbor, Department of Children & Family Services, Office of Affirmative Action Compliance (OAAC), and Department of Human Resources (DHR).

During his tenure at the District Attorney’s office and CSS, Mr. Kim honed his trial skills by conducting numerous preliminary hearings, bench and jury trials.  Mr. Kim is comfortable in a courtroom and is an experienced passionate trial advocate.  During Mr. Kim's last three years at Los Angeles County, he was the Risk Manager at the OAAC and DHR responsible for overseeing all aspects of Title VII (Federal) and FEHA (State) litigation involving a workforce of over 100,000 government employees within 37 County departments.  Mr. Kim was directly responsible for assessing numerous high risk claims against the County, working with the Board of Supervisors to reduce the County’s potential exposure.  Mr. Kim is experienced in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of claims, determining which ones should be settled and which claims should instead go to trial.

Mr. Kim serves on several Boards.  He is the Former President and on the Executive Committee at the National Advocates Top 100 Lawyers. Mr. Kim serves on the Board at Dignity Health, Glendale Memorial Hospital and YMCA of the Foothills Board (Former Board Chairman).Rated by Super Lawyer logo and link

Mr. Kim received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Southern California, with an emphasis in Real Property and Development Finance and his Juris Doctorate from Western State University.  During law school, he received the American Jurisprudence Bancroft-Whitney Award for being top in his class for Legal Research and Writing.  Mr. Kim was also within the top 5% of his class for both Trial and Advanced Trial Practice. 

Mr. Kim is admitted and certified to practice before all courts in the State of California, the United States Federal District Court for the Central District, Washington D.C.,and United States Tax Court.

The National Advocates Executive Committee Top 100 Lawyers Logo and Link
Speaking Events: Mr. Kim also gives speeches on probate topics. Some of his recent and upcoming speeches are:
 
  • Fiduciary Boot Camp, Pincus Professional Education with Co-Speaker Norine Boehmer, DoubleTree by Hilton, Los Angeles Downtown, March 9, 2018
  • Employing Caregivers,  23rd Annual PFAC Educational Conference with Co-Speaker Norine Boehmer, Riverside Convention Center, Riverside, CA, June 2, 2018
  • When to Join the Fight: Fiduciary Neutrality and Rules of Ethics, Glendale Estate Planning Council, with Co-Speaker Lauriann Wright; Tam O'Shanter, Los Angeles, CA, July 17, 2018RUE Ratings Best Attorneys of America Lifetime Charter Member Logo and Link
  • The Interplay Between Business Entities and Fiduciary Trustees, 24th Annual PFAC Educational Conference with Co-Speaker Hon. Brenda Penny, Assistant Supervising Judge, Los Angeles Superior Court, Disneyland Resort Hotel, Anaheim, CA, May 4, 2019
  • When to Join the Fight: Fiduciary Neutrality & Rules of Ethics, Fiduciary Round Table, University Club, Pasadena, CA, May 8, 2019
  • The Interplay between Business Entities and Fiduciaries/Trustees, Estate Planning Council of San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena, CA, November 25, 2019
  • Nuances of Real Estate Management & Challenging Sales in a COVID Environment, 27th Annual PFAC Educational Conference with Co-Speakers Hon. Clifford L. Klein (Ret.), Los Angeles Superior Court, Vineendra Jain, MBA, CPM, Ingenious Asset Group, Inc., Disneyland Resort Hotel, Anaheim, CA, May 5, 2022
  • LACBA-  Aviva Bobb Advance CAC Training- 2023 Edition, CAC & Private Counsel, the New Rules & Ethical Considerations,with Co-Speaker Andrew Douglas, Wright Kim Douglas, ALC, Los Angeles, CA, March 18, 2023
  • Are you Afraid of Conservatorships of the Persons?  Risks, Exposures and Solutions, 28th Annual PFAC Educational Conference with Co-Speakers Hon. Ana Maria Luna, Los Angeles Superior Court, Brenda Shorkend, Shorkend Care Management, Sam Gopinathan, New Wave Home Care, Hyatt Regency Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA, June 1, 2023
  • To Sell or Not to Sell:  When is it time to Sell the Conservatee’s Residence?  Beverly Hills Bar Association with Co-Speakers Hon. Craig Karlan (Ret.), Los Angeles Superior Court, Carmen Alberio (Ret.) Los Angeles Superior Court Supervising Probate Counsel, Nancy Sanborn, Brian Joy, The Sanborn Team, October 25, 2023

                        

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Lauriann Wright

    

WKD is proud to support the California Professional Fiduciary Association, serving the needs of the most vulnerable people in our society. Partner Lauriann Wright is interviewed in the Professional Fiduciary Association’s 25th Anniversary Documentary. Click HERE to view the documentary.

Lauriann Wright

Partner

Lauriann Wright PhotoLauriann Wright, founding partner of WKD, is an experienced, award-winning probate litigator and estate planner located in Glendale, California. For over 25 years, she has been practicing all phases of probate law and litigation, including conservatorships, guardianships, trusts, and probate estates, predominantly in Los Angeles County. 

Ms. Wright has conducted numerous contested probate bench trials, dozens of depositions, and written and argued several probate appeals. She has successfully represented professional fiduciaries in numerous contested and protracted probate litigation proceedings including those involving high net worth trusts and estates.  Ms. Wright is experienced in skillfully and discreetly navigating the media in high-profile cases, working with public relations and crisis management professionals as needed. Some of her high-profile cases include the trusts for the benefit of Bradford Disney Lund (grandson to Walt and Lillian Disney), the Conservatorship of Britney Spears, the Conservatorship of Haddie Fishburne (mother of Laurence Fishburne), the trust for Nancy Dow (mother of John Melick and Jennifer Aniston), Conservatorship and Trust of Virginia Armstrong (mother (-in-law) to film producers Lani Netter and Gil Netter) and others. Ms. Wright also proudly represents the Anti-Defamation League in various trust and estate matters related to its charitable bequests.

Lauriann Wright
Rated by Super Lawyers


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Ms. Wright is consistently recognized by her peers as a leader in her field.  She has been named as a Southern California Super Lawyer in Trust and Estate Litigation for twelve consecutive years, from 2012 through 2023. In fact, for 2019 through 2023, she has been named as one of the Top 50 Women Super Lawyers in Southern California and, for 2020, 2022 and 2023, she made the list of Top 100 of all Super Lawyers in Southern California. For 2016 through 2023, she is also listed as one of "The Best Lawyers in America" in Litigation / Probate by Best Lawyers of U.S. News & World Report and her law firm has been named a Best Law Firm as well.  She was been named as a member of the National Advocates: Top 100 of Wills, Trust, and Estates Lawyers, among other honors. 

Four key qualities make Ms. Wright an effective advocate for her clients: (1) a keen understanding of probate law and procedure, garnering the respect of her fellow attorneys and bench officers; (2) thoroughness and attention to detail; (3) expansive litigation experience; and (4) social intelligence and understanding of the emotionally charged nature of probate disputes.

The National Advocates - Top 100 Lawyers - Logo and LinkMrs. Wright graduated from University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1994 with her Juris Doctorate, including a semester of specialized coursework in international law completed at University of Leiden Law School, Leiden, the Netherlands. Mrs. Wright was admitted to the California Bar in December 1994 and is admitted to practice in all the California state and federal trial and appellate courts. 
 

Interviews:

Lauriann Wright interviews in the Professional Fiduciary Association’s 25th Anniversary Documentary, which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH_wYcQKGvI.    

 Memberships:                                                                                

  • Affinity Group Leader, Pasadena Estate & Succession Planning Affinity Group, Provisors (awarded Affinity Group Leader of the Year, Los Angeles Region, 2019)
  • Vice-President and Board Member, San Gabriel Valley Estate Planning Council
  • Member:
            o San Gabriel Valley Estate Planning Council
            o Los Angeles County Bar, Trust & Estates Section
            o Pasadena Bar Association
            o Provisors, Pasadena III
                                                                                           

                                 

                                      

Expert Witness:  

Mrs. Wright has been designated as an expert witness in several probate litigation matters, including cases involving Trusts, Estates, & Conservatorships as well as Legal Malpractice matters.  She was recently qualified on the stand as an expert on legal malpractice in estate planning in Debra Murillo vs. Eve Henderson, et al., LASC Case No. BC685171, resulting in a successful Plaintiff’s verdict.

Classes & Seminars Taught:
Ms. Wright is a frequent speaker for continuing legal education course work in specialized probate law topics.
  • Probate Litigation: How to Build and Present Your Case, Orange County Bar Association, Trust & Estates Section; Co-Speakers Hon. Kim R. Hubbard, Hon. Gerald G. Johnston, Alice A. Salvo;  October 15, 2014.
  • Capturing the Queen: Pre-Trust Contest Litigation Strategies, Orange County Bar Association, Trust & Estates Section, April 8, 2015; and Estate Planning Council of San Fernando Valley, April 30, 2015.
  • Savage Sunset: How 21380 Has Sharpened the Teeth of the Former 21350, San Fernando Bar Association, Trust & Estates Section; June 9, 2015.
  • Probate Litigation: How to Build and Present Your Case, Los Angeles County Bar, Trust & Estates Section; September 25, 2015.
  • Legislative Brunch, Woman's Forum, Push the Limits, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, Greater Foothills, Executive Panelist, Arcadia, CA; March 19, 2016.
  • Justice Delayed: Conservatorships for Criminal Defendants and a Case Study on One that Went Awry, Professional Fiduciary Association of California, 21st Annual Educational Conference, Night Owl General Session, Indian Wells, CA; June 2, 2016.
  • Capturing the Queen: Pre-Trust Contest Litigation Strategies, Professional Fiduciary Association of California, 21st Annual Educational Conference, Breakout Session, and Lunchtime Lecture, Indian Wells, CA; June 2 and 3, 2016.
  • Outer Boundaries: The Perplexing Tale of Standing in Probate Court, Orange County Bar Association, Trust & Estates Section; March 8, 2017
  • Fiduciary Neutrality: When to Join the Fight? The Ethics, Law, and Practice of Neutrality, Professional Fiduciary Association of California, 22nd Annual Educational Conference, General Session, with Co-Speakers Hon. David J. Cowan of the Los Angeles Superior Court, Yevgeny Belous, and Norine Boehmer; Burlingame, CA, June 3, 2017
  • Hoops and Hurdles in Fiduciary Accountings, Wells Fargo Private Bank: Fiduciary Accountings, Panel Discussion, Co- Speakers with Stacy A. Kinsel, Wells Fargo Private Bank, Pasadena, CA,  on October 17, 2017
  • Probate Litigation, Pincus Professional Education, DoubleTree by Hilton, Los Angeles Downtown, on November 10, 2017
  • Fiduciary Boot Camp, Pincus Professional Education with Co-Speakers Hon. Maria E. Strattion and Norine Boehmer, DoubleTree by Hilton, Los Angeles Downtown, March 9, 2018
  • Hoops and Hurdles in Fiduciary Accountings, 23rd Annual PFAC Educational Conference with Co-Speaker Stacy Kinsel; RIverside Convention Center, Riverside, CA, May 31. 2018
  • Fiduciary Neutrality: When to Join the Fight. The Ethics, Law and Practice of Neutrality Part 2, 23rd Annual PFAC Educational Conference with Co-Speakers Hon. David J. Cown, Yevgeny Belous, and Norine Boehmer; Riverside Convention Center, Riverside, CA, June 2, 2018
  • When to Join the Fight: Fiduciary Neutrality and Rules of Ethics, Glendale Estate Planning Council, with Co-Speaker David Kim; Tam O'Shanter, Los Angeles, CA, July 17, 2018
  • Is the Backdoor Closed? Sanchez, Hearsay & Expert Witness Testimony in Will & Trust Contests, Los Angeles Bar Association, Trust and Estates Section, September Symposium, with Co-Speaker Hon. Maria E. Stratton of the Los Angeles Superior Court; Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, CA, September 21, 2018
  • 2018 Aviva K. Bobb Advanced Probate Volunteer Panel Attorney Training, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Trust and Estates Section, "Working With Other Counsel", Sportsmen Lodge, Studio City, CA, November 3, 2018
  • Trusts Bootcamp - The Basics, Pincus Professional Education, March 14, 2019
  • How to Work with Attorneys in Contested Matters, Professional Fiduciary Association of California, 24th Annual Educational Conference, with Co-Speakers Judge James A. Steele (Ret.) and Yevgeny Belous, Esq.; Disneyland Magic Kingdom Ballroom #1, May 2, 2019
  • Is the Backdoor Closed? Sanchez, Hearsay & Expert Witness Testimony in Will & Trust Contests, Orange County Bar's, Trust and Estate Section, with Co-Speaker Hon. Maria E. Stratton of the Los Angeles Superior Court; Orange Conference Center, Orange, CA, May 8, 2019
  • Capturing the Queen: Pre-Trust Contest Litigation Strategies, Fiduciary Round Table, September 11, 2019.
  • Pre-Litigation Mediation & Settlement, Pincus Probate Litigation 101, with Co-Speaker Hon. Mary Thornton House, Judge (Ret.), Los Angeles, CA, September 20, 2019.
  • Trials and Evidence, Pincus Probate Litigation 101, with Co-Speaker Hon. Mary Thornton House, Judge (Ret.), Los Angeles, CA, September 20, 2019, and November 17, 2020.
  • Capturing the Queen: Pre-Trust Contest Litigation Strategies, PFAC Regional Meeting, The Reef, Long Beach, CA, November 21, 2019.
  • Where's the FUN in DysFUNctional Families: Interactive Case Studies, Professional Fiduciary Association of California, 25th Annual Educational Conference, with Co-Speakers Hon. Judge Mary Thornton House (Ret.), Brenda Shorkend, and Robert Earnest, Hyatt Regency San Francisco, May 28, 2020, and multiple other venues thereafter.
  • Trust and Estates 101: The Nuts and Bolts, Pincus Professional Education, Various Panels, March 3, 2022
  • Fiduciary Accounting Challenges, Professional Fiduciary Association of California, 26th Annual Educational Conference, with Co-Speaker Francine Lee of Ernst & Young, Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, May 6, 2022; also presented to the Orange County Bar Association’s Trust & Estate Section on June 8, 2022; PFAC Southern Region Education Day, November 3, 2022; to the 59th Annual Hawaii Tax Institute, Waikiki, Hawaii, November 9, 2022; and to the Los Angeles Estate Planning Council, Los Angeles, CA, April 19, 2023.
  • Supportive Decision Making, Beyond the Buzzword into a Construct for its Application in Probate Conservatorships, 28th Annual PFAC Educational Conference with Co-Speakers Dr. Sarah Mourra, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Mary Winners, About Senior Solutions, Hyatt Regency Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA, June 1, 2023. 
  • Tales from the Crypt:  Post-Death Issues Regarding Tangible Personal Property (Speaking with Joe Baratta and Bryan Kirk).  Hawaiian Tax Institute, Waikiki, HI, November 8, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.  

 

Pasadena Top Attorney        Lauriann Wright - LinkedIn Logo and Link     Lauriann Wright - Super Lawyers logo and link        


 
 

Practice Areas

Wright Kim Douglas provides quality services to individuals, families, and business owners. Our desire is to provide a comprehensive plan to our client in order to meet their every need. The services we offer are:

 Business Litgation  |  Conservatorships  |  

 Probates and Trusts |  Real Estate | Special Need Trusts     

Lauriann Wright, David Kim, and J. Andrew Douglas at Conference Table Photo

 

Probate and Trusts

Wright Kim Douglas specializes in providing: planning and post death administration, with an emphasis in litigation.

Planning

  • Living trust
  • Irrevocable life insurance trust
  • Power of attorney
  • Business entities

Basic Planning

  • Basic Planning ensures that your Estate will not go through Probate. Probate is a court proceeding which determines who your Heirs are. Make sure you choose your Heirs and not the State.
  • Living (Revocable) Trusts: Pour-over Wills, Grant Deeds, Asset Analysis, Trust Funding Documents, Durable Power of Attorney(s), Advance Health Care Directives
  • Special Needs Trusts
  • Discretionary TrustsBookshelf of books photo
  • A/B Trusts
  • QTIP and QDOT Trusts
  • Domestic Partner Trusts

Advance Planning

  • Advance Planning will ensure that your Estate will not be liquidated to pay for Estate and Inheritance Tax. It will also work to minimize or eliminate the tax.
  • Irrevocable Trusts (ILIT)
  • Grantor Trusts (GRIT/GRAT)
  • Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRT)
  • Family Limited Partnerships
  • IRA Trusts
  • Private Foundations
  • Trust Administration Probate
  • Estate Tax Returns
  • LLP, LLC, and Corporations

Post Death Administration

  • Trust administration
  • Probate
  • Estate administration

Litigation

  • Trustee representation
  • Executor representation
  • Beneficiary representation

Business Litigation

Group of People reading books and shaking hands photoWright Kim Douglas lawyers have litigated all types of business disputes ranging from breach of contract to business tort claims, fraud, insurance coverage, unfair competition and accountants’ liability cases, RICO and claims under California Business and Professions Code Section 17200. We can litigate effectively and efficiently just about any contract or tort dispute that arises in the business context and we have litigated those cases throughout California and in a number of other states. We have represented businesses of all types--publicly held corporations, privately owned companies, partnerships and joint ventures--as well as individuals, including entrepreneurs, business owners, corporate officers and directors, and executives.

Real Estate

Real estate transactions and disputes involve many laws, which vary greatly depending the state of the transaction. If you are selling or buying real estate or are involved in a dispute regarding real estate, it is in your best interest to set an appointment to meet with an experienced real estate attorney to ensure that your rights are protected

Conservatorships

Watching your parents grow old can be a very bittersweet and sometimes painful emotional process. It can also become a time-consuming process as our aging parents need our help more and more. Most of us are busy working to support our own families and are left with very little time to take care of our aging parents. This article will explain what a CONSERVATORSHIP is and how it can help you to protect your aging parent (or any other elderly relative or friend who needs protection).

Special Needs Trust

We are experienced in the drafting and administration of special needs trust, also known as supplemental needs trust. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993[1] specifically authorizes the creation and use of these trusts to hold assets belonging to the recipient of needs-based government benefits. The assets and income of a special needs trust are not counted towards the resource and income limit for the purpose of determining eligibility of needs-based government benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid (known as Medi-Cal in California). A wide variety of disbursements from the special needs trust can be made for the benefit of the beneficiary for medical and other purposes, although monies should never be given directly to the beneficiary. The beneficiary cannot serve as the trustee of his or her own special needs trust. 

Wright Kim Douglas is committed to excellent service.  Our goal is to ensure every client gets the personal attention they deserve.

 
 

Professionals

Partners

Glendale Lawyer Lauriann Wright Photo   Lauriann Wright  is an experienced probate litigator and estate planner located in Glendale California. For over 20 years, she has been practicing all phases of probate law and litigation, including conservatorships, guardianships, trusts, and probate estates, throughout Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside Counties. She has been named as a Southern California Super Lawyer in Trust and Estate Litigation for nine consecutive years, from 2012 through 2023. | Read More
     
Glendale California Attorney David Kim Photo  

David Kim Managing Partner of WKD, is an experienced litigator with an extensive business and real estate background, and handles exclusively probate and trust matters, both litigated and non-litigated.

Mr. Kim has successfully conducted several notable trials involving probate and trust disputes on behalf of Private Professional Fiduciaries and individuals.  He also counsels clients in all phases of trust administration, conservatorships and probate matters. 

He also counsels clients| Read More

     
Serving Glendale and Pasadena - Attorney J Andrew Douglas Photo  

J. Andrew Douglas has extensive experience in handling a diverse array of business and real estate matters, specializing in complex business, real estate and probate/trust matters.

Mr. Douglas is licensed to practice in California, Colorado and Arizona. He is admitted to practice before the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States District Court for the District of Arizona and the Central, Northern and Southern Districts of California. | Read More

 

 
     
  Tamra Otten is a Partner at WKD. Ms. Otten received her J.D. from the City of New York School of Law | Read More

Of Counsel

 


 

Jennifer 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.Read More


 
 

 

  Jeff Cohen joins WKD with more than two decades experience as an established Probate and Trust Attorney. Jeff started his career with a small      firm handling probate matters, prior to opening his own private probate    practice. | Read More

Associates

       
       
     Heidi Mattson is an Associate at WKD. Ms. Mattson received her Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of Southern California | Read More
       
     Stephanie Wurzinger  is an Associate at WKD. Prior to joining the firm in 2022, Ms. Wurzinger studied at the University of Vienna's School of Law in Austria.| Read More
       
      Christina Wurzinger  is an Associate at WKD. Prior to joining the firm in 2023, Ms. Wurzinger studied at the University of Vienna's School of Law in Austria.| Read More
       
       
       
       
   Paralegals    
    Myrna Sandoval, senior paralegal, has over a decade of legal experience.  She has successfully assisted attorneys in conservatorship, Read More
       

 

 

Kacie Akau, senior Paralegal with 20 years of total paralegal experience, including civil litigation, employment law, and probate experience. | Read More

 

 

 

  Hayley Herrera, 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. | Read More
 
       
    Bill Kang Bill is a certificated paralegal at WKD. He graduated from the Ohio State University with a B.S. in Mathematics and a minor in Computer and Informational Science in 2018.| Read More
 
 

Legal Assistants

 

 

 

 

    Jaidyn Yambao is a senior legal assistant at WKD. She graduated from California State University, Northridge as Dean’s Scholar and Summa Cum Laude with her bachelor’s degree in English Honors. | Read More
       
       
    Matthew Verdi is a senior legal assistant at WKD. He graduated from University of California, Riverside | Read More
       
    Anthony Amaya-Flores is a legal assistant at WKD. | Read More
 Coming soon

Office Manager

 


 

Kim Kemp joined WKD in February 2021.  She brings 19 years of experience working in the legal field and in office administration. | Read More

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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