Trade secret law protects the advantage that information gives your business. In the broadest sense, a trade secret is any information you have which gives you a competitive advantage, and which is kept secret. This covers everything from inventions to your customer list. The key factor is that some of that value comes from the […]

You’ve worked hard. You’ve built up a nice nest egg. Do you need to worry about creditors getting their hands on it? You just might! This is because the money that you leave to your beneficiaries may be at risk if they have money troubles. Even though you may think that leaving money to someone […]

Many people like the idea of choosing a funeral home and making their own arrangements to ensure their loved ones are never burdened with the task. Pre-paid funeral plans allow you to make all the decisions ahead of time and pay for it in installments. Not having your loved ones put in the position of […]

Long-term care is an issue most people avoid like the plague. No one likes to think about getting old, losing their independence, or having to spend any length of time in a nursing home or other long-term care facility. Because of these fears, many people tune the issue of long-term care planning out all together. […]

If you’re thinking about having a prenup drawn up before you tie the knot in the Bay Area, you may want to find an attorney who focuses on estate planning, too. Perhaps surprisingly to some, a prenuptial agreement can be a key piece of estate planning documentation. Many couples in Menlo Park see the importance […]

As an asset protection lawyer in Menlo Park, I find that it often makes sense to advise clients to create multiple LLCs when they own more than one investment property. While it might seem more convenient to simply set up one LLC for all of your properties, you can maximize your asset protection by putting […]

Online estate plans and document “kits” are all the rage these days.  They typically appeal to people who are looking to save money and at least get something in writing should they pass away. I’ve actually worked with quite a few such people in my own practice, namely when their DIY plan backfires and fails […]

I hear the same excuses over and over…. I don’t have an “estate.” I have more debt than assets. The only thing I have is my home. As you may have guessed, these are excuses that people make for not preparing an estate plan. These people are sadly misinformed. They think estate planning is only […]

In some circles, “probate” almost feels like a dirty word.  There are plenty of reasons that a person may prefer to skip the probate process, when possible, but it is a fact of wills and estate administration.  The details of probate can vary somewhat from place to place.  For example, probate in California will likely be […]

Couples who choose to marry later in life have different concerns than those marrying earlier, and a good Menlo Park estate planning lawyer can help you make the right decisions for your circumstances.  Each situation is a little different, but there are some fairly common topics that should be considered: Do the husband and wife […]