10 August 2018 - Firm News
Michael S. Brophy
Partner | Los Angeles
Michael is a partner in the trust and estate litigation team and is the Office Managing Director of the Los Angeles Office.
Michael has extensive experience representing individuals, families, charities, corporate trustees, private professional fiduciaries and creditors in litigation involving complex trusts and estates. Michael’s diverse practice includes will and trust contests, accounting disputes, breach of duty actions, elder abuse and conservatorship disputes, document interpretation matters, and other contested probate and fiduciary-related matters.
Michael also has experience in business and commercial litigation, including contract, real estate, copyright, Lanham Act, trade secret, and unfair competition matters.
In addition to litigation and trial work, his practice includes risk assessment and counseling, alternative dispute resolution, and administrative proceedings. Michael frequently writes and speaks on trust and estate litigation topics and is active in bar leadership and committee work.
Track record
Admissions
Publications
Memberships
Talks
Represented an individual trustee in a bench trial obtaining a complete and decisive verdict in favor of the fiduciary. Defeated allegations of breach of duty and requests for surcharge.
Represented the co-trustees of the living trust of a deceased celebrity in defeating fraud claims in arbitration. Also represented the co-trustees in resolving untimely claims, including arguing and winning an appeal of a judge’s decision dismissing the barred claims.
Represented the co-executors of the estate of a deceased celebrity in defeating and resolving creditor and contract claims.
State of California, 1998
9th Circuit Court of Appeals, 2000
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, 2000
‘Property Report,’ Wall Street Journal - August 6, 2019, quoted
‘Animal Capital,’ Family Capital - February 27, 2019, quoted
‘Preventing and Avoiding Costly Conflicts,’ Trusts & Estates - July 25, 2018, co-author
Los Angeles Superior Court Civil Bench-Bar Liaison Committee
LGBT Bar Association Board of Governors
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Diversity in the Profession Committee (LACBA)
Beverly Hills Bar Association
‘Help! The Gardener is Stealing My Inheritance,’ San Fernando Valley Bar Association, Probate and Estate Planning Section
‘Help! The Gardener is Stealing My Inheritance,’ South Bay Association, Trust and Estate Section
‘The Kids Are Not Alright: Drafting Estate Plans to Prevent Future Public Family Disputes,’ Conejo Valley Estate Planning Council
Education
Languages
- English
Dates
Joined
2015
Partner
2015
