Catherine Margaret Swafford

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Biography

Catherine Swafford focuses on trust, estate, conservatorship, elder abuse, and fiduciary litigation. She represents clients in will and trust contests, elder abuse actions, breach of fiduciary duty and accounting cases, conservatorships, intestacy and heirship disputes, contract to make a will disputes, creditor claim disputes, and related litigation and administration matters under the California Probate Code.

Catherine’s practice spans the entire state of California, and she has appeared in numerous probate and civil courts throughout the region. She has developed knowledge in probate disputes involving issues of foreign law and international beneficiaries. Catherine has experience representing clients in cross-border probate matters involving jurisdictions such as Mexico, Switzerland, Russia, China, Hong Kong, British Virgin Islands, and Hungary. She also advises clients with beneficial interests in California who reside in foreign jurisdictions.

Catherine serves as court-appointed counsel for the San Diego Probate Court and is a frequent speaker on various topics related to trust and estate law.

Recognition & Leadership

Awards & Accolades

•Listed, Chambers High Net Worth guide, Private Wealth Disputes - California, 2021-2025
•Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, “Ones to Watch,” Litigation - Trust and Estates, 2024-2025
•Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, San Diego Super Lawyers, 2026

See more ›

Areas of Practice (6)

  • Private Wealth Services
  • Tax
  • Cross-Border Tax Planning
  • Tax Controversy and Litigation
  • Labour and Employment
  • Real Estate

Education & Credentials

University Attended:
University of California at Los Angeles, B.A., cum laude, departmental honors, 2002
Law School Attended:
Pepperdine University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2005
Year of First Admission:
2005
Admission:
2005, California
Memberships:

Professional & Community Involvement

•Board of Directors, Probate Attorneys of San Diego (PASD)
•Chair, Education Committee
•Past Member of the Board of Directors, Estate Planning Council of San Diego
•Past Programs Chair
•Past Vice President
•Court-Appointed Counsel, San Diego Probate Court
•Member, North County Estate Planning Council
•Member, Trusts & Estates Section, San Diego County Bar Association
•Member, Trusts & Estates Section, California State Bar
•Member, La Jolla Bar Association
•Member, UCLA Alumni Group of San Diego

Reported Cases:
Experience: Speaking Engagements: Presenter, Probate accountings - Requirements and the use of forensic accountants in Probate Court, San Diego Professional Fiduciary Association of California (PFAC) Chapter Presentation, 02.14.24; Presenter, Recent developments applicable to court-appointed matters, Probate Attorneys of San Diego (PASD) Annual Symposium, 12.01.23; Co-Presenter, E1 Case and Statutory Updates in Estate, Trust And Probate Law, Professional Fiduciary Association of California (PFAC), 06.03.23; Co-Presenter, Estate planning, trust, and probate law: 2022 year in review, Long Beach Bar Association, 03.2.23; Speaker, Estate planning, trust, and probate law: 2022 year in review, Probate Attorneys of San Diego (PASD), 03.15.23; Co-Presenter, Recent Developments in Conservatorship and Guardianship Law, Probate Attorneys of San Diego (PASD), 12.02.22; Co-Presenter, Recent Updates on Cases, Statutes and Fiduciary Regulations in Trust and Estate Law, Professional Fiduciary Association of California (PFAC), 05.06.22; Co-Presenter, Recent Developments in Estate, Trust, and Probate Law, Probate Attorneys of San Diego (PASD), 03.16.22; Presenter, Current Developments, including the 'Free Britney' Bill AB 1194, Part 1, North County Estate Planning Council - San Diego, 02.01.22; Recent Developments in Conservatorship Law, Probate Attorneys of San Diego Annual Training Symposium, 12.03.21; Case and Statutory Updates in Estate, Trust and Probate Law and California Fiduciary Regulations, The 26th Annual PFAC Educational Conference, 0826.21; Wine Not? California's Decanting Act, Estate Planning and Trust Council of Long Beach, 06.03.21; Stay Ahead of the Curve: Hot Topics in Trust and Estate Law, North County Estate Planning Council webinar, 05.04.21; Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law: 2020 Year in Review, Trust & Estate Section of the San Diego Bar Association webinar, 04.01.21; Co-Presenter, Powers of Appointment: Everything You Need to Know From the Planning and Litigation Perspectives, Orange County Bar Association, Trusts & Estates Section Webinar, 08.12.20; Co-Presenter, Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law: 2019 Year in Review, Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law Section of the San Diego County Bar Association Webinar, 07.15.20; Speaker, Current Developments, North County Estate Planning Council, 11.05.19; Co-Presenter, Decanting in California, Orange County Estate Planning Council, 09.24.19; Presenter, Recent Developments in Probate & Trust Law, Provisors, San Diego Estate and Succession Planning Affinity Group, 08.27.19; Speaker, Decanting in California, North County Bar Association, 08.14.19; Speaker, Current Developments, North County Estate Planning Council, 08.01.19; Speaker, Current Developments, North County Estate Planning Council, 05.07.19; Speaker, California's New Trust Decanting Laws, Long Beach Bar Association Probate, Trust & Estate Planning Section, 05.01.19; Speaker, New California Uniform Decanting Act, STEP San Diego, 04.16.19; Speaker, Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law: 2018 Year in Review, San Diego County Bar Association, 03.14.19; Speaker, Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law: 2018 Year in Review, County Counsel Association Conference, 03.07.19; Decanting in California, Probate Attorneys of San Diego, 02.28.19; The New California Legislation on Decanting, North County Estate Planning Council, 02.05.19; Wine Not? California's New Decanting Act, First American Trust, 01.31.19; Decanting 101: The New California Trust Decanting Act, California Law Association, Webinar, 01.30.19; Current Developments, North County Estate Planning Council, 11.01.18; Decanting 101: The New California Trust Decanting Act, California Lawyers Association, Trusts & Estates Section, 42nd Annual Fall Program, 10.01.18; Current Developments, North County Estate Planning Council, 09.01.18; Current Developments, North County Estate Planning Council, 08.01.18; Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law - 2017: A Year in Review, San Diego County Bar Association, 03.01.18; Current Developments, North County Estate Planning Council, 12.01.17; Current Developments, North County Estate Planning Council, 11.01.17; Current Developments, North County Estate Planning Council, 08.01.17; Traps for the Unwary: Issues to Consider in Cross-Border Fiduciary Litigation and Trust or Probate Administrations, San Francisco Estate Planning Council & Golden Gate University Law Morning Symposium, Topics in International Estate Planning, 06. 01.17; Amending Reporting Requirements to Reflect Social Changes, State Bar of California Taxation Section, Washington, D.C. Delegation, 05.01.17; Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law - 2016: A Year in Review, San Diego County Bar Association, 02.01.17; Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law - 2015: A Year in Review, San Diego County Bar Association, 02.01.16; Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law - 2014: A Year in Review, San Diego County Bar Association, 02.01.15; Publications: AB 1194: California's New Conservatorship Legislation, The Daily Journal, 03.02.22 Published Article; Actions By and Against Personal Representative, 01.01.22 Published Article; Litigation Alert, California Trusts & Estates Quarterly,01.01.22 Published Article; Probate, West's California Code Forms, 01.01.22 Published Article; Probate & Trust Proceedings, California Civil Practice, 01.01.22 Published Article; A Brief Overview of the California Uniform Trust Decanting Act, The Daily Journal, 05.01.19 Published Article; MCLE Article: Wine Not? The New California Trust Decanting Act, California Trusts and Estates Quarterly, 01.01.19 Published Article; New Case Alerts, State Bar of California, Trusts & Estates Section, 12.31.17 Published Article; Amending Nontaxable Crowdfunding Reporting Requirements, Tax Notes, 10.30.17 Published Article; Litigation Alert, California Trusts & Estates Quarterly, 01.01.11 Published Article
ISLN:
919631050

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Contact Information:

619-848-8023  Phone

619-645-5325  Fax

619-347-7011  Fax

949-732-6501  Fax

www.gtlaw.com/en/professionals/s/swafford-catherine

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