Mark Abbott Lester

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Mark Abbott Lester: Attorney with Lester & Hirschberg, LLP
Attorney Awards
  • Martindale-Hubbell Peer AV Preeminent Rating
About Attorney Awards

Biography

Attorney Mark A. Lester is a highly regarded trust & estates litigation attorney with extensive experience estate planning, succession planning, probate, and trust administration. Mr. Lester has received an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell since 2001 for maintaining the highest standards of professional and ethical excellence in the legal community. He is focused primarily in the following areas of practice:

Trust and Estate Litigation

Succession and Estate Planning

Trust Administration and Probate

Professional Experience

In a career spanning over 44 years, Mr. Lester is widely recognized for his legal achievements. He has been certified as an estate planning, trust, and probate law specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. In September 2022, Mr. Lester finished serving as the Chairperson and six-year tenure as one of 7 attorney–members of the Board of Trustees of the California Board of Legal Specialization after 5 years of service as one of the nine (9) appointed commissioners on the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization, Estate Planning Law Advisory Commission, which is responsible for writing, administering and grading the certification examination and approving the application for California attorneys seeking to become California Certified Specialists in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Beginning in 2015, I have been annually recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyers in Estate & Trust Litigation (2015 – 2025), in Estate Planning & Probate (2015 & 2018) and in Corporate/Business (2018) areas of the law, and in 2022 through 2025 as a Southern California Top 100 Super Lawyer.

Mr. Lester has an established reputation in the legal community as a respected trial attorney. Mr. Lester was trial and appellate counsel in the published opinions of Breslin v. Breslin (2021) 62 Cal.App.5th 801 (and originator and author of the "Breslin Notice" which is now used throughout California probate courts in managing their litigation matters), Christie v. Kimball (2012) 202 Cal.App.4th 1407, and Estate of Odian (2006) 145 Cal.App.4th 152, and the author of one of the Amicus Briefs relied upon and quoted by the California Supreme Court in reversing the Court of Appeal in Barefoot v. Jennings (2020) 8 Cal.5th 822. Mr. Lester serves from time to time as a Voluntary Settlement Officer through the San Fernando Valley Bar Association for the Probate Department of the Los Angeles County Superior Court. He also previously served as a Judge Pro Temp for the Small Claims Department of the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

2008 Goldline Research - The Ten Most Dependable Lawyers (Trusts & Estates) of California. Phi Delta Phi (Chairman, Membership Committee, 1978-1979). Associate Editor, Puget Sound Law Review, 1979-1980. Recipient, American Jurisprudence Award in Trusts and Estates.



(Certified Specialist, Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization)
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Areas of Practice (19)

  • Estate Planning
  • Successions
  • Probate
  • Trust Administration
  • Estate Litigation
  • Business Transactions
  • Taxation
  • Real Property Law
  • Corporate & Business Law
  • Trust & Estate Planning
  • Real Estate
  • Wills and Probate
  • Trust Litigation
  • Contract Disputes
  • Trial Attorneys
  • Appellate Practice
  • Tax Exemptions
  • Corporate Law
  • Business Planning

Education & Credentials

University Attended:
Stanford University, B.A., 1977
Law School Attended:
Seattle University School of Law, J.D., 1980; Boston University, LL.M., Taxation, 1981
Year of First Admission:
1981
Admission:
1981, California; 1982, U.S. District Court, Central District of California; 1985, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California; 1987, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California; 1987, U.S. District Court, Southern District of California and U.S. Tax Court; 1990, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Memberships:
State Bar of California; Los Angeles County Bar Association (Volunteer, Attorney-Client Dispute Resolution Services Panel); Ventura County Bar Association; California Young Lawyers Association (Director, 1984-1986; Vice-President, 1985-1986).
Birth Information:
Pontiac, Michigan, April 22, 1955
Reported Cases:
Barefoot v. Jennings (January 23, 2020 - S251574) 20 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 531, --- P.3d ---- (2020); Leiper v. Gallegos (2019) 42 Cal.App.5th 394; Christie v. Kimball (2012) 202 Cal.App.4th 1407, 136 Cal.Rptr.3d 516; Estate of Odian (2006) 145 Cal.App.4th 152, 51 Cal.Rptr. 3d 390; and Askari v. R&R Land Company (1986) 179 Cal.App.3d 1101, 225 Cal.Rptr. 285.
Certifications:
Certified Specialist, Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
ISLN:
905503415

Payment Information

Fixed Hourly Rates
Available
Other Information
Free initial consultation

Peer Reviews

4.8/5.0 (17 reviews)

  • Legal Knowledge

    4.8/5.0

  • Analytical Capability

    4.8/5.0

  • Judgment

    4.8/5.0

  • Communication

    4.7/5.0

  • Legal Experience

    4.9/5.0

  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Associate/Assistant General Counsel on 03/05/10 in Trusts and Estates

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Sole Practitioner on 02/24/10 in Aged and Aging

    Mark uses plain english to explain and document complex concepts with clients and their caregivers. He has handled a complicated appellate case. He has my respect & admiration.

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Member on 02/12/10 in Probate Litigation

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Partner on 02/01/10 in Conservatorship

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Partner on 02/01/10 in Trusts and Estates

    I have worked with Mark on several matters as well as in connection with bar association activities. He is an excellent lawyer as well as an active member of the bar.

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Sole Practitioner on 01/30/10 in Estate Planning

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Private Practice Lawyer on 07/03/09 in Probate Litigation

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Partner on 06/25/09 in Civil Litigation

    I have known Mark for many years, and worked with him as opposing counsel. He was a straight-shooter, professional and his work was of high quality/

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Partner on 06/18/09 in Conservatorship

    I worked with Mark over the last two years on a complex conservatorship matter. He impressed me with his knowledge of the area and his ability to get good results for the client.

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  • 5.0/5.0 Rated by a Of Counsel on 06/17/09 in Trusts and Estates

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Peer reviews submitted prior to 2008 are not displayed.

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Avvo Client Review
5.0/5.0 (1 review)

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