Sandy Isaac is a Shareholder with Buchalter in the firm’s San Diego office with particular experience in estate planning, probate, trust administration and conservatorships. Ms. Isaac is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Only approximately five percent of California’s attorneys are certified as specialists by the State Bar.

Ms. Isaac has ample experience in representing professional and nonprofessional fiduciaries, beneficiaries/heirs, and creditors with a variety of matters. When necessary, Ms. Isaac also represents clients in estate, trust and conservatorship litigation.

Ms. Isaac has served our Court as a court appointed counsel and is a thought leader in our community, often speaking at public and privately held seminars on the importance of estate planning as well as other legal topics.

While based in Southern California, Ms. Isaac’s practice is state wide throughout California. She has appeared in many Probate Courts throughout the state and has assisted numerous internationally based clients.

In addition to practicing law, she is an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Diego in the area of Wills, Trust and Estates.  She earned her B.A. degrees from University of California San Diego and her J.D. degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

Ms. Isaac serves on the Legal Specialization team for the State Bar of California as a grader for the Certified Specialist exam in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law.

Trust and Probate Litigation:

  • Represented beneficiaries in the successful removal of Trustee and award in breach of fiduciary claims against former trustee
  • Successfully defended Trustees in suspension, removal, and surcharge proceedings
  • Successfully defended Trustees against claims of breach of fiduciary duty.
  • Represented Trustees in the favorable interpretation of Trust documents.
  • Represented individual, corporate, and financial institution creditors in successful creditors’ claims in estate administrations.
  • Represented Personal Representatives in defending claims by creditors against estate assets.
  • Represented Trustees in litigation regarding invalidating a Life Insurance beneficiary designations
  • Represented creditors in the foreclosure of assets within a decedent’s estate proceedings.

Trust Administration:

  • Completed over fifty probate code-compliant accountings. Most recently completed a court-approved accounting of a $35 million estate with dozens of rental properties.
  • Negotiated and completed the sale of numerous commercial properties, including two 100+ unit commercial properties
  • Represented Trustees and beneficiaries in international trust and estate administrations, including clients in Spain, Ireland, and Mexico.
  • Represented Trustees and beneficiaries in various trust modification proceedings

Probate Administration:

  • Represented hundreds of personal representatives in probate administrations
  • Successfully represented personal representative in competing petition for probates
  • Represented foreign personal representatives in probate proceedings
  • Represented personal representatives in ancillary probates, including foreign jurisdictions

Tax Matters:

  • Successfully represented clients against the California Franchise Tax Board in the recovery of overpayments and audits
  • Successfully represented restaurant owner client in EDD audit with a significant reduction in assessment.
  • Represented beneficiaries in real property tax reassessment matters

 

Ms. Isaac earned her J. D. from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, and her B.A. degrees in Art History and European History: Russian and Soviet from the University of California San Diego. While obtaining her law degree, she studied Comparative Constitutional Law and International Investment Law & Arbitration in France. She was awarded a scholarship by the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association and upon graduation she was awarded pro bono honors for her volunteer work with Include Autism, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing services that instill community-wide autism inclusion.

  • United States District Court for the Central District of California
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of California
  • Member, San Diego County Bar Association
  • Member, San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association
  • University of San Diego Paralegal Program