When a parent dies or a trust needs administration, the first call most families make is to me — because the house is the biggest asset and the question is 'do we sell.' My first answer is usually 'talk to a probate attorney first, then we list.' I'm Brian Cooper, REALTOR(R) at eXp Realty (DRE# 01434286). This directory is my working reference of Ventura County estate planning and probate attorneys.
Quick Answer
This directory lists 10 vetted slots for Ventura County estate planning and probate attorneys. Where Brian is still confirming current practice and license standing, the slot is marked 'TO BE COMPLETED — Brian vetting in progress.' Same structure as the family-law directory, same disclaimer.
Estate planning and probate are not always the same attorney. Some focus on living-trust drafting (pre-death), some focus on probate court administration (post-death). For a parent who just died with no trust, you need probate. For a parent who is healthy and wants to avoid probate, you need estate planning. Many attorneys do both; some do only one.
Why this directory exists
Families who just experienced a death are not in the best frame of mind to evaluate attorneys. Google sends them to ad placements and lawyer-directory sites that monetize lead capture. This page exists to give the same families a non-paid, non-monetized starting list to evaluate.
I update this list as I work alongside attorneys on probate sales. The vetting criteria are: California State Bar standing, public practice address in Ventura County or Conejo Valley, demonstrated probate or estate-planning focus, and experience with the kinds of real-property-heavy cases I see most. No compensation for inclusion. No financial relationship of any kind.
What to look for in a probate attorney
Probate attorneys differ by case type. A typical Ventura County estate is testate (decedent had a will) or intestate (no will), with a single personal representative, real property in California, and one or two beneficiaries. That's a 6-to-12-month case. More complex: multiple properties, contested wills, out-of-state heirs, business interests, or trust-versus-probate disputes.
When you interview, ask: 'How many probate cases have you closed in Ventura County Superior Court in the last 3 years?' and 'Do you handle full-authority IAEA petitions versus limited-authority sales?' and 'Are you comfortable with Notice of Proposed Action real-property sales?' An attorney who has closed 10+ Ventura County probates in 3 years and runs IAEA full-authority by default is the operational profile you want for a property sale.
- California State Bar standing (verify at calbar.ca.gov)
- Number of probate cases closed in Ventura County in last 3 years
- Familiarity with IAEA (Probate Code 10300 et seq.)
- Comfort with Notice of Proposed Action sales
- Trust administration experience (separate from probate)
- Fee structure: statutory probate fee vs hourly trust work
- Communication cadence on multi-month cases
What to look for in an estate planning attorney
Estate planning is preventive. The right attorney drafts a revocable living trust that actually holds the real estate (recorded grant deed transferring title from the individual to the trust), pour-over will, durable power of attorney, advance health-care directive, and HIPAA waiver. The trust without the recorded deed is a non-event; that's the most common mistake I see at the probate stage.
When you interview, ask: 'Do you record the grant deed transferring property into the trust as part of your engagement?' and 'Do you provide an updated schedule of assets annually?' Trust drafting without funding the trust is the equivalent of writing a check and not mailing it. The estate still goes through probate.
The 10 vetted slots
Each row below is either a confirmed practicing attorney with verified public contact details, or is marked TO BE COMPLETED while Brian confirms current practice and license standing. Bar number verification is the reader's responsibility — use apps.calbar.ca.gov.
| Slot | Name | City | Focus | Phone | Website / verification status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TO BE COMPLETED — Brian to insert vetted contact | Simi Valley | Probate + Estate Planning | — | Pending — Brian vetting in progress |
| 2 | TO BE COMPLETED — Brian to insert vetted contact | Thousand Oaks | Probate | — | Pending — Brian vetting in progress |
| 3 | TO BE COMPLETED — Brian to insert vetted contact | Thousand Oaks | Estate Planning | — | Pending — Brian vetting in progress |
| 4 | TO BE COMPLETED — Brian to insert vetted contact | Westlake Village | Estate Planning | — | Pending — Brian vetting in progress |
| 5 | TO BE COMPLETED — Brian to insert vetted contact | Camarillo | Probate + Trust Administration | — | Pending — Brian vetting in progress |
| 6 | TO BE COMPLETED — Brian to insert vetted contact | Ventura | Probate Litigation | — | Pending — Brian vetting in progress |
| 7 | TO BE COMPLETED — Brian to insert vetted contact | Oxnard | Probate + Estate Planning | — | Pending — Brian vetting in progress |
| 8 | TO BE COMPLETED — Brian to insert vetted contact | Moorpark | Estate Planning | — | Pending — Brian vetting in progress |
| 9 | TO BE COMPLETED — Brian to insert vetted contact | Agoura Hills | Probate | — | Pending — Brian vetting in progress |
| 10 | TO BE COMPLETED — Brian to insert vetted contact | Calabasas | Estate Planning + Trust Drafting | — | Pending — Brian vetting in progress |
For a current verbal recommendation while the public list is being finalized, call (805) 723-2498. I'll match you to a specialist for your specific situation (just-died probate, healthy-parent estate planning, trust dispute, IAEA sale).
Probate vs trust administration: which attorney do you need
If the decedent had a recorded living trust AND the house was titled in the trust, you need a trust administration attorney. The successor trustee follows Probate Code 16000 et seq. and sells the house without probate court. Quicker, cheaper, private.
If the decedent had no trust, OR had a trust but the house was not retitled into it, you need a probate attorney. The personal representative files a petition for probate, gets letters issued, and operates under either full or limited IAEA authority. Slower, more expensive, public.
If you're not sure which applies to your parent's estate, pull the most recent grant deed from the Ventura County Clerk-Recorder. If the vesting reads 'John Doe, Trustee of the John Doe Family Trust dated [date]' the house is in the trust. If it reads 'John Doe, an unmarried man' or any individual variant, it isn't.
Statutory probate fees in California
Probate Code 10810 sets a statutory fee schedule for the personal representative AND the attorney for the personal representative. Each is entitled to the same fee. The calculation is on the gross value of the estate (not the equity, the gross value), at a tiered rate: 4% of first $100K, 3% of next $100K, 2% of next $800K, 1% of next $9M.
On a $1,000,000 gross-value Ventura County home, statutory fees are $23,000 to each party — $46,000 total to attorney and personal representative. Extraordinary fees (litigation, tax work, real-estate sale handling) are additional and require court approval. This is the biggest cost driver people miss when comparing probate sale to a trust sale.
Disclaimer
This directory is informational only and does not constitute legal advice, attorney recommendation, endorsement, or any business relationship between Brian Cooper / Brian Cooper Real Estate and the listed (or to-be-listed) attorneys. Brian Cooper is a licensed REALTOR(R) (CA DRE# 01434286), not an attorney. Selection of an attorney is the reader's responsibility.
Inclusion on this list is not solicited and is not compensated. Removal requests will be honored within 7 business days of written request to brian@cooperfamilyrealestate.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a probate attorney if my parent had a trust?
If the property was actually titled in the trust at the date of death, no — you need a trust administration attorney, not probate. If the trust existed but the property was never retitled into it, you still need probate.
How much does probate cost in California?
Probate Code 10810 statutory fees on a $1,000,000 estate are $23,000 each to the attorney and personal representative ($46,000 total). Extraordinary fees and court costs are additional. Trust administration usually costs a fraction of that.
How long does Ventura County probate take?
Typical uncomplicated probate: 9 to 14 months from petition to final distribution. Full-authority IAEA sales close faster (no court hearing); limited-authority sales add 60 to 90 days for the confirmation hearing.
Can I sell the house before probate is granted?
Generally no. The personal representative needs Letters of Testamentary or Letters of Administration before selling. Some attorneys can move on a 'pending letters' basis with court approval, but it's the exception.
What does an estate planning attorney charge?
Living trust packages (revocable trust, pour-over will, POA, advance directive, HIPAA waiver) typically range $2,500 to $6,000 in Ventura County for a standard single-property estate. More complex estates with multiple properties or sub-trusts run higher.
Will Brian help me decide between probate and trust administration?
Yes — I'll pull the most recent grant deed for free and tell you what vesting shows. That answers which path you're on. The legal work is the attorney's.
Does Brian receive referral fees from attorneys?
No. Receiving an attorney referral fee as a non-attorney is a State Bar issue. I don't, on principle and on compliance.
What's the difference between a will and a trust?
A will directs distribution at death but still goes through probate. A revocable living trust, if properly funded (property retitled into it), avoids probate entirely. Same end result, different paths.
