Laurie Shigekuni & Associates

For families across California, ensuring a secure future for loved ones and thoughtfully planning the distribution of assets can be one of the most significant decisions they make. Navigating the complexities of wills, trusts, and long-term care planning requires not only legal expertise but also a compassionate understanding of individual and family needs. In San Francisco, Laurie Shigekuni & Associates stands as a highly respected law firm dedicated to providing comprehensive and client-centered estate planning services.

Laurie Shigekuni & Associates is known for its commitment to combining legal integrity with a deep understanding of human relationships. They recognize that estate planning is not just about finances; it's about safeguarding the well-being of your family and ensuring your wishes are honored. With a particular focus on areas like Special Needs Trusts and Medi-Cal planning, the firm is uniquely positioned to assist families facing specific challenges, providing tailored solutions that offer peace of mind. For locals throughout California, this firm offers a valuable resource for navigating intricate estate planning matters with competence, empathy, and a strong sense of service to the community. Their dedication to ethical practice and client welfare makes them a highly suitable choice for managing your family's future.

The firm's philosophy extends to serving a diverse clientele, including those who might otherwise struggle to afford quality legal services. This commitment to economic justice is woven into their practice, demonstrating a genuine desire to make essential legal planning accessible to more individuals and families across the Golden State. By prioritizing both comprehensive legal solutions and community responsibility, Laurie Shigekuni & Associates embodies a holistic approach to client care.

Laurie Shigekuni & Associates has its primary office located at 2555 Ocean Ave #202, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA. This address places the firm in a readily accessible area of San Francisco, specifically within the city's southwestern quadrant. Ocean Avenue is a major thoroughfare, making the office easy to locate for clients.

The location on Ocean Avenue offers good accessibility via public transportation. Various Muni bus lines operate along Ocean Avenue, providing direct routes to and from different parts of the city. Additionally, the K Ingleside Muni Metro line runs nearby, offering a convenient connection to downtown San Francisco and other transit hubs. For clients traveling by car, this part of San Francisco often provides more straightforward parking options compared to the denser downtown areas, with both street parking and potentially nearby lots. The office's position allows for relatively easy commutes for clients from different San Francisco neighborhoods, as well as those coming from closer parts of San Mateo County.

Beyond the San Francisco main office, Laurie Shigekuni & Associates also maintains satellite offices in Pasadena (Southern California) and San Mateo, further enhancing their accessibility for a diverse clientele across Northern and Southern California. This multi-location presence reflects their commitment to serving a broader regional need for specialized estate planning services. The convenience of these locations ensures that expert legal counsel for sensitive family and financial planning is within reach for many Californians.

Laurie Shigekuni & Associates specializes in comprehensive estate planning and related services, designed to protect families and assets for the future. Their core offerings include:

• Estate Planning: This foundational service involves creating tailored plans for managing and distributing assets during one's lifetime and after passing. It encompasses drafting wills, establishing various types of trusts, and advising on strategies to minimize estate taxes and probate costs.

• Special Needs Trusts: A key area of expertise, the firm offers several types of Special Needs Trusts. These trusts are crucial for individuals with disabilities, allowing them to receive inheritances or other assets without jeopardizing their eligibility for essential government benefits like Medi-Cal or SSI.

• Medi-Cal Planning for Long-Term Care: The firm provides specialized guidance on Medi-Cal planning, helping clients structure their assets to qualify for Medi-Cal benefits to cover long-term care costs, particularly in nursing homes, while preserving family wealth as much as legally possible.

• Wills & Trusts: This includes the drafting of legally sound wills to express final wishes and the creation of various trust instruments, such as revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, and charitable trusts, to manage assets, avoid probate, and provide for beneficiaries.

• Probate Administration: The firm assists executors and beneficiaries through the probate process, guiding them through the legal steps required to validate a will, gather assets, pay debts, and distribute inheritances according to California law.

• Trust Administration: They also provide support for trustees in properly administering trusts, ensuring that trust assets are managed and distributed in accordance with the terms of the trust document and applicable laws.

• Public Interest and Low-Income Services: Demonstrating a commitment to economic justice, the firm uses a portion of its proceeds from estate planning to serve underrepresented individuals, offering a sliding fee scale for low-income clients. This includes efforts to help low-income homeowners manage interactions among mortgage debt, public benefits, and family gifts or inheritances to preserve the family home.

Laurie Shigekuni & Associates distinguishes itself through several notable features and highlights that underscore its commitment to clients and the community:

• Specialization in Special Needs and Medi-Cal Planning: A significant highlight is their focused expertise in Special Needs Trusts and Medi-Cal planning for long-term care. This highly specialized knowledge is invaluable for families with members who have disabilities or who anticipate significant future care costs, ensuring that crucial government benefits are preserved while assets are protected.

• Comprehensive Estate Planning Services: Beyond specialization, the firm offers "full service estate planning," indicating a holistic approach to wills, trusts, and asset management. This ensures that all aspects of a client's estate are considered and planned for meticulously, providing a complete solution for family wealth preservation.

• Integrity, Competence, and Client-Centered Service: The firm's stated goal is to provide services with "the highest degree of integrity, competence, and service." This commitment emphasizes ethical practice, legal proficiency, and a dedication to meeting client needs effectively and responsibly.

• Understanding of Human Relationships in Estate Planning: A unique feature is their recognition that "estate planning not only deals with issues of finance, but also involves human relationships." This compassionate perspective ensures that legal solutions are not just financially sound but also consider family dynamics and individual needs, leading to more harmonious and effective plans.

• Commitment to Economic Justice and Accessibility: A standout highlight is their dedication to serving those "unable to financially afford legal services." By offering a "sliding fee scale for low-income clients" and dedicating a portion of proceeds to underrepresented individuals, the firm actively works to expand access to crucial estate planning for all Californians, regardless of their financial situation.

• Extensive Experience and Public Interest Work: Laurie Shigekuni has been an active member of the California Bar since 1989 and has focused on wills, trusts, estate planning, probate, and trust administration since 1996. Her significant experience in public interest work, including creating a trilingual clinic for the Asian American community in Oakland, demonstrates a long-standing commitment to community service and addressing the needs of diverse populations.

• Multiple Office Locations: With offices in San Francisco, Pasadena, and San Mateo, the firm extends its reach across Northern and Southern California, providing convenient access to its specialized services for a broader range of clients.

Laurie Shigekuni & Associates, while a professional legal firm, distinguishes itself with a unique commitment to accessibility that functions as a notable "special offer" for many in the California community.

A significant "promotion" offered by the firm is a sliding fee scale for low-income clients. This is a rare and commendable commitment in the legal field, demonstrating their dedication to economic justice and ensuring that essential estate planning services are not solely reserved for those with significant financial means. For eligible individuals and families across California, this scale makes high-quality legal advice affordable and attainable, allowing them to secure their futures and protect their loved ones regardless of their income level.

Furthermore, as part of their broader mission, the firm states that they "will use a portion of proceeds from our estate planning practice to serve underrepresented individuals." While not a direct promotion to individual clients, this illustrates a deep commitment to community support and access to justice, which is a powerful ethical differentiator.

It is also a common practice for legal firms specializing in estate planning to offer initial consultations. While the specific terms (e.g., free or a nominal fee) should be confirmed directly with the office, this opportunity allows prospective clients to discuss their needs and learn about the firm's approach without a full commitment.

To inquire about eligibility for the sliding fee scale or to schedule a consultation, interested parties are encouraged to contact Laurie Shigekuni & Associates directly using the contact information provided below. This firm genuinely aims to make crucial legal planning accessible to a broader segment of the California population.

To connect with Laurie Shigekuni & Associates and discuss your estate planning, special needs trust, or Medi-Cal planning needs, please use the following contact details:

San Francisco Office Address:
2555 Ocean Ave #202, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA

Phone:
(415) 584-4550

Mobile Phone:
+1 415-584-4550

You can also find additional information and potentially other office locations (Pasadena, San Mateo) on their website or by contacting them directly.

For residents across California, particularly those in the San Francisco Bay Area and surrounding regions, Laurie Shigekuni & Associates offers an exceptionally suitable and valuable resource for all their estate planning needs. Its suitability for locals is deeply rooted in its specialized expertise, profound commitment to client welfare, and unwavering dedication to community access and economic justice.

Firstly, the firm's specialization in critical areas like Special Needs Trusts and Medi-Cal planning for long-term care makes them indispensable for many California families. These are highly complex legal domains that directly impact the financial security and quality of life for individuals with disabilities and those facing significant healthcare costs. Having experts who can navigate these intricacies ensures that families can protect their assets while securing vital government benefits. This focused expertise directly addresses some of the most pressing concerns for Californians planning for their future or the future of vulnerable loved ones.

Secondly, the firm's stated philosophy and practices demonstrate a remarkable commitment to integrity, competence, and a genuine understanding of the human element in estate planning. They recognize that these decisions are deeply personal and involve sensitive family relationships, not just financial figures. This compassionate approach, combined with a meticulous attention to detail in crafting comprehensive estate plans, provides clients with a rare blend of professional excellence and empathetic support. This is particularly crucial for locals who want to feel truly heard and understood during such important life planning.

Finally, and perhaps most uniquely, Laurie Shigekuni & Associates distinguishes itself through its dedication to economic justice. The provision of a sliding fee scale for low-income clients and the allocation of proceeds to serve underrepresented individuals directly addresses a critical need within the California community. This commitment ensures that vital legal services, which are often perceived as inaccessible, are made available to a broader segment of the population, helping to preserve family wealth and provide security for all. With multiple office locations, including San Francisco, Pasadena, and San Mateo, Laurie Shigekuni & Associates ensures that this invaluable expertise is geographically accessible, making them an ideal and highly recommended choice for any Californian seeking thoughtful and just estate planning solutions.