Law Office of Beth Larssen

Small Office Attention: Trusts/Estates, Elder, Business

This lawyer is licensed to practice in California and has no record of discipline from the California bar association.*

Firm Overview

This firm was established in 2001 with the intent of providing personalized service in a smaller office environment.

From the beginning, I focused on estates and trusts, elder law and business: the same areas I had worked in the prior ten years as a paralegal. In particular, the hands-on work advocating to keep elders at their highest level of independence in the 1990s has provided a wealth of practical experience to help clients and their families in not only planning for the future with estate planning, but in working through the family dynamics and administration needed at the time of incapacity or death.

It is especially effective helping a client with both estate and business planning.

Example cases

I represented through trial a case between a daughter and her step-father. The issues centered on financial and physical abuse of the mother during her lifetime and interpretation of the mother's estate plan. My work ranged from inventorying the disputed furniture to working closely with the CPA in analyzing financial records.

A settlement was negotiated between a surviving spouse and her step-children that put in place a neutral trustee as a buffer. The spouse felt she was protected from the step-children's greed; the step-children felt the spouse was protected from financial abuse by other family members and caregivers. The outcome permitted the spouse to continue to live independently in her home.

Main Office

Main
5213 El Mercado Pkwy.
Suite G
Santa Rosa CA 95403

Phone

(707) 544-6776

Fax

(707) 577-7313

Fees

Free Initial Consultation?

I regularly offer a half-hour complimentary consultation, whether by telephone or in person.

Services Offered For Fixed Fees?

For a new estate plan, a range of fees is quoted after meeting the client, and is based on the estate plan complexity.

The hourly rate applies to amending existing plans, trust administration, elder law, business law, and drafting agreements.

Hourly Rates

$300

Office Information

Office Hours

Monday through Friday
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Office Manager

Jennifer Bedoka

Emergency After Hours

Languages Spoken

None

How did your firm decide on the primary area of practice(s)?

It gives me more satisfaction to creatively prevent issues than to litigate them.

I began working in law in 1980 in a litigation practice, gathering information from clients and helping them be prepared for depositions or trial. However, in the 1990s when I worked in the areas of estate planning, elder law and business, I truly appreciated close interaction with clients in proactive practice of law.

What is your firm's point of view regarding clients educating themselves on legal issues?

I am delighted when clients have actively pursued self-education about their legal issues and concerns. An informed client can make informed decisions and more clearly communicate their goals on the relevant legal issues. This enhances our conversation and helps me serve the client more efficiently.

Is your firm willing to review documents prepared by clients?

Clients who have prepared documents often have done much of the difficult decision-making and have given careful thought in the process. While I am always respectful of the work involved, I will always require that any document meet professional standards.

Is your firm willing to coach clients who want to represent themselves?

The major focus of my practice is transactional (wills, trusts, agreements), so most of my clients do not need to make any court appearances.

Beth Larssen

I had worked as a paralegal starting in 1980 in personal injury. Since 1990, my focus has been estate planning, elder law, and business law.

I have also worked in business. The spectrum of employment included being a sole proprietor of a dessert baking business, providing customer service for a local insurance and retirement planning office, and working for a mid-size manufacturing corporation.

I think I developed skills in explaining legal concepts and processes in "normal people language" during the years I worked as a paralegal, and that has served me well as an attorney.

I have aggressively pursued continuing education since becoming a lawyer, including a two-week intensive American Bar Association estate planning course in Atlanta, State Bar convention coursework, and National Academy of Elder Law Attorney education seminars and annual education seminars through National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. I am past president of the Redwood Empire Estate Planning Council, a part of the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils.

I work well with families and individuals in transition, bringing compassion and experience from my own personal life and from many years of working with all kinds of clients -- of all ages -- in many different situations.

I have a collaborative style that would always choose to mediate a dispute, but I do not hesitate to advocate vigorously for a client's best interest.

Working collaboratively with a client's other trusted professionals, for example, CPAs and financial planner, is highly effective and I encourage it in my practice.

Personal interests:

My husband, adult daughters and I love music, theatre and dance, and I look for any excuse to go to a musical in San Francisco.

Relaxation is living an old-fashioned life in rural Sonoma County: being able to bake, can, sew and play with the dog in such a wonderful place.

License

Bar Number: 212008
California , 2000

Education

Empire College School of Law
J.D. , 2000
Santa Rosa, CA
Thornhill Scholarship, Torts Award
Sonoma State University
Attorney Assistant Certification , 1984
Rohnert Park, CA
Paragon Award nominee (Bar Association)
California State University Hayward
B.A. , 1972
Hayward, CA
University Student Body Secretary

* Nolo has confirmed that every member attorney has a valid license and is in good standing with the state agency that licenses lawyers. Any past disbarments and suspensions (with possible exceptions for minor violations or nonpayment of dues, in our discretion) will be indicated accordingly in the badge. Member attorneys are required to notify Nolo immediately if they become the subject of any disciplinary action by any state licensing agency.