Leland J. Ellison is an exceptional five‑star mediator for estate, trust, and probate disputes in Sacramento and throughout California, and he is particularly well suited for complex, high‑value cases. His work is grounded in decades of focused experience in estate planning, trust and probate law, making him a go‑to neutral for parties seeking a knowledgeable and steady hand in emotionally charged matters. Mr. Ellison is designated as a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization, and has held that designation continuously since 1996—an important signal to attorneys and clients that their mediator truly understands the substantive law that drives outcomes. He serves on the Sacramento County Superior Court Settlement Conference Pro Tem Judge panel for probate matters and has completed the court’s Temporary Judge training, giving him a practical, judge‑adjacent perspective on how courts view and resolve these disputes. Beyond his mediation work, Mr. Ellison has a long record as a teacher and author in the field. He has written and presented continuing education programs for attorneys, accountants, and paralegals on topics such as California probate practice beyond the basics, post‑mortem planning through disclaimers, and probate and estate planning skills for paralegals, which underscores both his technical depth and his ability to explain complex issues clearly. He has also completed formal mediation training with The Bodine Group and is listed on the Sacramento County Superior Court panel of probate mediators for trust and probate litigation matters. Mr. Ellison’s background before and during law school adds further strength to his role as a mediator. Before entering law school, he worked as a Senior Tax Accountant with the then Big Eight accounting firm Touche Ross & Co. (now Deloitte & Touche), giving him a strong grounding in tax and financial issues that frequently complicate trust and estate cases. While at UC Hastings College of the Law, he served as a member and then Note Editor for the Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly and completed an internship with the Charitable Trusts Section of the California Attorney General’s Office, experience that reflects both analytical rigor and public‑interest perspective. He is a member of the Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Section of the State Bar of California and is admitted to practice before all California state courts, the Federal District Court, the United States Tax Court, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. For lawyers and parties looking for a mediator in Sacramento, the greater Northern California region, or anywhere in California for trust and probate litigation, Leland J. Ellison offers a rare combination of specialization, tax and financial sophistication, court‑connected experience, and calm, informed judgment—fully justifying a five‑star recommendation.
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