The Law Offices of Stefanie West

I wanted to create a comprehensive estate plan and trust. After researching attorneys in the East Bay, I found Stefanie and was impressed by her excellent reviews. From our very first meeting, I understood why. She made what initially felt like a complicated and somewhat overwhelming process remarkably simple. She walked me through everything step by step and helped me think through not only my trust, but my banking and brokerage accounts, health care directive, and all the other details that needed to be addressed. In the end, she provided me with a complete, well-organized binder that gives me tremendous peace of mind knowing my family will have the information and direction they need. What has impressed me just as much is the relationship didn't end when the trust was completed. Four years later, some things in my life had changed, and I contacted Stefanie to review and update my estate plan. She remembered me, knew my documents, and once again made the entire process easy and straightforward. We went through what had changed, she helped me understand what needed to be adjusted, and I walked away feeling completely confident that everything was in order. I trust Stefanie, I believe in her, and I am extremely grateful for the work she has done for me. If you are considering creating or updating a trust, will, health care directive, or simply want to make sure your affairs are properly organized for the people you love, I highly recommend Stefanie West. She combines legal expertise with a very personal, compassionate approach. I would not hesitate to recommend Stefanie to my family and friends.

After experiencing truly one of the most difficult times of my life, I cannot express how much I appreciated having Stefanie in my corner to help me navigate the process of trust administration of my late mother's estate. Early on I naively thought that my mother's estate was not so complicated and I should be able to manage the trust administration on my own. But even when the estate is seemingly simple, beware the "Bureaucracy of Death!" There were a lot of unexpected hoops to jump through in dealing with banks and other institutions, even when the estate is in a trust and not probate. I searched and met with a handful of Contra Costa County area trust attorneys before I found Stefanie. What stood out about Stefanie is that she is a kind human being, along with being very smart and knowledgeable. Whenever I talked to her, it felt like I was speaking with a person, not a "lawyer," and I really appreciated that during a difficult time. She was also very responsive whenever I reached out with a question. Without her, I would have likely made many errors in administering the trust, had so many more headaches, and gone down unnecessary paths. Her pricing is very fair and I felt so lucky to have worked with her!

Stefanie West is a wonderful lawyer. She first did my trust in 2012 and we've updated it together a few times over the years, including very recently. She is not only knowledgeable, thorough and extremely competent, but also warm, compassionate, and understanding. Did I mention fun? Working with Stefanie doesn't feel like working, and yet you get so much done in a short span of time. I have a trust binder from 2012 with all the information I and my heirs and the people who will administer my trust after my death need to ensure that my wishes are carried out with minimal stress. This information and all the necessary documents is easily updated as time goes on and life's changes continue. And all I had to do was answer Stefanie's questions. It is all like a conversation with a friend, a friend who knows so much more than I do.

Stefanie West exceeded all of my expectations. My husband and I knew we needed to establish an estate plan, but had no idea where to start. Stefanie made the process simple and accessible from our first interaction. She was thorough, accurate, and professional through each step of the process. She is also incredibly family-friendly, and accommodated our toddler during document signing. I can’t recommend Stefanie enough, she is a joy to work with.

Stefanie West is a kind, smart, thorough, wise attorney. She asks all of the important questions and is sensible and realistic about the possible tribulations that may occur when planning for the future. It’s a personal area of law as well as a complex one and Stefanie knows that. She handles those two aspects in a caring and professional way. I can’t give anyone else a better recommendation. Trust Stefanie. And trust me. I’m a retired lawyer, a client, and friend of 20 years.