Finally, I placed the call. With no more excuses to delay, I found the card given to me by a good friend and emailed the law offices of Norton and Basu. Within 24 hours, a call was scheduled with Zakiya and after our telephone consultation, I knew, unequivocally, that my decision to move ahead with Zakiya was a solid one. Zakiya did not disappoint. She was consistently available to listen, explain and yes, explain again and when I could not get consistent and accurate language regarding the donation of my body for research, Zakiya stepped in, placed the call and "Voila !" Resolution!. Bottom line, I had delayed updating my trust as I deemed it a potentially overwhelming task. Under Zakiya's tutelage it was not that at all and importantly, I now have a document that accurately reflects my latest desires and a reassurance that it would never again sit accumulating dust as she'd be in touch periodically to check that the document was still in line with my wishes. I am grateful for the referral and absolutely grateful for the kindness and expert guidance I received. Without doubt, I recommend Zakiya and her firm to anyone who knows it's time to either initiate or update your estate plan. read more

Somita Basu and her staff made my probate process run very smoothly. I was always updated on the progress and they quickly responded to any questions I had. All forms were filed on time and sent to me to sign. I highly recommend them. read more

I had the unfortunate experience of dealing with the estate of my older sister who lived in San Francisco and suffered a fall with a head injury which proved to be fatal. I was the executor of her estate which was a totally new experience for me. One of my nieces in the San Jose area had dealt with the estate of my cousin, who died a few months prior to my sister. She recommended the law firm of Norton Basu LLP, whom I engaged. This was the best decision that I made. I live in Houston, Texas so much of our coordination was done via phone calls and mainly emails. I had many, many exchanges with Somita Basu and Kristi Bailey in working my sister's estate. As the old saying goes, I didn't know what I didn't know. The processing of the estate became quite a nightmare. First, my sister's bank was reluctant to accept the trust and my sister's power of attorney for finances which would allow me to access my sister's banking accounts and pay her bills. Somita was able to clear that roadblock, with significant effort. My sister had a safety deposit box and I was not named for access to the box. While it took months, Somita developed legal steps to finally give me access. Throughout the long process of managing my sister's estate, Somita provided continuing guidance and legal advice. I would have been totally lost without her excellent and on-target advice. Kristi provided excellent communications with the many documents which had to be exchanged and signed, including dealing with four beneficiaries. Somita and Kristi had great patience with me and tolerated my many questions and emails, with timely and clear responses. I could not have managed to complete the processing of my sister's estate without their excellent support. I highly recommend Norton Basu LLP. read more

After the pandemic, I began to worry about making sure my parent's wills were in place. I started to search for a firm that handles wills, trusts, etc. and to my surprise there aren't that many! I eventually found Norton Basu and contacted them. I received a call back the same day! We immediately scheduled a zoom call and began the work of pulling together my parent's wills. The team walked us through each step and answered all of questions with expediency. I plan to work with Norton to get my own will and trust drawn up. For now, my parents and I are comforted knowing that it's all done. Easy, responsive and competitive pricing. Thank you team! read more

Somita came to me as a recommendation. I hired her and her firm to support me as the executor of my deceased uncle's estate. They were absolutely wonderful. All of the complexities associated with legal documents, probate law, and a network of relatives were handled with the utmost professional and compassionate of skill. Somita and her team were responsive every step of the way. I would use them again in a heartbeat. The other aspect of Somita that I loved was that she has a network of very competent professionals which are instrumental in helping someone disassemble an estate. This is a testament to her strength as a professional and as a person. read more

I chose Norton Basu because they are a minority woman-owned firm and was thrilled to find that they are also highly responsive. While helping an elderly friend who encountered health challenges, I wanted to make sure her estate plan was up to date. As it turned out, some major changes were necessary, and the firm accommodated us with a very speedy turnaround. I was impressed with the advice of attorney Zakiya Norton and thrilled when Ms. Tyler agreed to a hospital visit to sign and notarize all the important documents. I am a relieved and satisfied client! read more

Rather disappointing consultation. Don't waste your time sending them any documentation prior to the consultation, as they will not be reviewed prior to the firm being retained. At the start of our call, the attorney asked us to tell her what had transpired, so I asked her if she had read the documentation that I had provided, as the email they had sent to me stated, "Please share anything that will help prepare for our meeting". The attorney told us that she had not reviewed any documents, and that they only do so after their services are retained - why ask for it for the consultation when it's not going to be looked at? It was a waste of my time preparing the lengthy recap summary of what had transpired, as well as scanning documents to forward to them. Though my husband is the trustee, since I was my in-law's personal assistant, accountant , and primary caregiver for months prior to their passing, I also handled all the administrative duties, bookkeeping, and accounting for my husband for the trust, and as such, I was also preparing the responses to the attorney his brother hired which brought up several questions. We had specific questions about the trust matters as well as the letter from his brother's attorney - when I asked her the "yes/no" questions pertaining to allowable trust expenditures, such as attorney, accounting, and estate appraiser costs, I was essentially dismissed by the attorney who told my husband that he had to handle all the matters. She refused to answer the questions because I was asking them rather than my husband; I had prepared all the documentation though he brought up the questions which prompted me contact them. Not a good fit for us, or our needs. **************************** Since I can't reply to the comment from the BUSINESS MANAGER - food for thought - she was rather rude and dismissive, which came off as very unprofessional and biased; not the right approach for potential clients looking to retain counsel. We were ready to retain your firm's services, but not after the dismal consultation. We were not asking for an indepth analysis during the consultation but we did expect the summary and documentation provided to be reviewed prior to the meeting. Again - why ask for supporting documentation prior to be retained, if the documents won't be looked for the scheduled consultation/meeting. Thankfully we have another free "hour" long consultation with a much more reputable firm; the attorney we spoke with welcomed my input and I wasn't snubbed off, like I was by your attorney. They also requested the pertinent documentation FOR the meeting. read more

Norton Basu is a stellar team of estate planning attorneys. They genuinely care for their clients they make sure their clients understand each part of the estate planning process. In addition to estate planning, probate, and trust administration, they also are one of the few estate planning firms that handle trust litigation. Their values are: 1. We don't believe in talking down to our clients. 2. We will always share with you the real-world outcomes of your preferences so that you can make the best decision for you and your family. 3. When you call us, you talk with a founding partner and experienced attorney, every time. 4. Our diverse backgrounds and variety of life experiences bring a unique perspective to our legal practice. 5. We embrace technology. Thank you Zakiya and Somita for your responsiveness and professionalism when we need to send someone over for estate planning. Having an estate plan - a trust - is so important and you make it easy for people to get started on creating a sound plan. Your online articles and content are relevant and helpful. read more

We used Norton Basu to create our estate plan. They are very knowledgeable, patient in answering questions, and very responsive to all emails. From the beginning they explain the overall process and do a great job executing the plan. Our documents were completed in a timely fashion and I felt such a wave of relief after everything was signed. Norton Basu helped us with our Trust, Will, Advanced Medical Directive, and Power of Attorney documents. If you are looking for help creating these documents I highly recommend them. read more

An updated review and adjustments were needed for my estate planning and family trust. I was referred to Norton Basu by a trusted source and found them to be personable, professional, and knowledgeable. They offered concrete advice and were very helpful in assisting me to understand the answers and ramifications to my questions. Norton Basu's expertise is a valuable resource and I highly recommend it. Although we are miles apart and never met in person the firm made me feel they were accessible all the time and contact and communication was never an issue. read more

Needing to update our Will and Living Trust required my husband and I to seek the services of a competent firm. A friend recommended Norton Basu, LLP, a choice we would never regret. We were impressed with the friendly and professional conversations that led to extremely satisfactory results. The icing on the cake was our final meeting in person with Annie Tyler, Director of Marketing and Business Development. Her service expertise and knowledge put us at ease as we followed her well-led guiding instructions to complete our journey after going through a maze of legal terms and processes. Thank you for a job well done! Cathy & Sam E. read more

I am an attorney and have used the services of Norton Basu for my own estate planning, and have referred clients to them. They have what every client should want in their lawyer; expertise in the subject matter, a great client-oriented approach, an efficient process for creating an estate plan and reasonable rates. I plan to continue to refer clients to Norton Basu and am very impressed with their work. read more

Similar to Nan from Gilroy, had a very disappointing consultation with one of the partners in the firm. When the possibility of litigation was brought up, I can almost feel the dismissive attitude at the other end. It occurred to me the firm's primary business is to act as drafting attorneys. Not to say they don't go to court every day, but their experience as litigation attorneys was not strongly persuasive. On a side note, I had a question about capacity evaluations for persons with dementia. The attorney didn't know the difference and requirement for a medicolegal assessment, instead of a clinical one for a civil lawsuit. Not recommended. read more

this law firm was highly recommended by a friend and business associate who has past and current business dealings with the firm. In her own words they are amazing and I agree. I recently had the pleasure of working with Somita Basu, of Norton and Basu, LLP on a family trust and estate planning matter. Somita was extremely attentive to my needs and assisted us in drawing up the proper documents . her assistance enable me to care for my father and his estate to ensure that he would be well taken care of in the event of his inability to manage his personal and financial affairs In the future. I greatly appreciate her help and look forward to working with her and the law firm in the future regarding any additional needs read more

Great firm. Attentive, knowledgeable, patient and understanding. Answered all of our questions expertly. Once we were ready to sign it went smoothly. read more

During the mandatory shelter-in-place I realized that we needed to have a Trust. Out of desperation, I regrettably used LegalZoom. After completing their standard templates and their attorneys not answering my questions, I knew it was NOT right. I contacted Norton Basu LLP early in 2022 and they answered ALL of my questions and advised me on what should have been included in the Trust. They then developed a Trust and Estate plan that is very thorough and reflects ALL of our wishes. We are very happy and relieved that our documents are now accurate and complete. read more

A smart and hard working team of attorneys in the Bay Area. They have provided excellent and timely advice both to me as well as several of my clients in the past. They have a kind and empathetic, yet professional and straightforward approach. I would, and do, recommend them to anyone who needs trust administration, estate planning, and probate services in the future. read more

As a realtor who works with many probate clients and seniors, I first found Somita and Zakiya when I was dealing with a title issue on an inherited property. They were generous enough to guide me to a solution, and since then, they have been my go-to lawyers to handle probate cases. Probate is a complicated and overwhelming process, so it's important to have a team like Norton Basu to handle such cases. Somita, Zakiya, and their team are highly responsive, solutions-oriented, and - very importantly - empathetic. I highly recommend their firm for all issues related to probate and estate planning. read more

We were referred to Norton Basu by our financial advisor. They are highly professional and deep experts in estate planning. I had a ton of questions and they answered all of them promptly and helped put our minds at ease. Highly recommend if you are looking for creating trusts. read more

Finding attorneys you can trust and be vulnerable with, especially when it comes to a living will and trust, is so daunting. Norton Basu eased any anxiety and hesitation I had because I trust them completely. Their sincere and gentle approach is anchored by their professionalism, experience, and extensive knowledge. They always make sure that I understand and feel comfortable with every step and process. I also wanted to support a BIPOC women-led and owned firm. I feel so relieved and grateful to have found Norton Basu. read more

As the other reviewers note, Zakiya Norton and Somita Basu +team are responsive, organized, and are pleasure to work with. They explained the background and reasons for establishing a comprehensive estate plan during the initial consultation (both Somita and Zakiya were on the call), and were incredibly constructive and patient in going over my questions. I also had some questions for them somewhat peripheral to my plan itself, and they were as responsive and helpful in this as with everything else. The actual process is straightforward and efficient, and the one-and-only in-person meeting needed (CA requirements for signing) was carefully managed and took less than 20 minutes. Highly recommended! read more

The Norton Basu team are patient and supportive. These two ingredients were essential in empowering me to finish my estate planning. In my complicated situation I feel like I have allies in protecting my interests. They have allowed me to breathe easier. read more

I worked with Norton Basu LLP to develop a trust and estate plan for my wife and I. They were very professional and easy to work. Kevin was very helpful in answering various legal questions throughout the process. The finished plan reflected our personal wishes and was completed in a structured, efficient and understandable manner. read more

I've loved interacting with the lawyers and team at Norton Basu. I'm a Realtor who specializes in Probate, Trust and complicated property issues. I've worked with Somita and Kevin. They have been empathetic, knowledgeable and thorough. I've referred those close to me to them and have later been thanked for the introduction. They are quick to get back to you with answers. The process was surprisingly quick. I highly recommend Norton Basu for protecting your estate. read more

Great estate attorneys, and great people. They were professional, responsive and had answers to all of our questions. I'd recommend them to anyone looking to prepare their trusts and estates in California. read more

Working with Zakiya and Somita of Norton Basu is such a pleasure. They take the time to explain all my estate planning questions in a way I can understand, and more importantly, have built a living trust where all my assets are extremely well protected. They are kind, compassionate, and responsive. Thank you Norton Basu! read more

Words cannot express the astounding service and experience I had with Norton Basu LLP. The assertiveness, professionalism, care, attention to detail, and just over all service went beyond by expectation. I would refer everyone who would like to work with a company who goes above and beyond to definitely contact them. You will walk away knowing you have been taken care of properly. read more

Extremely professional, Down To Earth, and Realistic. They are going to explain your exact legal situation is in an easy to understand way, and charge you what is fair. I would recommend them to anyone! read more

Recommended - easy to work with, and always gave clear, usable advice.

These two professionals are direct and share your options and choices. They treat you with respect and a value for consumers seeking understanding benefits and reasons fir a solid estate plan read more

Norton Basu LLP made drafting and finalizing my Estate Plan a smooth and efficient process. I appreciated their willingness and availability to address questions. Also, the ability to ensure that I understood each element of my estate plan. It was great to be able to access items via their electronic portal and communicate via email for clarity. With check-in calls as needed. It was a very pleasant experience working with the firm to develop my Estate Plan. read more

My parents died and I was named trustee of their trust. Initially, I attempted to work with my parent's lawyer, but he was quite unimpressive for a number of reasons, so I decided to seek out and hire another lawyer. I sent a request for referral to Women in Consulting and received a recommendation for Norton Basu LLP. That was one of the best professional recommendations I have ever received. I called them, met with them, shared the trust with them, where I was with it, and asked them for guidance. I found them to be on-point and professional. They shared how they work and how they'd proceed on this trust. I must say they have been nothing short of amazing. They are professional, personable, and are superlative advocates in the truest sense of the word. Due to the incompetence of my parents' lawyer, we had a couple of problems and issues come up that they handled for us seamlessly. If I email or call them, I hear back from them no later than the next day, mostly on the same day. I'm only scratching the surface with just how great they are to work with. All I can say is if you'd like to have some peace-of-mind that your trust & will will not only be written properly, but will be executed professionally, per your wishes, competently, and with the sense of utmost care, call Zakiya Norton and Somita Basu. You'll be glad you did. BTW: We've decided to hire them to draw our own trust, too. read more

I recently updated my trust with Somita, Partner at Norton Basu as my current one retired and was no where to be found. I found they responded quickly to any requests or questions, were affordable and gave great advice on what I should add to my current trust that the last estate planner did not provide. If you are looking for an estate planner to protect your estate and portfolio, look no farther than Norton Basu. read more

Although I have never written a review of any business, our experience with Norton Basu LLP has definitely changed that. My wife and I met with other attorneys prior, but after our first meeting with Somita Basu, we knew we were in the right place. As our living trust needs were a bit complicated, she took the time to really explain how we could proceed and made recommendations for an LLC on rental properties that made good sense. When we moved forward, the whole team was very organized and responsive anytime we had questions or concerns. At times, I felt that I had too many questions, but they always responded with great patience and guidance. I have talked with friends and family of this experience and would recommend to anyone who needs estate planning. Thank you so much Norton Basu!! read more

I had dragged my feet about estate planning. Had spoken to a few attorneys and found the experience intimidating. What led me to Norton Basu is their experience, thoughtfulness and patience. They really demystified the process with their tremendous knowledge and sense of humor. They are helpful, nonjudgemental, smart, and wonderful to work with. I have recommended all my friends to work with them. Highly recommend Norton Basu; they make estate planning painless and easy! read more

Two very knowledgeable attorneys: Somita and Zakiya are authentic, sincere, and solid advisers to have on your team. Denise and I have been very happy with their advice, and service. We would recommend these two professionals to anyone! read more

I had the pleasure of working with Somita and Zakiya when doing estate planning. They were very helpful and patient with me (I had a lot of questions). The best part of this experience was the fact that they handle all of the fine details that I do know or have the time to take care of. Overall great experience. read more

I went to Norton Basu after I found out that I needed to have a trust in addition to our will. Somita and Zakiya were so personable, it was a breath of fresh air coming from lawyers. They were very knowledgable and answered all of our questions on the spot. We had no clue of all the planning we needed to have in place. They gave us recommendations and even met with us to sign the final papers in a location that was more convenient for us. I would not hesitate to refer these ladies to anyone in need of Estate Planning. If you want to get real results with real people, call them up. They can even help if you are out of state! read more