I highly recommend Louis Pacella for your Estate Planning needs. Louis' preparation of my Trust was far more than just the Trust itself. Also INCLUDED in the flat fee: HIPAA form, Health Care Directive (in case you become incapacitated), Power of Attorney (again necessary if you become incapacitated), Will (as a "back-up" to your intentions), and if you are including your property in the Trust - all needed Grant Deeds, Assignment of Property form as well as his office filing the documents with the County for you is included. Before hiring Louis, I "price shopped". The flat fees for this service (comprehensive Trust & included protections) are all the same. The "cheapest" I found was only about $150 in difference. Also, when I looked into LegalZoom and other "do it yourself" options, after adding up the cost of buying the generic forms, factoring in the filing and notary fees, etc - there was a savings of less than $300. For me, that risk and added hassle wasn't worth that meager "savings". The generic forms may not be up to date with current law, and if one is not proficient in California law (which is always changing), I feared I would be throwing money down the drain and my loved ones would still end up in costly probate court in the end because mistakes were made by me "doing it myself". After all the research, it was a no brainer to hire a qualified attorney. I could not be happier with my final selection. Louis' expertise and attention to detail was right on point with my "demanding personality". He was patient and generous with his time. I tried not to abuse his time, but will admit he accommodated a couple of phone calls and a few emails from me as we went through the process. I also had an extensive in-person meeting with his paralegal prior to commencing service and when I brought in the payment. There was NO charge for any of the before mentioned. He allowed me to customize sections to meet my specific desires, even if they went against the "norm" - he respected my individual comfort zones. The entire experience was effortless and reassuring, and I now have the piece of mind (priceless!) that my loved ones (and myself if - God forbid - I become incapacitated) are protected. I was very impressed by Mr. Pacella's knowledge, expertise and patience. The "Estate Planning Portfolio" that was delivered to me upon completion had the added benefit of instruction for me and my (eventual) Trustee, was well organized in a hard covered binder and with a USB memory stick that held digital copies of all my signed documents so that I can provide my loved one(s) with digital copies for themselves to hold for safekeeping in addition to the originals I will house in my home. All and all, I am very confident in recommending Louis Pacella for such an important protective measure in one's life. read more

I was amazed that a lawyer would show genuine, personal care and concern. Let me explain... My half-sister was in a nursing home in Huntington Beach. (I live in MN.) I thought "things were in order", but learned at the last minute that her existing trust would not protect her assets. I contacted Louis (a name given to me by the nursing home) and he explained what needed to be done and answered my panic-stricken questions. This was a Thursday. I flew out Friday. His notary met me at the nursing home. A new trust and other documents were ready to be executed. My sister passed away on Saturday. It was a whirlwind! And then I began to wonder if I had been "taken" while in the midst of emotional trauma. Louis and his Legal Assistant, Rebecca, continued to answer my questions and provide kind reassurance. The process that takes place upon death was well organized. I was given a list. I provided information. That was basically it, except to sit back and relax. When the house sold, I provided closing documents. When the required waiting period had passed, I was told that no claims had been entered AND that Medi-Cal had issued a full RELEASE. The new trust did what he said it would do, it protected her assets! There would actually be an inheritance for her daughter, who desperately needed financial help. Everything was efficient and professional, as one would expect when retaining services. But then the real "woohoo!" came. Louis called just to talk, to see if I had any questions, to ask if there was anything that he could do. As we talked about the situation, the personal details, he recognized that my niece could use some financial counsel. So he called and talked to her! Then he sent me an email with an update and offered to be available for further counsel at any time in the future! And I believe his offer was sincere. read more

When my Dad was near the end of his life, he entered the hospital and I traveled from out of state to spend time with him there. I asked him if there was anything he needed or wanted and he said he'd like to talk to a lawyer. I had no idea where to start. Thankfully, I had my laptop with me and was able to search online for an attorney. The first thing I noticed about Mr. Pacella's link were the words "at home planning." I knew my Dad wasn't able to go anywhere so I called for an appointment. Mr. Pacella was very accommodating and arrived at the hospital that same afternoon. Dad told him that he wanted to set up a living trust. Throughout the interview, Mr. Pacella was very patient and caring. He assured my Dad he would take care of everything and meet with us again the next day to sign papers. When Mr. Pacella left, my Dad laid his head back on his bed and let out a big sigh. He knew this was something he should have taken care of long ago and felt such relief that the process was started. That night my Dad went home with the services of Hospice. The following day Mr. Pacella and his notary arrived at my Dad's home and we signed documents under very stressful conditions. I appreciated their professionalism and calmness when so much was going on in the house. Mr. Pacella left directly from Dad's house and drove to another city to have the documents recorded before the end of the day on Friday. He called me when it was done. I let my Dad know it was completed and he said "Now, I can rest." Dad passed away 18 hours later. I'm so thankful for Louis Pacella's practice, for his compassionate demeanor and his complete professionalism. He took care of Dad's wishes with thoroughness and expediency. During a very difficult time, he made all the difference. read more

I initially approached Louis to get better understanding of Trusts for my retired parents. The critical issue for them was to protect their home and other valuable assets, and to ensure that their three children will have minimal outside interference when they received the inheritance. Unlike a few other trust attorneys I spoke with regarding this matter, Louis showed the right professionalism that I was looking for, including listening to all our concerns thoroughly, explaining the legal framework and our options in great detail, presenting his outstanding credentials as an expert in this field, and guaranteed highest level of service at a reasonable cost to my family. He delivered an outstanding service for my parents' trust in a timely manner. With their Trust in place, I immediately asked Louis to prepare my own family Trust and Will. Working with both my wife and myself, Louis managed all the paperwork to help protect the future of our properties for our children. My entire family has great admiration and trust for Louis' judgment and impeccable service, and will not hesitate to recommend this outstanding professional to everyone we know. It took my parents and myself a long time to finally recognize how important it is to properly manage our estate planning. Once it become obvious we needed profession help, it was difficult process of find someone to trust with this important task. With a help of our friends, we discovered Louis Pacella. I trusted him fully to manage my parents' and my own estate planning, and highly recommend his services. Ed G 2013 West Hills, CA read more

I received court documents through the mail and had legal questions on how to proceed. Previously I had worked with Louis Pacella when my family needed legal assistance in preparing trust documents, power of attorney and health directives. I went online to look up his information again and completed a form requesting a free consultation. I was contacted the same day and our consultation was scheduled for the next day--quick turnaround time. During the consultation, he was very helpful and patient and explained everything in terms that I could understand. He did not use legal terms or jargon that needed additional explanation. At the end of the call, he felt I had a good legal case and asked that I get back with him if I decided to use his services. I did decide to use his services, so I contacted his office and the next day I was sent all the necessary documents through email and the documents that required my signatures could either be signed electronically or could be printed, signed and returned by mail. Once again--quick turnaround time. He represented my case in court and kept me informed as to the progress. He fought for my entitlement and in the end--a satisfactory compensation was received. His legal fees were in line with his representation and were fair with no surprises. He is extremely helpful and knowledgeable and once again did a fantastic job and I would definitely recommend his services for legal assistance, preparation of legal documentation and/or representation. read more

I will begin my review by saying if I could select 10 stars I would. I went into settling my mom's affairs thinking everything was going to be cut and dry. I had worked with my Mom for several years prior to her passing, and had everything in order (so I thought). I never had any reason to doubt what my mom said, but come to find out in what my sister and I believe to be a messy deal with a reverse mortgage company the house was no longer in the Trust and I was trying to get her house sold. The best decision I ever made was working with Louis; but I owe partial thanks to my sister since she found him (Thanks Sis). He is by far the most knowledgeable, compassionate, and honest lawyer. He was so upfront about everything. He understood (of course) the urgency of what needed to be done, filed all the necessary documents quickly and was always prompt to respond to any of my inquiries by either phone or email. Additionally, I need to say that his staff is also fantastic. He is successful at what he does because he is the best at what he does, but he is also well supported by folks in his office that help him run his firm smoothly. Kudos to all of you and again THANK YOU LOUIS, you were a God send.....It goes without saying you are very highly recommended. read more

My husband and I consulted Louis Pacella about three matters: my elderly mother's estate plan; a restraining order; California landlord-tenant law. He listens carefully and offers sensible, down-to-earth advice. He and his team accomplish the legal work promptly, accurately, and effectively. To take care of re-working my mother's estate, we met Louis in his office in Calabasas. Before the end of the week, he visited my mother at the rehabilitation facility working to rebuild her health. He gave my mother the same respect that he had given us. When the draft of her estate plan was ready, we had a second consultation with him by phone to review the contents of the document. My mother's visit to his office to sign documents went smoothly. Louis's office prepared the restraining order request and submitted it to the Chatsworth Courthouse. Louis accompanied me to the courthouse on the day it was to be adjudicated. He helped prepare me in case I had to speak in court. We received the protection of the restraining order. When it came time to move my mother's tenant out of her house, Louis answered our questions about the specific steps that must be taken under the law. We recommend Louis Pacella's legal services without reservation. read more

A World War II and Korean Vet, my husband of 23 years, needed to make plans for his estate. With consideration for his adult children from a previous marriage he wanted to be fair, equitable , and sensitive to the needs of his family. . After research, Louis Pacella was selected to create all the estate documents. During the discussions with my Marine husband, Louis was patient, thorough, and kind in explaining the various scenarios involved in my husbands passing. I was relieved when the documents were finalized to my husbands wishes. After three years my husband passed and I was extremely grateful that all necessary papers were in place. It is difficult enough to lose a loved one. Add to that the possibility of unnecessary panic, frustration, and confusion in settling a loved ones estate when you have no knowledge of their wishes or what legal steps are necessary to move forward. Thank you Louis, and your office staff for the professional, ethical and over the top kindness you all exhibited to me and my family. It was worth every dollar to have the plan in place. If every attorney was a duplicate of your professionalism negative jokes and stories could be a thing of the past! read more

I had a complicated probate case after my brother and his son died in a plane crash in June 2017. But it wasn't just probate, my brother had a complex international travel business and I was in no position to unwind the enterprise. Louis and his team stepped in and did an amazing job of "forensic accounting" and communication with my brother's travel clients. He handled everything. It was a godsend to my family as we were not in a position to do this detailed kind of work. Louis and his team dealt with all the probate issues surrounding the company business. Then he handled the probate with alacrity. We are forever grateful. It wasn't inexpensive but the level of service and professionalism was first rate. But more than his superlative execution of resolving the probate issues, it was the kindness, the supportive attitude and "can do"mentality that sets Louis Pacella apart. This is an organized, highly professional, eminently competent organization. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Louis to anyone with probate or estate planning issues. He and his team are high integrity and very, very qualified. We are forever grateful for his services. read more

I give my highest recommendation to Louis Pacella and his staff due to their excellent work they have done for my family. My brothers and I were dealing with our Mother, who was in failing health and was not able to take care of her financial matters well. Louis was able to write a Power of Attorney and a series of Trusts and a Will to help Mom deal with her assets in the way she wanted. We corresponded with Louis and his staff mainly through e-mails and occasional phone calls. All the forms were written up quickly and Louis made all the arrangements for getting a notary and for delivering the signed copies back and forth. When my mother passed away, we hired Luis and his team to take care of finalizing her estate. It involved changing the deed of Mom's home to one of my brothers and assuring that her funds were divided according to the instructions in her will and trusts. Having Louis and his staff working on these legal matters gave us great peace of mind during a very trying time. Having Louis take care of these matters for our family was a decision that I am very proud of. read more

Louis and his staff were very knowledgeable, diligent and efficient with our family and mother's trust. My mother's health condition was unexpected and Luis promptly prepared the required documents needed while my mother was in the nursing home. When my mother passed away Louis handled all administrative procedures, accommodated all our requests, and communicated with us every step of the way for the distribution process. He has many resources and connections and recommended a very qualified CPA to handle the final tax returns for our trusts. He is very professional and we are extremely thankful to Luis and all of his staff. I highly recommend the quality of services offered by Louis Pacella for anyone seeking estate planning. Thank you again, Louis! We truly appreciate everything you have done for us! read more

When it became evident that we needed assistance, planning for our elderly mother's estate; we retained Louis Paella as he was highly recommended by a trusted source. The recommendation proved to be a blessing as Louis immediately became involved and 'walked' us through a complicated process made worse by a family member. Louis is knowledgeable, conscientious, responsive, easy to communicate with and very supportive. In addition, I felt we could trust him throughout the process with our affairs while confident that his fees were reasonable and we were charged in a fair manner. (I am sure he threw in a few phone calls and advice along the way). It has been a pleasure working with Louis and I am now planning to collaborate with him for my own estate planning. Would I recommend Louis? Absolutely!!!!! read more

Louis Pacella, Attorney-at-Law, has my highest recommendation as my attorney who drafted my Will for the following reasons, (i) legal knowledge, expertise and advice related to Probate Law; (ii) excellent attention to detail and (iii) answering my questions in a timely and detailed manner from inception to resolution during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Finally, I am very thankful to Stephen Cohen, Paralegal/Law Student (whom I had as a classmate in my first year of Law School) for his intelligence, valuable legal experience, knowledge of Probate Law, patience, and excellent drafting skills! Mr. Cohen is a very well known top law student who embodies not only high intelligence, but also motivation, inspiration and a positive spirit. Thank you so much! It's been a pleasure. read more

I met Louis through Linker Financial Group, Inc. in Fresno, Ca. My niece passed away and her husband needed help with his medical and financial needs. From the first contact with Louis, he was professional, knowledgeable and very patient with answering questions and addressing concerns. He created a Trust for my nephew. When my nephew passed, Louis and his staff helped me navigate the difficult tasks death of a family member demands. I always knew Louis and his staff were a phone call away if I had questions or concerns about what I needed to do. His fees were very reasonable. This past year was difficult but without Louis and his staff it would have been so much harder. I highly recommend Louis and his staff should you need help with Estate planning. He is the BEST! read more

Louis did the impossible for us. He got a sibling to negotiate when we were unable to come to terms. The matter involved a sister taking a substantial personal loan form a family trust. After many years of dealing with the loan company sending us notices of late payment fees, and making the payments ourselves to avoid foreclosure, Louis lifted the burden on our lives by resolving the matter completely, and in the most expedient way -- out of court ! We live in Santa Barbara, several miles from the law office in Calabassas, but Louis was recommended to us by a close friend. Thankfully, we would recommend Louis to anyone else. . . He was a true blessing for us ...Amen. read more

I have worked with Louis for the past few years. I am a notary and have worked with many other attorneys and am always impressed by the way Louis goes above and beyond for his clients. He is the only attorney I have met that actually goes to all of his clients for the closing and makes sure to walk through every detail so that his clients not only understand but are 100% happy with the transaction. He is the only person I would trust to take care of my estate planning needs. I have referred him to family members and wouldn't trust anyone else. If you need top notch estate planning services he is your guy! read more

Louis and his team were very helpful in guiding me through the entire estate planning process for my mother. He was highly recommended from a nursing home and really had a thorough knowledge of estate planning for Medi-cal patients. Louis and his team were also very accommodating in driving to my mother's nursing home and patiently explaining the trust documents to my mother and myself. And after the passing of my mother, Louis and his team helped guide me through the many steps of the trust distribution process, and went the extra mile to help provide me with some additional real estate and taxation guidance. read more

Louis is a wonderful attorney to work with and I can't thank him enough for all the hard work and support he gave my family. During the time when my mother was in a nursing home, Louis helped us with estate/trust planning for Medi-Cal patients. He is very professional, prompt, and extremely knowledgeable with the laws pertaining to estate planning and trusts. He has gone way beyond all of our expectations with his support and still to this day continues to answer questions for us. I highly recommended his services to anyone seeking help with estate planning and trusts. Thank you again Louis!! jim read more

Louis Pacella handled my father and his wife's trusts for them in California. I didn't know Mr. Pacella as I am from Ohio. My 88 year old father had considerable difficulty understanding the concept of a trust so I had to step in and help him. My understanding of a trust was very rudimentary but Mr. Pacella and his staff (particularly Rebecca) assisted us every step of the way, answering all our questions (some more than once) professionally and with the patience of Job. If you are looking for trust services, I highly recommend Mr. Pacella and his staff. - Randall D. read more