This presentation addresses ethical challenges that private fiduciaries face and provides practical guidance on maintaining professionalism while managing complex client relationships. Through case studies, examples, and structured guidelines, presenters will explore best practices for handling potential conflicts of interest, confidentiality concerns, capacity issues, and how to avoid liability. The goal is to equip professional fiduciaries with a foundational understanding of the ethical rules that apply to their roles and responsibilities in the estate practice.
C2 – Ethical Considerations for Private Fiduciaries: Safeguarding Client Interests And Navigating Professional Boundaries
Speakers
Kristin Yokomoto
Baker & Hostetler LLP
Kristin Yokomoto is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law with The State Bar of California Legal Specialization program. With over 25 years of experience, Kristin devotes her practice to helping families, individuals and business owners with their estate planning, business succession planning, trust administration and probate needs. She guides her clients through all aspects of transitioning their assets and businesses to the next generation as efficiently and seamlessly as possible, while focusing on the legal and tax ramifications of various options. Clients and advisors trust that Kristin will understand their goals and help create lifetime plans that incorporate them in light of the taxes and impact on future generations.
Kristin has a background in real property financing, corporate governance, securities laws, venture capital and mergers and acquisitions, and was a financial analyst for Fortune 500 companies. Her business background helps her better understand the effect of decisions which involve an entity or real property. Kristin frequently presents and publishes to help other lawyers better serve their clients. She is a contributing author of the Guide to the California Rules of Professional Conduct for Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Counsel (Fourth Edition) written by The Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association. She has been invited to speak at the University of Southern California Tax Institute, STEP Worldwide and STEP Orange County conferences, and the WealthCounsel Symposium on wealth transfer topics.
Monica Goel, Esq.
Tredway Lumsdaine & Doyle, LLP (TLD Law)
https://tldlaw.com/
Monica Goel, with over twenty-three years of legal experience, is a Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law by the California Board of Legal Specialization. Her practice focuses on estate planning, trust administration, probate administration, conservatorships, elder law, trust, and probate litigation. Her specialty in any legal setting is in handling sticky or complex situations. She primarily works out of the firm’s Irvine and Long Beach offices.
She has been rated “superb” by AVVO, named as one of the top estate planning attorneys in 2019 through 2024, by Super Lawyers in Trusts and Estates, and is rated AV-Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell.
Monica is a published author in the Daily Journal and OC Lawyer Magazine. She is a frequent lecturer on trust administration, probate administration, court accountings, liability for fiduciaries, and legal ethics in estate administration.
Monica was a member of the PVP panel for the LA Superior Court and routinely advises families on how to handle incapacity issues and appointment of conservatorship.
She was previously an adjunct professor at Cerritos College in the Certified Paralegal Program and at UCI in the paralegal program in Estate Planning.
Monica received her B.A. in History from UCLA in 1997, and her J.D. from the University of Southern California in 2000. She was the Trope and Trope Fellow in 1998 and was admitted to the Bar in December 2000.