Mark A. Lester

Partner

Attorney Mark A. Lester is an estate planning attorney with extensive experience in a succession planning, probate, trust administration, and trust and estate litigation. He also has substantial experience with business transactions, business litigation, taxation, and real property law. Mr. Lester has received an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell for maintaining the highest standards of professional and ethical excellence in the legal community.

In a career spanning 30 years, Mr. Lester is widely recognized for his legal achievements. In 2008, he was named one of the Ten Most Dependable Lawyers of California by Goldline Research for his trusts & estates practice. He has been certified as an estate planning, trust, and probate law specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.

Mr. Lester earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University in 1977. In 1980, he earned his Juris Doctor degree from Seattle University School of Law. While attending law school, he was Chairman of the Membership Committee of Phi Delta Phi and an Associate Editor for the Puget Sound Law Review, now known as the Seattle University Law Review. He also received the American Jurisprudence Award in Trusts and Estates. After graduating from law school, Mr. Lester went on to earn his Master of Laws, or LL.M., Taxation degree from Boston University School of Law in 1981.

Since completing his distinguished legal education, Mr. Lester has been admitted to practice by the State Bar of California, the U.S. District Courts for the Central, Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of California, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. Tax Court. He is an active member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, serving as a volunteer for the Attorney-Client Dispute Resolution Services Panel. Mr. Lester also has memberships with the Ventura County Bar Association and the California Young Lawyers Association, where he previously served as Director and Vice President between 1984 and 1986.

Mr. Lester has an established reputation in the legal community as a respected trial attorney. His reported cases include Estate of Odian (2006) 145 Cal. App. 4th 152, 51 Cal. Rptr. 3d 390 and Askari v. R&R Land Company (1986) 179 Cal. App. 3d 1101, 225 Cal. Rptr. 285. Mr. Lester has also served as Judge pro Tempore for the Los Angeles Superior Court.

Mr. Lester is a local community leader as well, serving on the Board of Directors for the Oxnard Police Foundation and as Assistant Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 485. He is also an avid outdoorsman with a fondness for golfing, camping, and hiking.