R. Bruce Laing

Family, Property, Business and Estate Planning are all interrelated whether you are single, married, divorced, remarried, planning to marry, are competent, incompetent, or deceased.  I have practiced law for more than thirty years.  I am rated AV by Martindale Hubbel, the premier attorney rating service. 

My practice is located in Larkspur, California, near the Larkspur Ferry Terminal, with easy access to and from San Francisco.  I have represented clients from all over the world who have interests in or ties to California,  including clients in the entertainment industry, a major lottery winner, judicial officials and their families, doctors, accountants, architechts, and many others who are faced with difficult situations in their business and personal lives. 

Planning is an essential component of what I do for litigation, negotiation, mediation and collaboration matters.  Pre-Nuptial Agreements are a Family Law Matter in which planning is essential in order to achieve the delicate balance between love and emotion on the one hand, and business on the other hand that these agreements require.  

Also, In this economic climate where forced property divisions hurt both parties, and where health insurance coverage is a major issue, I utilize the lesser known Post-Nuptial Agreement in combination with a coordinated estate plan to achieve most of the advantages divorce and avoid the disadvantages of forced sale property divisions, retirement account divisions, and loss of medical insurance coverage until spouses are in a better position to finalize their divorce.  Because their property division has been accomplished by their Post-Nuptial Agreement and estate plan, when that time comes, the divorce is greatly simplified.  Some couples simply elect to lead separate lives, but remain married until one of them dies and their joint estate plan comes into effect.  

Family Limited Partnerships, commonly known as FLPs, trusts, and Limited Liability Companies, or LLC's are useful in business, Family Law and Estate Planning settings.  Proper use of these entities can solve many problems without the expense of litigation if they are properly presented in negotiations, mediations and collaboration.  The mediation privilege is well established in California, and mediation provides a safe, confidential environment in which to conduct sensetive and discrete negotiations.  My office has excellent conference rooms available for this purpose. 

Business entities formed in or that operate in California need to be structured or re-structured to take into account California's Community Property laws.  This is particularly important in the context of divorce and estate planning, especially for professional practices.  Planning in this area invariably prevents major headaches later. 

You can contact me through my Web Site:  www.Laing-Law.com, or directly by e-mailing me at [email protected].  You may also telephone me at 415-461-3133.