Cordia Lynn Farrell
Probate & Trust Estates Attorney
A Southern California native, C L Farrell, enjoys practicing probate and trust litigation for nearly four decades across Southern California. She assists small businesses, families, and individuals with estate planning and their probate and trust administration and litigation needs. She guides clients through the process of probate administration and trust administration and assists in the preparation of Court required estate accountings. As a trial attorney, she represents clients in disputes concerning the validity of wills or trusts, entitlement to inherit decedent estates, competing petitions for fiduciary appointments as estate administrators or trustees, breaches of fiduciary duties, and cases involving financial exploitation of the elderly or mentally infirmed.
C L is trained in alternate dispute resolution and has served as a mediator of probate, trusts, and estate disputes. She served the San Bernardino County Bar Association as Chairperson of the Fee Arbitration program. She served as Judge Pro Tempore in the San Bernardino County Superior Court Family Law and Small Claims cases.
In 2009, C L co-designed the Fiduciary Management Certificate Program for the University of California Riverside Extension and served as an Advisory Board Member and Instructor. In 2010, she established the Osborne-Whelan Endowed Rugby Academic Scholarship at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings College of the Law) and currently chairs the scholarship's Advisory Committee.
C L’s personal interests include sailing, traveling, and genealogical research.
- Golden Gate University School of Law
- J.D. (1983) | Law
- California State University - San Francisco State University
- B.A. (1979) | English
- Mediator, Probate, Trusts and Estates
- Riverside County Bar Association Dispute Resolution Services
- - Current
- Senior Probate & Trust Litigation Attorney
- Law Offices of C L Farrell, PC
- - Current
- Co-Designer, Professional Fiduciary Certificate Program
- University of California Riverside Extension
- -
- Adjunct Professor, Paralegal Certificate Program
- University of California Riverside Extension
- -
- Distinguished Peer Review Rated
- Martindale-Hubbell
- San Bernardino County Bar Association
- Member
- Current
- Activities: Former Chair, Attorney-Client Fee Arbitration
- Orange County Bar association
- Member
- - Current
- Activities: Member, Probate & Estates Section
- Riverside County Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
- Activities: Dispute Resolution Services Mediator
- California State Bar  # 132882
- Member
- - Current
- California
- State Bar of California
- ID Number: 132882
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Free Consultation
Free 30 minute consultation offered. - Credit Cards Accepted
- Estate Planning
- Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
- Elder Law
- Probate
- Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests
- Real Estate Law
- Residential Real Estate
- Trust & Estates Administration & Accountings
- English
- Q. What if I do not know where or what the estate/trust of my late fathers. But was contacted by an attorney .
- A: It is possible that the attorney who initially contacted you had consulted with someone looking to claim your late father’s assets and wanted to confirm if you were related and alive so that you may have a claim to your late father’s assets as an heir or beneficiary of his Will or Trust. It is also possible that once you confirmed your relationship, the attorney realized that as your father’s sole heir, his prospective/actual client did not have any interest in your father’s estate and opted not to accept legal representation of that party. Still, you are entitled to know more about your father’s estate planning documents and assets.
If you know the city or county where your later ... Read More
- Q. if it involves an estate in California, do I need to find an state lawyer in California or can I use one in Nevada?
- A: If you have an interest in a California’s decedent’s estate, then you will want to retain a California attorney who practices in the field of orobate and trust administration and litigation to assist you in evaluating your rights and directing you how best to proceed.
If the California attorney you contacted is not returning your phone calls, contact me. I’d be happy assisting you.
- Q. In California, which form do you use to respond to a Petition for Instructions in a probate case?
- A: Simply draft a pleading entitled “Objections of (insert your status and name , ie Heir Phil Suth) to Petition For Instructions”.