Partner
Areas of Practice:
- Estate Planning
- Trust & Estate Litigation
- Trust & Probate Administration
Awards and Certification:
- California State Bar, Board of Legal Specialization, certified specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law; www.ls.calbar.ca.gov
- Best Lawyers in America, Trusts & Estates 2010 -2011, Litigation – Trusts & Estates, 2011, Copyright by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC
- Southern California Super Lawyers, Estate Planning & Probate, 2009-2011;
- Martindale Hubbell Rating: AV; www.martindale.com
Christopher D. Carico is a board certified specialist in estate planning, trust, and probate law with over 20 years of legal experience. His practice includes all facets of trusts and estates, and he represents families, individuals, professional trustees, conservators, guardians, and beneficiaries.
Mr. Carico develops carefully tailored estate plans for individuals and families, by preparing foundational documents such as revocable trusts, wills, and powers of attorney. Additionally, he counsels clients on more advanced planning techniques, including family limited partnership, family limited liability companies, designated beneficiary trusts, grantor retained annuity and unitrusts, qualified personal residence trusts, intentionally defective grantor trusts, charitable remainder trusts, charitable foundations, self-cancelling installment notes, and life insurance trusts.
In the area of trust, estate and probate administration, Mr. Carico has represented numerous individuals and professional fiduciaries charged with the responsibility of administering a decedent’s estate. This includes overseeing the entire trust or probate administration process through the appointment of the fiduciary; the division, allocation and sale of assets; the filing of federal estate tax returns; the preparation of accountings; audits with the IRS and FTB; and final distribution.
Mr. Carico’s trust and estate litigation practice includes counseling and representing beneficiaries and fiduciaries in will contests, trusts contests, contested conservatorship, Marvin claims, challenged accountings, fiduciary surcharge and removal actions, property characterization disputes, and 850 petitions.
Mr. Carico has frequently served as a court-appointed expert to provide his opinions and recommendations in the following types of actions: trust reformation proceedings, fiduciary accountings, actions for breach of fiduciary duty, actions for fiduciary suspension and removal, fee petitions, and compromise of creditors’ claims.
Mr. Carico graduated with a J.D. cum laude, from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif. He obtained his B.A in economics from Occidental College.
His previous affiliations include Carico Toomey & Associates LLP (2007-2008), Davis & Carico LLP (1996 – 2007), Law Offices of Christopher D. Carico (1990 – 1996), and Mullen & Henzell (1989 – 1990).
Christopher D. Carico on OurSouthBay.com