While never having much appreciation and/or use for attorneys... This man, Mr. Michael Broad made a very important and stressful period In my family's life path very easy... I recommend him highly.

Michael Broad of East Bay Probate has done a great job on helping me administer my late friend’s estate. Probate proceedings can be daunting, and if you have been appointed executor and/or successor trustee for an estate, you may find that you need someone to help you navigate through the process, someone you can trust. If your case is not all that simple and straightforward, having someone “in your corner” is even more invaluable.

There are a few things to look for in an estate lawyer. Obviously, you would want someone with a solid knowledge of estate law, that goes without saying. Someone with extensive experience. You would want someone who actually listens to their clients and are able to detect nuances and apply their critical thinking skills to situations that are not always that clear cut or black and white. You would want someone who understands that carrying out your fiduciary duties can sometimes be stressful; someone to advice you on how to do things one step at a time, keeping the big picture in mind. You would want someone who respects your time, and is flexible about appointments. You would want someone intelligent and articulate. Most importantly, you would look for someone with good ethics and personal integrity.

I have some experience with other estate lawyers, so I have some basis for comparison when I say that I give Mike big checkmarks for all of the above. Of lesser importance, but still relevant, there’s the fact that Mike is just a very nice and likable guy, and a pleasure to be around.

Probate proceedings usually take a full year to complete, sometimes it can take longer. There are a lot of factors that come into play, such as how complex the case is, how backed up the courts are, etc.. One thing I really appreciated about Mike is that he took the time to explain this up front, and explained about the need for patience. I also appreciate that Mike gets down to business and does not waste time (billable hours) discussing the probabilities of certain outcomes when there is no way anyone can know in advance. Mike’s rates are competitive, and he also saved the estate money by allowing us to do some of the legwork (filing court documents with the Court Clerk’s Office, etc.). He made it clear that he could do all those things, but we very much appreciated that he gave us the option to save the estate some money on legal fees.

For our future estate planning needs (will, living trust, power of attorney, advance health care directive, etc.), we will definitely entrust them to Mike, and we recommend him wholeheartedly.

Mike was honest and competent regarding my situation. He provided a free consultation that brought clarity to how I should proceed. Would definitely hire in the future!

Michael was a pleasure to work with and I would recommend him to anyone who is in need of a Estate Probate lawyer. Michael was thorough, professional, personable and patient during a very difficult process that took a year to complete through the court. He was very informative when explaining the Probate process, court, documents required and the responsibilities of the Administrator. He was very helpful during the process of selling my mother's home by working closely with the Realtor and I. He was always available to answer questions from me, my siblings and anyone else involved in this process.

Mike did a fantastic job of updating a living trust under a deadline during an extremely stressful episode for my family. He went over every detail and made what was previously seen as an intimidating chore into a pleasurable professional experience. I felt confident in his work and appreciated the personal care and attention. He even offered healthy snacks and cracked jokes that just took all the pain out of what we were doing. He has years of experience and conveyed that combination of integrity, professional competence and personal connection that engendered the feeling of being in good hands and took all the worry out of the situation. I would recommend him, without reservation, to anyone who needs help with this aspect of the law.

I have worked with four attorneys over maybe 15 years with trusts and their revisions. Mike Broad was by far the best. I was amazed at how well he heard my questions, their subtleties and exactly the nature of my concerns, and how precise and succinct his answers were. It was also so refreshing that when I was attached to something that wasn't his first recommendation, that he was able to supportively accept that without his ego being involved. He is a pleasure to work with.

I cannot think anyone else I would call about probate issues, Mike is the best

My husband and I started this new journey with not knowing where to begin. We contacted Michael and it was perfect from the start. He traveled to our home and met with us on our first visit together. He was honest, gracious and professional from the beginning. He made us comfortable, relaxed and at ease while knowing we were doing a very important thing for our future and our child.

Throughout the process he made sure we understood all the decisions we were making. Mike guided us in the right direction and when it was all completed we knew we had been put into the right hands from the start.

Thank you Michael!!! We look forward to continuing to work with you in the future. We know it's a lifetime relationship and we wouldn't want it any other way.

N & E

Mike Broad did a fantastic job with my mother's estate planning and trust. My mother, who is 90 years old was apprehensive about this process and Mr. Broad made us all feel at ease with his professionalism, his confidence in estate planning and his willingness to go above and beyond his duties as an estate and probate attorney. There were several important questions that Mr.Broad was able to solve for my mother as well and guide us to make the best decisions for all those family members involved. In addition, Mr. Broad was so kind as to meet us half way since we don't live in the S. F. bay area. I feel lucky to have found such a compassionate yet knowledgeable attorney to help my mother sort through her business at this tender stage in her life!

Mike did a living trust for me and although I don't have many assets, I wanted my children protected, and Mike made me feel like I was his most important client.
It's never easy to talk about your own death, but Mike approached the hard questions with professionalism and kindness. He's knowledgeable of trust laws and I feel confident about my trust.
I highly recommend Mike.

Mike really knows his stuff! If you issues are straight forward or extremely complex, Mike will take good care of you and your family and your estate! Trust in Mike.