Practice Overview
Denise Chambliss is the Chair of Hoge Fenton’s Estates & Trust and Trusts and Litigation practice groups. She is also a member of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice group. Denise was named a “Northern California Super Lawyer” from 2015-2023. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor.
Denise is an experienced trial lawyer who maintains a general civil and business trial practice, with a focus on trust and estate litigation representing individual and corporate trustees, as well as executors and beneficiaries. She has had numerous successful trials as well as many successful mediations on behalf of her clients in cases. In trust and estate matters, Denise has extensive experience in cases involving demand for trust accounting, trustee mismanagement, breach of fiduciary duties, removal of trustees, surcharge claims, challenges to estate planning documents based on lack of capacity or undue influence, and financial elder abuse. In her business civil litigation practice, she handles contract disputes, business fraud and tort claims, corporate and partnership disputes, unfair competition and trade secret misappropriation claims, and commercial real estate disputes.
Practice Areas
Education
- J.D., South Texas College of Law, Houston
- B.A., University of Houston
Admissions
- California
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Awards
- Super Lawyer, Northern California, Trust and Estate Litigation, 2015-2023
- Best Lawyers in America 2021, Litigation – Trusts and Estates
Professional Activities
Denise is an active member of the Litigation Section and the Trust and Estate Section of the State Bar of California, and a member of the East Bay Trust and Estate Lawyers. She is a past President of the Tri-Valley Estate Planning Council, a past President of the Eastern Alameda County Bar Association, a past Director of the Alameda County Bar Association, a past Chair of the Trial Practice Section of the Alameda County Bar Association, and a past Treasurer and Director of The Law Center of Contra Costa County.