Heather L. Boshears

Practice Overview

Heather’s practice is focused on estate planning and trust administration. Heather guides clients through the development of basic and complex estate plans presenting decisions in an understandable format and providing counsel in the decision-making process. She explains the various income and transfer taxes at play, including estate, income, and real property taxes. Heather considers her clients’ values and circumstances and suggests strategies to help them achieve their goals.

Heather assists trustees and personal representatives in navigating the duties, responsibilities, and legal requirements of a fiduciary in administering trusts and estates. She works with clients and their advisors, including CPAs and financial advisors to comply with federal and California laws and to assess and manage risk. Heather is sensitive to the emotional aspects that arise during this time while keeping focus on the legal requirements.

Heather aims to resolve disputes outside of court. Early in her legal career, Heather volunteered in the probate division of the Superior Court of California where she drafted bench memoranda on various probate issues, prepared the daily probate calendar advising jurists, and researched and drafted statements of decision for bench trials. She has litigated matters involving accountings, breach of fiduciary duties, suspension and removal of trustees, lack of capacity, undue influence, financial elder abuse, and the validity of marriage. Before attending law school, Heather’s positions included manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers, operations officer at Bank One Corporation (now J.P. Morgan), university auditor at San Francisco State University, and management consultant at Northern California Public Broadcasting, Inc. (KQED).

Heather is dedicated to animals and supports numerous organizations advancing their welfare. Outside of the office, she enjoys running and works as a dog and cat adoption counselor.

Certifications

• Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law as certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA), licensed in Colorado

Practice Areas

• Estates and Trusts
• Taxation
• Trust and Estate Litigation

Education

• Graduate Student, Taxation, Golden Gate University, School of Law
• J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law
• B.S., Louisiana State University, Finance Major, Philosophy Minor, Commercial Banking Concentration

Admissions

• California
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed by the State of Colorado Board of Accountancy