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Michele Carmeli
About Michele
Biography
Michele Carmeli has been a practicing attorney in Orange County, California for the past 27 and has handled a wide variety of litigation matters. Most recently, she was lead trial counsel in an elder abuse action in which her client received a statement of decision with damages of approximately $3.8 million. For the past five years, Ms. Carmeli’s work has been in trust and estate litigation, where she has favorably tried and settled many trust and estate litigation matters. Previously, Michele did insurance defense litigation handling such matters as catastrophic injuries occurring at construction sites, general business disputes, homeowner association litigation, as well as employment, construction defect, sexual harassment, wrongful eviction, and real estate disputes. Michele also has an extensive background in the appellate field. Since 1986, she has filed approximately 100 civil writs and appellate briefs concerning all manner of civil disputes in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Between 1991 and 2000, she also drafted approximately 200 appellate briefs regarding Los Angeles County felony criminal matters, including murder and Three Strikes.
Practice Areas
5
Practice Areas
Trusts
35%
20 years
Litigation
25%
32 years | 1,000 cases
Elder Law
20%
20 years
Appeals
10%
42 years | 300 cases
Fees and Rates
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in California for 41 years
State: California
Acquired: 1984
No misconduct found
Location
Serbin & Carmeli, Attorneys at Law
7700 Irvine Center Drive, Suite 800, Irvine, CA, 92618
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Michele Carmeli's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
2 Client Reviews
Filter Avvo Reviews (2)
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Practice Areas
Showing 1 - 1 of 1 review | Professionalism
Posted by Michael | September 26, 2011 | Estate Planning
Excellent litigator – conservator/trust issues. I highly recommend Michelle and would not hesitate use her again.
Michele helped my family and I through a very difficult and emotional situation. My mother-in-law is in the later stages of Alzheimers. Unknow to me, my wife's sisters took their mom to four different attorneys until they found one that would change her estate planning doucments. I knew my mother-...
Michele Carmeli's Lawyer Endorsements
"Over the past year, I have had the pleasure to get to know Michele as a mentor in the field of trust and estate litigation. She is a smart, confident, highly competent attorney, someone you can rely on to face difficult legal matters with courage and resilience. When you think of how many cases she has handled across different areas of the law, including civil litigation, insurance defense, elder abuse actions, even criminal appeals, you begin to realize that she has an amazing breadth and depth of experience. A very special lawyer -- someone you want to be fighting on your side."
"I endorse this lawyer. Michele is an excellent attorney that has been working for 27 years in the Orange County area. She is well respected and has a well known reputation in the community. Her specialties are Trust and Estate Litigation, General and Civil Appeals."
"Michele and I first met as opposing counsel on a difficult liability and large damages personal injury case. Suffice it to say, we disagreed on the major facts and issues and frankly, how the case should be resolved. Despite our different views, Michele was always professional, polite, courteous, diligent, and ethical. Because of Michele's litigation skills and expertise, she was able to obtain an outstanding result on behalf of her clients. Based upon our similar interest in various non-legal matters (such as community service), we've since become friends and I now routinely refer clients her way. If you're in need of a very conscientious and experienced lawyer to help you with your legal needs, give Michele a call. You'll be in very good hands! Feel free to give me a call if you have any questions! Mitch"
Amy Gostanian
Estate planning lawyer
Adam Wentland
Litigation lawyer
Experience
Honors
2013
AV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2012
AV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2012
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers Magazine
Work Experience
2011 - 2011
Partner, Serbin & Carmeli, Attorneys at Law
2007 - 2011
Attorney, Deily Law Firm, APLC
2000 - 2006
Attorney, Cummings Myer LC, formerly Law Offices of Thomas B. Cummings
1991 - 1999
Attorney, Law Office of Michele Carmeli
Associations
2012 - Present
Orange County Trust & Estate SectionCo-Program Chair
2012 - Present
State Bar of California, Trusts and Estates SectionSpeaker, Educating Seniors
2012 - Present
Orange County Bar Association, Elder Law Section
1985 - Present
Orange County Bar Association
Orange County Bar Association, Appellate Law Section
Orange County Jewish Bar Association
2012 - 2012
OC Senior Fair - "Chicken Soup for The Silver Soul"Co-Chair
2008 - 2009
Orange County Trust & Estate SectionTreasurer
Sample of Legal Cases
Price v. Heiskell
Plaintiff judgment approximately $3.6M
In re the Heiskell Family Trust,
Co-Trustee removed; co-trustee surcharged, attorney's fees awarded
Conservatorship Marguerite M. Dundee
Prevailed on conservatorship petition following trial
In re DeWitt Family Trust
Settled at fraction of original demand.
In re George O. Beck Trust
Successful settlement resulting in division of trust assets
Tello v. Martin
Defense award of summary judgment favoring clients
People v. Pearson
Full Reversal on appeal
Frydman v. Chelf
Partial reversal on appeal, finding that client had constitutional right of free speech and certain actions dismissed
Education
1984
Loyola Law School
J.D.
1981
Univ of California Santa Cruz
BA - Bachelor of Arts
Speaking Engagements
2012
Trial Preparation from Start to Finish for Paralegals
Trial Preparation
2012
Educating Seniors, Trusts, Wills and Elder Abuse
Trusts,Wills and Elder Abuse
2012
"Where There's a Will, There's A Way" Radio Program
Discussion re Elder Abuse and Conservatorship Issues
Publications
2012
Serbin & Carmeli blog
Introduction to California Writ Practice
2011
Serbin Carmeli Blog
The Basics on California Unlimited Appeals for the Non-Appellate Attorney
Languages
English
Spanish
Activity
Legal Answers