Susan Hill McCollum

Susan H. McCollum is a versatile member of the Hollister & Brace law firm. She has both a degree in radiological technology and a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Weber State University.  She earned her law degree at Brigham Young University.

At the J. Reuben Clark School of Law at Brigham Young University, Ms. McCollum emphasized taxation and estate planning in her studies. She wrote the chapter on corporate taxation for the Journal of Legal Studies publication on corporations.

Ms. McCollum has been employed by Hollister & Brace since 1983 and has been a principal in the firm since 1989.

In addition to the creation of estate plans to accomplish the planning goals of her clients, she handles complex litigation including real estate disputes, and complex estate and trust litigation.   She assists both trustees and beneficiaries in receiving instructions from the court when disputes arise and works to resolve disputes in a way which benefit all involved.

Ms. McCollum is dedicated to providing estate planning services to clients in a cost-effective manner. She uses technology which allows the creation of customized estate plans for her clients’ unique needs as efficiently as possible.

Ms. McCollum’s practice includes counsel to trustees handling trust administrations as well as probate administrations for estates of decedents. Representation of conservatees and conservators is also a significant part of her practice.

While being dedicated to informal dispute resolution where possible, Ms. McCollum is a zealous advocate when a dispute must be decided by the court. She has many years of experience with depositions and other discovery methods.

Respected by her peers in the Santa Barbara legal community, Ms. McCollum was awarded the Attorney of the Year award by Santa Barbara Women Lawyers in 1999 and has served as the president of the Santa Barbara County Bar.  One of the founding members of Santa Barbara Women Lawyers, Ms. McCollum served as the second president of that organization.

In addition to providing service to the Santa Barbara County Bar Association both as an officer and director, Ms. McCollum is currently active in the William L. Gordon Chapter of the American Inns of Court in Santa Barbara as a Master of the Bar and a member of the Executive Board. She also is a long-time delegate from Santa Barbara to the California Conference of Delegates and works there to improve legislation in California.

For many years, Ms. McCollum has held an “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, Inc., its highest rating awarded to attorneys, reflecting the fact that her peers rank her at the highest level of professional excellence.