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Rebecca Ann Gardner
About Rebecca
Biography
I am a smart and sassy attorney who provides estate planning, probate and trust administration services for individuals and families with compassion, grace and heart.
The joy in my practice comes from my ability to do the following:
(i) help older clients preserve their dignity while making difficult decisions regarding asset management and transitions into assisted living;
(ii) protect assets for a client's family member with special needs;
(iii) assist young and growing families in setting up their estate plans and goals for their children; and
(iv) relieve some of the burdens of grief by handling probate and trust administration, including contentious litigation issues that may arise during these processes.
Specialties: Estate Planning, Special Needs Trust Planning, Charitable Planning, Probate, Trust Administration, Contested Matters.
Practice Areas
4
Practice Areas
Fees and Rates
Cost
Hourly Rates
$ 280-350 per hour
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in California for 22 years
State: California
Acquired: 2003
No misconduct found
Location
HMS Law Group, LLP
455 Capitol Mall., Suite 605, Sacramento, CA, 95814
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Rebecca Ann Gardner's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
11 Client Reviews
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Practice Areas
Showing 1 - 1 of 1 review | Wills & Living Wills
Posted by Robert | August 30, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Wills & Living Wills
Unconscionable Billing
My wife and hired Ms. Gardner to restate our existing trust and wills. The existing documents were up to date, but 10 years old. Only change in the restatement was addition of one additional beneficiary. We indicated to Ms. Gardner that, being retired, we wanted to keep the cost down and she sugg...
Rebecca Gardner
Replied last August 30, 2016Robert, I am sorry that the bill was higher than what you had anticipated and stand by the work that we did for you. In fact, in your client satisfaction survey, you said that you "found our level of service to be excellent and most professional" and said that you believe me to be "a marvelous estate attorney and (your) experience with (me) and (my) most capable associates has been 4.0." You claimed that you were "most pleased with the final product" and even now do not doubt my legal competence, so your issue seems to simply be the legal fees to which you agreed when we started to work together. Sometimes, unfortunately, a project can take longer than first estimated, as your project did due to a number of factors outside of our control, including your decisions about your ultimate wishes and the multiple conversations and email exchanges we had regarding them. As always, however, I worked to ensure that the final bill was under the estimate I had given you and even reduced the fees further upon your request. Please feel free to contact our office if you would like to discuss this matter further.
Rebecca Ann Gardner's Lawyer Endorsements
"I endorse this lawyer. Rebecca is a very strategic individual and I would definitely use her for my own estate planning."
"Like her bio says, she is definitely smart and sassy. And a terrific lawyer!!"
"Rebecca's has broad and deep expertise in the area Estate Planning. She also possesses an amazing ability to communicate directly yet sensitively. I endorse this Rebecca without hesitation."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer. Rebecca Gardner is a high integrity, incredibly competent estate planning, probate, business and trust attorney who I give very high marks to and have happily referred clients to in the past. Rebecca understands the personal nature of the practice of law and always puts her clients first as she provides them with wise counsel!"
"I have known and respected Rebecca Gardner for many years. She is intelligent, tenacious, principled, and trustworthy--all qualities of an outstanding lawyer. I would happily hire her for legal representation and would recommend her to others."
"I endorse this lawyer."
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Experience
Honors
2005
Rookie Board Member of the Year, Sacramento State Alumni Association
1996
Rookie Sports Reporter of the Year, The State Hornet
Work Experience
2012 - Present
Partner, HMS Law Group LLP
2010 - 2012
Senior Attorney, The Burton Law Firm
2008 - 2010
Associate Attorney, McDonough Holland & Allen, PC
2006 - 2007
Associate Attorney, Hanson, Bridgett, Marcus, Vlahos & Rudy
2003 - 2006
Associate Attorney, Generations
Associations
2016 - Present
Sutter Roseville Medical Center FoundationDirector
2014 - Present
California Musical Theatre FoundationDirector
2010 - Present
Philanthropic Advisors Forum of Greater SacramentoMember
2009 - Present
Crocker Art Museum Planned Giving CommitteeMember
Sacramento County Bar Association
Member
State Bar of California
Member
2007 - 2011
Sacramento Estate Planning CouncilDirector & Technical Forum Co-Chair
2005 - 2015
Sacramento State Alumni AssociationDirector & President (2011-2012)
Education
2003
University of California at Davis School of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
1999
California State University, Sacramento
BA - Bachelor of Arts
Speaking Engagements
2011
Crocker Art Museum & UC Davis School of Law
Financial and Legal Planning for Same-Sex Couples
2011
Association of Fundraising Professionals
Estate & Charitable Gift Tax Update
2009
Sacramento Legal Secretaries Association
The Write Stuff: Enhancing Your Legal Writing
2009
Crocker Art Museum
Financial and Estate Planning for Art Collectors
2008
Sacramento Legal Secretaries Association
One Size Doesn't Fit All: Customizing the Estate Plan
Publications
2008
California State Bar Trusts and Estates Quarterly
The Death of the California Compassionate Choices Act: Will Californians Ever Receive the Right to Die?
2007
Sacramento Valley Rental Housing Authority Magazine
The Demise of the Private Annuity? Financial Advice for the Rental Investor
2007
Marin Lawyer
Inflation Increases 2007 Income Tax Limits for Deductible Contributions to Retirement Plans
2001
UC Davis Journal of Juvenile Law & Policy
The Constitutionality of Proposition 21
Languages
English