When you select someone as a successor trustee, you expect that person to handle your trust property in accordance with your wishes and to take proper care of your beneficiaries. However, since the successor trustee takes over after your death or if you become incapacitated, how do you ensure that the trustee is doing their job? Fortunately, every trustee has a fiduciary duty to the beneficiaries of a trust, which is the highest legal duty. This means that trustees cannot use their position of authority when it comes to the trust property for their own benefit or to cause harm to any beneficiaries. Some aspects of this fiduciary duty include: Duty of care - Managing the trust property with reasonable care, prudence, and skill to avoid losses. Duty of loyalty…

Alameda County, CA, March 21, 2019 -- Randick O’Dea & Tooliatos, LLP of Pleasanton and Sargent Law Offices of Castro Valley are pleased to announce the merger of their firms, effective April 1, 2019. The combined firm’s name, Randick O’Dea Tooliatos Vermont & Sargent, LLP, also recognizes the significant contributions of Phillip Vermont, a long-time partner of the Randick firm.  Randick O’Dea Tooliatos Vermont & Sargent maintains offices in Castro Valley and Pleasanton, serving the greater East Bay/Tri-Valley community. Sargent Law’s practice areas include estate planning, probate, trust administration, business law, Medi-Cal and Veteran’s Pension Planning.  These areas of law will further complement the practice areas of Randick O’Dea & Tooliatos which handles business law, real estate, civil litigation, trust and estate planning and administration, tax law and tax planning, and…

Many people believe that business attorneys are expensive and unnecessary. However, without the proper legal guidance, disputes, noncompliance, and unfavorable contracts can often cost your company much more in the long run. The reality is that having the right legal counsel for your business can often lower your costs and preserve your business assets. If you are wondering whether you should speak with a business attorney, it may be helpful to ask yourself the following questions: Do you have a good business idea you want to turn into a reality? Do you plan to go into business with another person? Does your business have a carefully drafted partnership agreement, operations agreement, or corporate documents? Do you understand all relevant local, state, and federal laws applying to your operations? Do you…