
Timothy
G.
Riley
Mr. Riley has nearly 25 years of focused experience as a Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, with a practice limited to estate and tax planning; trust and probate administration; transfer and fiduciary income tax matters; and related litigation. Mr. Riley has also mediated more than 150 probate-related matters, and serves as a judge pro tem in the Probate Division of the San Diego Superior Court where he handles settlement conferences and hears regularly-calendared cases. Drawing from this experience, Mr. Riley is exceptional at resolving complex and highly-emotional probate disputes.
Rates:
- Mr. Riley generally utilizes a combination of facilitative and evaluative approaches tailored to the particular circumstances
- Mr. Riley’s rate is $400 per hour, with an administrative fee of $175 per party
Legal Career & Prior Experience:
- Judge Pro Tem – San Diego Superior Court (Probate Division)
- Court-appointed referee, guardian ad litem and counsel in probate matters
- Successfully mediated dozens of highly emotional and complex probate matters
- Certified Legal Specialist by the California Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California in estate planning, trust and probate law
- Mediation training from the National Conflict Resolution Center
- Frequent CEB and SDCBA speaker on various estate planning and probate topics
- Primarily facilitative approach to mediations, with evaluative analysis applied as appropriate
- Attorney, Hughes & Pizzuto, APC (2011-present);
- Branton & Wilson, APC (1994-2010)
Education & Professional Affiliations:
- Bachelor of Arts (1981) and Juris Doctorate (1984) from the University of Wisconsin - Madison
- Mediation Skills Training – National Conflict Resolution Center
- Attorney with Hughes & Pizzuto, APC (2011 – present); Branton & Wilson, APC (1994-2010)
- Judge Pro Tem – San Diego Superior Court (Probate Division)
- Court-appointed referee, guardian ad litem and attorney in various probate proceedings
- Frequent speaker on estate planning and probate matters – Probate Attorneys of San Diego, CEB, San Diego County Bar Association and Professional Fiduciary Association of California
- State Bar of Wisconsin (1984); State Bar of California (1986)
- Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law – California Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California (1994)
- Member and past co-chair of the Estate Planning section of the San Diego County Bar Association
- Founding member and former director of Probate Attorneys of San Diego
- Consistently rated among “Best Lawyers/Top Lawyers in San Diego” in estate planning
- “AV” rated by Martindale-Hubbell and LexisNexis peer review
- Wiley W. Manuel Award for pro bono service
- Recognized by the San Diego probate judges for exceptional service to the court and probate bar as a settlement judge, judge pro tem, member of the court-appointed attorney panel and mentor to court-appointed attorneys (2016)
ADR Experience & Specialties:
- Trust and Will contests
- Disputes between beneficiaries or between beneficiaries and the fiduciary concerning trust/estate accountings, distributions and fiduciary removal
- Disagreements over proper ownership, characterization (e.g., separate versus community property) or valuation of assets; and allocation of liabilities and expenses
- Fiduciary or attorney fee disputes
- Contested petitions to establish conservatorship or guardianship
- Use of Advance Health Care Directives – questions of placement, care, treatment or visitation of incapacitated person
- Contested creditors’ claims
- Other matters brought pursuant to Probate Code §§850, 17200
Achievements & Awards:
- Rated “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell and LexisNexis peer review
- Named San Diego “Super Lawyer” in estate planning (2009-2012)
- Past Co-Chair of SDCBA Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law section
- SDCBA, Section Committees on Local Probate Court Rules, including new rules governing Probate mediation Program, member since 1991
- State Bar of California (1986); State Bar of Wisconsin (1984)
- Certified Specialist, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law (1994)
- Recipient, Wiley W. Manuel Award for pro bono legal services
To schedule a mediation please call Case Manager Kathy Purcell at
619-238-7282 or kpurcell@westcoastresolution.com