Timothy
G.
Riley

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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 $450 per hour, with an administrative fee of $195 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