Michelle A. Philo

In the event of a dispute between a trustee and beneficiaries, Michelle is involved with trust and probate litigation. Litigation can include contesting a will, demanding a trustee to account to the beneficiaries, or contesting the actions of a trustee.

Michelle also serves as General Counsel for small businesses and startups. In this capacity she assists the entrepreneur from the initial formation of their business, to the everyday needs associated with running a business. She works with the business owner with contracts, corporate maintenance, stock purchase and ownership transfers, licensing agreements, and day to day needs.  She also assists the small business owner by managing the team of outside counsel. It is not uncommon for a business to have a business attorney, an employment attorney, an immigration attorney, and an intellectual property attorney. Michelle interacts with a business' team of attorneys to eliminate the time spent on legal matters and allow the business owner to focus on the growth of the business.

Born and raised in Southern California, Michelle graduated from Chapman University with her Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies and received her Juris Doctor from Whittier Law School. She was recently elected as the President-Elect of the Chapman University Alumni Association and has served as the President of Orange County Women Lawyers Association, President of Whittier Law School Alumni Association, and California Delegate to the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association, an appointment by the State Bar of California.

Areas of Practice

• Estate Planning
• Trust Administration
• Probate
• Trust & Probate Litigation
• Business Formations
• Business Transactions
• Contracts
• Licensing Agreements
• Purchase and Sale Transactions
• Shareholder Agreements & Transfers
• Trademarks