There are tools the law offers in estate planning that provide so many benefits and empower each of us to have more control over what happens to those we love most and to our assets when something happens to us. With individualized service that educates you based on your unique situation, wishes, and goals, we can work together to build a plan that provides protection, care, and intention for your legacy and avoids the conflict and expense that can come with improper planning or no planning at all. Give yourself the gift of peace of mind and security for your loved ones and design the legacy you want.
All of us have wealth we want to leave behind, both financial and intangible, and all of us deserve to have the power to plan ahead for incapacity and death in an informed an intentional way that aligns with our values. My practice is based on that – bringing the power of the law to each of my clients with clear teaching, guidance, and advice so that each person has a chance to make the informed choices they want to realize their vision for themselves and their legacy.
This is a relationship-based counseling model of lawyering. I take on a limited number of clients and charge a flat rate the client has a hand in choosing. I make sure to guide clients through what they need to communicate and how, rather than the traditional way of merely producing a stack of documents and going our separate ways, which we know time and again leads people not to call their lawyers for help or keep in touch as things change in their lives that might impact their plan. I do all of this to make sure our plans work for what my clients want them to work to do.
Estate planning law was traditionally the purview of the extremely wealthy. The rest of us never got to unlock the power of what it can do for us, or why each of us needs to do it, and my law practice makes this accessible and makes it work for each client and their family. Each of us has wealth to pass on, both financial and otherwise, and values we wish to leave behind, whether that is with our children, other loved ones, and/or charitable giving. My clients learn the major costs and heartache they face if they fail to do any planning or they trust the wrong kind of planning process. Instead, my goal is to make each client feel like they know they’ve made the choices they want to make and how to make them, and that their lives are enhanced by doing their planning with empowerment, wisdom, and intention. One of the best things about the way I practice is the ability to leave behind these intangible assets, like recordings of advice and values, guidance that can live on for our loved ones after we do.
CLIENTS
Wondering if you need an estate plan?
Congratulations on taking the first step to educate yourself on whether you need to do your estate plan or update an existing plan. Whether you’re single or married, have children or not, if you want some control over what happens if you become sick or injured and cannot make your own health or financial decisions, and if you have assets you want to direct according to your wishes, you can benefit from an estate plan. Anyone who owns assets, such as a home, savings, investments, or personal belongings, should consider estate planning to ensure their wishes are carried out after they pass away and their loved ones are protected from court battles and give their loved ones the gift of ease and harmony. Not all wealth is financial – you can leave a legacy that goes beyond your monetary assets. In addition, certain life milestones and events can mean you should pay special attention to this issue, whether you haven’t done any planning or you need to update an existing plan. Do any of these describe you?
You recently got married
You recently got divorced
You have minor children
You have a blended family
You recently bought a home or other property
You are caring for a family member with special needs
You recently gave birth to or adopted a child
You own your own business
You got an inheritance or another large asset
You already have an estate plan but it’s more than a few years old
You or your family members have health issues or concerns about declining health
The right kind of estate planning can unlock benefits for YOU under the law
When we work together, we can plan in a way that takes advantage of the benefits the law offers in these areas:
Healthcare: who is making your decisions if you are incapacitated? How can you prevent things from going wrong under the state’s default laws?
Childcare: who will take care of your children short- and long-term if something happens to you?
Your Assets
Decide who, when, and under what conditions your assets will be passed along to loved ones or charities
Protect your assets from an expensive, long, public, and costly court process called “probate”
Anyone who wants control over the distribution of their assets, protection against potential incapacity, and peace of mind for their loved ones should prioritize estate planning.
Cheryl has over 15 years of experience in nonprofit law and management. During the estate planning process, she offers a deep dive for those clients interested in advice on charitable giving, including:
Tax benefits
Options the law offers to give in a way that works for you
How to ensure the charity you intend to give to receives your gift with ease
Options for long-term giving, including Donor Advised Funds and Family Foundations
How to decide whether to give and how to find and assess charities that align with your values and have the impact, transparency, governance structure, reputation, and leadership you want
You may also have questions about your nonprofit or a nonprofit you are involved with or intend to create. Cheryl offers advice and consultation on a variety of nonprofit governance, formation, and strategy matters.
Cheryl Leahy is an attorney who practices estate planning with special emphasis on individuals and families with children, as well as charitable giving, nonprofit law, succession and exit planning, and litigation. She takes a limited number of clients each month and enjoys helping each client understand and navigate otherwise complex legal topics to find real solutions that suit their lives and protect who and what they love.
During her career, Cheryl has acted as general counsel, run an impact litigation program, and helms national nonprofit animal advocacy organization Animal Outlook. She also designed and taught an original course at UCLA School of Law and has written a number of published works including in law journals at Duke, University of Pennsylvania, USC, and NYU, and an American Bar Association book chapter. She is a regular speaker across the country and her work has been featured in many outlets including the New York Times and the Washington Post. She graduated from UCLA School of Law in 2006 and from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in Environmental Studies in 2003. She is a mom of two boys and lives with her family in Redondo Beach, California. She is barred in and takes clients from California, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
Are you interested in Cheryl Leahy giving an educational presentation for your school, social or networking group, of professional association? Reach out
You may be wondering why orcas show up as a motif in my logo, my office, and scattered around the practice. Orcas share with humans a rare ability to teach skills, traditions, customs, and behaviors to their young, the effects of which last generations. Scientists say orca communication and interaction is so complex it comprises distinct cultures within groups over many generations. I think of orcas as powerful symbols of legacy and care, making them a great symbol for the work I do with my clients in estate planning.
At Lavelle Law Group, we are more than just a law firm. We are your trusted advisor for all of life’s decisions, from personal to financial, legal to business.
At Lavelle Law Group, we assist Clients with business advisory services to help businesses of all sizes grow and thrive. This can include business formation, transition, and considerations of risk, protection, and growth.
We try and work holistically with our Estate Planning services to achieve our Clients’ goals and objectives and peace of mind. We work with you to develop an understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by your businesses in today's competitive marketplace.
We work closely with our clients to develop and implement customized solutions that meet their unique needs and goals. We are committed to helping our clients achieve their full potential and build successful businesses.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you succeed.
After practicing in the San Diego area for over 30 years, Joe founded Lavelle Law Group
Passing on more than just your assets and “stuff” can be so important. My Dad when he passed didn’t have much, to and what he left to me and my siblings we very much appreciated. But, the things I appreciated the most and will hold dear forever were the values and lessons he taught me, the family videos, his voice on his answering machine, his love of all things 🍀Irish🍀, and the notes that he wrote to me that I'll always keep.
At Lavelle Law Group, we realize the great importance of the intangible things and passing those to the next generation(s). We proactively work with you to capture and preserve the values and lessons that you want to pass on to your loved ones. We have a unique process that many clients feel is more important than all the other things we do to them peace of mind.
We would be pleased and honored to work with your family.
After practicing in the San Diego area for over 30 years, Joe founded Lavelle Law Group
