Reviews

The best estate planning attorneys in CA. Highly recommend!

Our family has been using the firm of Gilfix and La Poll since 2013 when we decided we were not satisfied with our previous trust attorney. It is probably the best financial/legal decision we have ever made. Michael reworked our trusts giving us much better planning and Francis created a complex, yet financially beneficial real estate plan. Not only are they exceedingly skilled at what they do, they are a warm and welcoming law firm that truly cares about their clients. Recently we had to make some changes to our trust and Nick Klingenberg was our attorney of record. Add another outstanding lawyer to this firm! He has been simply fantastic in every area from communication to legal expertise. If you are thinking of making a trust or want to improve the one you have - look no further than Gilfix and La Poll. You will be very happy that you chose them.

My husband and I highly recommend Gilfix & LaPoll Associates for all your estate planning needs. We were very pleased to work with Mike Gilfix, who helped us with our living trust, wills, and health care directives. He was very personable, professional, and knowledgeable, and he walked us through the whole process, taking quite a lot of time to review and explain different options. At no time did we feel rushed or pressured. After getting married, having two kids, and buying/selling two homes in the SF Bay Area, my husband and I finally turned our attention to getting our legal and financial affairs in order this past summer… and preparing for our children's future - especially to provide the structure to our wishes for our children's care and well-being in the event something should happen to us. Mike helped us do just that and more by asking us questions that encouraged us to not limit our creativity in the planning process. And, we had a good many hearty laughs along the way as we talked openly about some of the stickier issues of life. It was a great experience and we are so glad/relieved to have completed the initial planning phase for what we hope will be an enduring family legacy. Beyond Mike, we were also impressed by the friendly, capable lawyers, and support staff at Gilfix & LaPoll Associates. The presentation/trust creation appointment and the signing off experience were smooth and easy. The office was professional & efficient, but not “stuffy.” They made a challenging endeavor so much easier to complete than we ever imagined. In fact, we would have done this sooner if I had known how helpful the people in this office would be!

Nicholas Klingenberg, attorney at Gilfix, Lapoll and Associates was terrific to work with. He was thorough, patient to answer our many questions and a super wonderful person to work with. I would recommend him to everyone needing to develop a Trust and related documents feeling well protected and well served.

Great attorneys, very thorough and very kind. They opened their home to my family and I when we came to establish our family trust.

Very knowledgeable. They provide free seminars for estate planning.

Gilfix & La Poll Associates helped make the confusing process of creating a special needs trust within our living trust extremely easy. They were very patient, explained all options in a clear, concise manner and created a sophisticated plan. I rest easier knowing that my family will be taken care of, should something happen to me.

I've known these folks for a number of years. Mark is a great listener and knows how to ask good questions and get right to the heart of the matter.

If you are looking for a legal firm to assist you in all areas of estate planning, you need look no further than Gilfix and La Poll. Over that past few years our family went through an extensive restructuring of our trusts in order to have our assets protected and at some point, dispersed in a manner aligned with our wishes. Michael Gilfix expertly guided us in the process, not only with his extensive knowledge, but with an understanding and compassion for us as individuals making some challenging choices. Francis La Poll handled the complex real estate issues also with great expertise. Add to this, very reasonable rates as well as their Peace of Mind program and I guarantee you will completely satisfied with what they can do for you. If there was a rating higher than five stars, I would certainly use it!

We have been clients of Gilfix & La Poll since 2007. Our living trust (created in 1989) needed to be updated since our family dynamic had changed considerably. Our first meeting with Michael Gilfix was most pleasant. Our questions and concerns were addressed in a professional, competent, and "easy to understand English" manner. We left the office convinced that our affairs are in very good hands. Recently, we had another meeting with Mark Gilfix. Again, Mark was most helpful and the desired document changes were executed with great diligence. All the people in the office are friendly, polite, and very professional. We highly recommend the Gilfix & La Poll Law Firm for all your living trusts needs.

Wonderful firm. Everyone I know at the firm is friendly and kind. They have a breadth and depth of knowledge about estate planning and long term care planning that no other law firm in the area (and maybe the country) can match. They build lasting relationships with clients - as they have with me, and I completely recommend them for estate planning or long term care planning.

What separates this firm from others I've worked with is the depth and generational (grandparent, child, grandchild) nature of their approach. Their attorneys are friendly and easy to talk to, and they help identify issues that I didn't even know existed, like "dynasty trusts" or advanced tax planning. Very helpful for both basic estate planning and in identifying, and solving, more complex issues that span generations. They have been a great resource to me and my family.