If you need an extremely knowledgeable, competent,, caring, first-rate attorney, look no further. I had a pressing need to acquire expert legal advice that could have life -affecting /financial consequences and Stephanie was able to provide her legal expertise. Not only did she expertly guide me, she took the time to call during her vacation. Thank you, again Stephanie for your wise advice. I will continue to use you for my legal needs and refer you to others. You are a credit to the legal profession. read more

I feel like I need to pay my fellow Yelpers back. I found Stefanie through Yelp over a year ago to help settle my parents estate, and without a doubt, the best decision we made! She took a daunting experience, walked us through the steps, discussed options, and made the process for myself and sisters as smooth as possible. What is so obvious when you meet her, is that she cares about the people she is working with. The first thing both my sisters said after our first meeting with Stefanie, was "Wow Bro, where did you find her, she is amazing?" Easy answer....on Yelp. read more

If all lawyers were like Stefanie then there would be no negative stereotypes: she's kind, generous, compassionate and whip-smart. I've worked with several other estate lawyers and none were as knowledgeable or as thorough. She got me to really consider all my options when it came to my benefactors and made me and my partner feel totally comfortable with our final decisions. Her flat-fee arrangement is humane and accommodating. I have recommended her to several friends. She's the best! read more

I don't know where to start reviewing Stefanie.. she is the perfect Trust lawyer. Easy to work with, very available, dependable, caring, genuine and just overall a very nice person. My family stumbled upon Stefanie I think about 13 years ago when I was at the chiropractor with my father and he asked the chiropractor if he knew a good Trust lawyer. The chiropractor gave us Stefanie's name and number and we contacted her and now she is the Trust lawyer for most of our family and extended family. Total "no brainer" to work with Stefanie! read more

I rarely write reviews, but I wanted to share what an extraordinary experience we had with Stefanie. She helped us revise an out-of-date family trust. A friend's daughter recommended her and I started out by reviewing her website which told me right away that she offered a caring client-centered practice. Her business model is transparent, compassionate, and straight-forward. She makes an effort to meet the needs of her client and if that includes a home visit for an elderly or ill client, then she'll do that. She told us exactly what it would cost and we didn't have to worry about unexpected or extra charges each time we interacted. And when my husband was seriously ill in the hospital, she made sure we had the paperwork we needed to give him peace of mind that our affairs would be in order. I highly recommend Stefanie for her professional expertise and her expert interpersonal skills. I am very grateful we had her guidance during a challenging time for our family. read more

My wife just died after an over 5 year battle with early onset Alzheimer's. At the beginning of this struggle with the disease, it was strongly suggested I consult with an attorney experienced in these matters. I have never used an attorney before and was very apprehensive. Someone suggested Stephanie and after meeting with her and explaining my family's needs, I chose to work with her. One of the best decisions I've ever made. She clearly explained what needed to be done and drew up and gave me all the appropriate documents that I ended up needing to successfully navigate the maze our legal and medical system put in place. Whenever I had a question, she always available with a prompt reply. Besides her clear competency and skill, she was always caring and compassionate in what has been very difficult circumstances. I cannot recommend her too highly. read more

I have been a client of Stefanie for the past 11 years, and she has helped me with many different issues that have come up. She has always been able to find a solution to the problem. She is very knowledgeable and really cares about you as a person. I recommend her very highly for your estate planning needs. She has always gone above and beyond and could not ask for anyone better. read more

My mom and I highly recommend Stefanie West. We've used her services twice. She quickly responds to emails and calls. She provided excellent options and advice. She really took her time to explain everything in a way I could understand. We're grateful for the quick turnaround on the documents. In addition to being thorough, she's warm and personable. Her monthly newsletter is a fun and informative read. So glad my cousin suggested her years ago! read more

Stefanie West is the best! When I was getting ready to travel abroad and knew I needed an estate plan set up, I had Stefanie do the deed (so to speak, there were several deeds in fact). Stefanie could charge significantly more for her services, but she keeps her rates reasonable and the result is an excellent product at a great price! I have known Stef since law school some 17 years ago and even then I knew she was brilliant and destined to do a wonderful job for her clients. Of course, anyone who gets her education from Berkeley and Harvard is going to be smart. But, Stef adds a component that most lawyers are lacking, a wonderful personality! Dealing with our own mortality is not an easy thing to do, but Stef will answer every question with patience and caring and you leave feeling secure that your estate is in order. You can't do better than the best, and that is West! read more

Stefanie West is an outstanding, knowledgable attorney who is also a complete pleasure to work with. I first engaged Stefanie years ago after the birth of my second child. She listened carefully to what I hoped to achieve with an estate plan, and guided me through the entire process. Recently, we needed to update the plan, and Stefanie was thoughtful and creative in coming up with an elegant solution to what we were trying to achieve. She proactively offered options that I never would have thought of on my own, and then made sure the documents clearly explained and properly implemented our wishes. In addition to her world-class expertise, Stefanie's "bedside manner" is top-notch. Call Stefanie, you will be glad you did! read more

An update: A couple of years after I first engaged Stefanie's services, I found myself in need of some legal advice and assistance for some real estate issues that were included in my original estate planning. Stefanie once again efficiently and correctly provided me with the support I needed, and with the same great attitude and service. She is a skilled attorney with a lovely personality. read more

Stefanie is AMAZING! As a single mom going through a challenging transition I was so grateful for Stefanies support in treating me with patience and compassion as I asked a million questions. Unlike other attorneys I met with Stefanie's humility and genuine sincerity and desire to help was a breath of fresh air. She responded to all my inquires promptly and was always flexible and accommodating for our appointment times. I sleep better thanks to Stefanie as she was truly a partner in ensuring everything was thought of in my kids' best interest during creation of my living will and trust. You will not find a better "life planning" partner. read more

Stefanie led us through the living trust creation process in a quick, professional and painless way...it was almost enjoyable. We found her services to be very reasonably prIced for the level of knowledge and quality of advising she provides. Highly recommend! read more

I had questions about my mother's estate, and Stefanie was very helpful and responsive in answering them. I really appreciated her help! Highly recommend and will use again. read more

Stefanie was recommended to us by a family friend. We have young children and we wanted to make sure all our ducks were in a row for our kids in case anything happened to us. This was our first time thinking about these things and to be honest, I felt trepidation thinking about potential futures and thinking about money - both scary things to talk about! I could not be more grateful that we found Stefanie. She is truly gifted. She is whip-smart and thorough, which made me feel absolutely confident in her work. What impressed me more is Stefanie's relationality, her sensitivity, and her attention to us as individuals. At every moment as we worked together, I felt seen and taken care of. Stefanie was patient with all of our (utterly naive) questions and always made us feel like she had all the time in the world for us. I work in the field of aging research which led us into conversations about Stefanie's work with older adults -- it was clear to me that Stefanie is absolutely passionate about her work and find particular fulfillment in working with older clients. She is empathetic, deeply respectful, and so smart. I could not recommend Stefanie more highly. We are so lucky to have found her! read more

Don't Wait Until it is To Late. That is the tag line for Stefanie West, Attorney at Law who specializes in Trusts, Wills and Medicare Consulting. Stefanie's passion for what she does, her caring nature and high degreee of knowledge of the law makes her the best in her field. Stefanie updated my Living Trust in 2010 and educated me on what I am now protected from and how my wishes will be followed when I pass. Everyone should have the opportunity to work with Stefannie before it is too late. read more

I met Stefanie West at an Appleby's restaurant where she and her paralegal were to give a presentation on trusts. My attendance was in response to a 'flyer' received in the mail. I thought I would just be getting a free meal in a nice restaurant and at the time, I wasn't even sure what was needed or how Stefanie could help me. However, once there I could see that, in addition to a free meal, I would be treated to the pleasing visuals of two pretty women. Right from the beginning, I could sense the sincerity and the true caring of this person. Yes, all of us there were prospective clients, but Stefanie treated us as individuals and/or couples with very unique needs. Shortly after she began her presentation, I realized that both my mother and I needed a trust. Stefanie listened to all questions intently and provided answers in a clear, non-condescending manner. She did not hurry us and remained at the restaurant until everything was clear with her audience. Since the preparation of my trust, Stefanie has remained in touch. She also answers all my e-mails promptly. If I were to choose three adjectives that best describe Stefanie's style or approach, it would be "Conscientious, Caring, and Capable"... The bottom line for Stefanie is not financial compensation for her or for her firm, but fair and adequate remuneration/service for her clients. Daniel L. Alameda, California read more

I have been telling all of my local friends and neighbors who need estate planning that they should go see Stefanie. She is smart and thorough, very reasonably priced and she really cares. She is efficient. She respected our time. She explained things clearly and patiently answered every question. I look forward to working with her in the future to keep our estate plans up-to-date. I feel very confident knowing that if something happens to me, my heirs will have Stefanie to rely on. And, she cares not only about the human members of our family, but the canine one as well. Using her advice and documents, we can rest assured that we have done everything we can to protect our beloved dog as well. I have been dreading dealing with these uncomfortable issues and Stefanie made the process comfortable, as well as legally effective. I am sorry I did not find her sooner, but now that I have, I am telling everyone. The hardest part is making yourself make that phone call to her. From there, Stefanie will help you do what needs to be done. read more

Like many in the "sandwich" generation, I found myself with young children and aging parents who had not planned for this part of their life. Putting their affairs in order became even more critical and timely as my mom was diagnosed with a rare and fast progressing neurodegenerative disease. I don't know what I would've done without Stefanie to guide us through this process. We had consulted with another elder law attorney, well known in our area, who completely overwhelmed us with "worst case scenario" and accompanying costs that couldn't be projected. Our hospital social worker recommended Stefanie as she frequently gives informational talks at senior community forums and will also travel to your home. From the very beginning we knew that Stefanie was the right choice...she was completely available and there for us, compassionate, thorough, and extremely generous with her wisdom and time - being very transparent and fair about costs. While Stefanie meticulously and efficiently put my parents' affairs in order, she remained available to us for continued counseling as new issues emerged (particularly around MediCal). I highly recommend Stefanie to anyone needing counsel (and yes, some hand-holding) while they address difficult questions and make decisions about their end-of-life. To me, Stefanie West represents the gold standard for elder law attorneys. read more

Stefanie West was recommended to me from a woman I met at the Alzheimers association who had a high regard for her. I found her to be personable and genuine and very sharp. read more

Stephanie West is so great. She took time out of her busy schedule to walk me through things, ease my worries and give me advice though she really didn't have to! She's warm, easy to talk to, knowledgeable and when you talk to her you get the sense she truly cares about her clients. So glad I found her! read more

Stefanie West has been so helpful in updating our family trust. One of the things that I really liked was that she really noticed the details. For example, she noticed a difference in two documents to do with the legal description of some business property and wanted to get that corrected prior to transferring our asset into our trust. It's obvious that she is very organized and we felt very comfortable working with her. At the end we left with a lovely organized binder as well as a digital copy of the updated trust along with instructions to call anytime and to give her name and number to our kids just in case. We have called a couple of times with questions and she is quick to get back to us with the answers we need. My parents, my brother and my sisters have also used Stefanie's services to get new trusts done. We all highly recommend Stefanie West for anything to do with trusts. read more

Stefanie is exactly the kind of trust attorney one needs at a very difficult time. When my spouse passed away, I realized certain aspects of our existing trust were not really what we had intended them to be. Stefanie was immediately responsive to my request for help, offered me clear and well explained guidance, and was kind, supportive and easy to talk to. I was trying to understand the implications of complicated trust language, in order to figure out how to best proceed, and she was wonderful at breaking things down to help me navigate what I might need to do. She described clear options and walked me through why I might want to pursue one over another. She clearly cares about trying to help people... while she was thorough in going through the legal side of my situation, I also felt genuine supportive empathy from her in what is a rough situation for me. I felt an unexpected layer of comfort while I needed to be sorting through things that can be very stressful. I'm very appreciative of Stefanie's approach to legal work she provides and also how she is personally. I highly recommend her. read more

As proud owner of Senior Helpers in Concord, I trust Stefanie and refer to Stefanie to help my clients who need estate planning. I also use Stefanie for my own estate plan. She is easy to work with and she is a great communicator. She likes to 'close the loop' - so that everything is clearly written and thoroughly thought about in terms of family complexities and what-if scenarios. Stefanie asks the right questions and is great at following up to make sure other work is completed that is an extension of the will and trust so that all the bases are covered. I feel so much better about living life, after having my estate planning documents completed by Stefanie West. I know my family will understand what needs to be done when I am gone or can no longer manage my own affairs. I recommend Stefanie West, Estate Planning Law. read more

Stefanie has been our Trust attorney for several years now. She has a large clientele in our retirement communities. She is the best attorney for trusts, estates and wills that I have ever encountered as a a former active practicing CPA. We first heard of Stefanie through one of her complimentary luncheon talks that she gives in our communities. She came to our home and discussed our concerns, etc. We engaged her to review our Family Trust and Wills. Once she had it reviewed, she came back with suggestions and we had other concerns which she addressed. She is so reasonable and knowledgeable in what she does. We have attended several of her her presentations since engaging her. We always learn something new. She is the best at what she does. You won't be sorry if you engage her. read more

Met with Stefanie today after months of emails as we tried to wrap our heads around estate planning issues. Boy did she make everything easy and painless. She really knows her stuff and makes her clients feel at ease while educating them. I am confident that when we get thru this process our estates will be squared away. This is a great relief in our lives to have peace of mind when it comes to end of life issues. read more

Stefanie was referred to us by a friend and we are so grateful for her legal advice. She listened to us, informed us, and I was really impressed that she took the time at the end of the day to guide us in the right direction. Very easy to talk to and was so helpful. Thank you Stefanie! read more

Stefanie West is an amazing estate planning attorney. She was extremely professional, efficient and supportive and gave us amazing advice throughout the process. She really cared about our family and our mom. Our mom really liked her and felt confident her estate would be handled properly. We were worried when we had to start the process of moving our mom from her home but felt so much better when we knew we had Stefanie in our corner! We are pretty much done with the process but know that she will always be available in case we have any other needs in the future. I highly recommend Stefanie for any type of estate planning! read more

Stefanie West is a terrific estate planning attorney. I am a financial advisor and I refer my clients to Stefanie with 100% confidence. My clients have found her to be very personable, detail-oriented, caring and thorough. Stefanie also does a great of of staying in touch with clients as needed. As they say, "the devil is in the details" -- Stefanie holds my clients' hands through the process of filling out beneficiary form and registering accounts in trust. These loose ends are very important and I have every confidence in her. read more