Law Office of Brandon Martin - Bakersfield, CA

Protecting Your Family's Legacy with Sophisticated Legal Counsel

Planning for the future or settling the estate of a loved one who has passed can be a complex and highly emotional process. At the Law Office of Brandon Martin, families in Bakersfield and across Kern County receive the high-caliber legal counsel typical of major metropolitan firms, delivered with the accessibility and personalized care of a boutique local practice. Founder Brandon Martin spent the first two decades of his career practicing at some of California's most prestigious law firms before returning home to focus exclusively on helping families navigate estate planning and probate administration.

Whether you need to find a lawyer to draft a protective living trust or hire an attorney to manage a complicated court probate process, Mr. Martin provides direct communication and absolute transparency. Unlike firms where clients are handed off to legal assistants, you will work directly with Mr. Martin from start to finish. With flat fees in writing for planning and statutory fees explained upfront for probate, you will always know exactly what to expect before any work begins.

Strategic Estate Planning: Protecting Your Assets and Loved Ones

Effective estate planning is not about death; it is about ensuring your loved ones are never left guessing about your wishes, your accounts, or who is supposed to be in charge. The firm's estate planning lawyers specialize in creating comprehensive plans designed to keep your family out of the courtroom. Brandon Martin designs customized revocable living trusts, last wills and testaments, durable powers of attorney, and advance healthcare directives tailored to your unique financial and family situation.

Importantly, the firm also focuses on trust funding-the vital step of transferring your real estate and assets into your trust. Because many online templates and high-volume firms skip this step, families are often forced into probate court despite having estate planning documents. Mr. Martin guides you through the funding process, ensuring your home and savings are legally protected and that your estate avoids the delays and public disclosures of probate.

Compassionate and Efficient Probate and Estate Administration

When a family member passes without a trust, their estate must go through the California probate court system. This process is heavily paper-intensive, highly regulated, and generally takes about a year in Kern County. Facing this while grieving can feel completely overwhelming. The firm's probate lawyers take the entire burden off your shoulders, handling every step of the court administration from filing the initial petition and appointing an executor to settling valid debts and distributing the final assets.

Under California law, attorney fees in a full probate are set by statute as a percentage of the estate, so there are no upfront, out-of-pocket legal fees for the family. Mr. Martin calculates these fees during your very first call and handles all court-appointed referee valuations, property sales approvals, and final accountings with the utmost diligence, ensuring the estate is settled as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Dedicated Trust Administration Services

Even with a trust in place, a successor trustee has significant fiduciary duties after a death. The firm provides expert trust administration services, guiding trustees through their legal responsibilities, including notifying beneficiaries, valuing trust assets, preparing required tax filings, and managing distributions. By providing clear instruction and meticulous record-keeping, Mr. Martin helps families avoid trustee disputes and ensures the estate is administered in strict compliance with California trust law.