Leigh W. Burnside - Fresno, CA
Leigh W. Burnside is the Chair of the Board of Directors at Fennemore and a preeminent trust and estate litigation attorney based in Fresno, California. With nearly three decades of trial experience, she represents trustees, corporate fiduciaries, beneficiaries, and conservators in high-stakes trust disputes, will contests, fiduciary accounting defense, and complex probate litigation throughout California.
Premier Trust and Estate Litigation in Fresno, California
The transfer of family wealth and administration of estates can lead to intense interpersonal conflicts, financial disagreements, and complex legal challenges. Based in Fresno, attorney Leigh W. Burnside serves as Chair of the Board of Directors at Fennemore and is recognized as one of California's top estate and trust trial lawyers. With nearly thirty years of courtroom practice, she delivers formidable advocacy for fiduciaries and beneficiaries navigating contested probate proceedings, trust disputes, and conservatorships.
Clients turn to Leigh Burnside because she combines meticulous trial preparation with practical problem-solving. Whether you need to hire an attorney to challenge an invalid will or seek defense against allegations of fiduciary misconduct, having a fearless trial advocate is vital. Leigh Burnside has successfully taken numerous complex trust cases through trial and argued high-stakes appeals before California appellate courts, establishing published legal precedents in probate and fiduciary law.
Comprehensive Fiduciary and Beneficiary Dispute Resolution
When substantial family assets, business interests, or real estate holdings are involved, probate disputes demand seasoned legal counsel. Individuals and institutional clients seeking to find a lawyer for estate litigation rely on Leigh W. Burnside across key matters:
- Trust and Will Contests: Prosecuting and defending actions alleging lack of testamentary capacity, undue influence, fraud, duress, or improper document execution under California probate statutes.
- Fiduciary Defense and Accountings: Defending individual and institutional trustees, executors, and administrators against beneficiary petitions alleging breach of fiduciary duty, mismanagement of assets, or self-dealing.
- Asset Recovery and Surcharge Actions: Pursuing claims against third parties and errant fiduciaries to recover wrongfully transferred estate property and secure court-ordered surcharges.
- Conservatorships: Representing families and proposed fiduciaries in contested and uncontested conservatorship petitions, establishing protective arrangements for vulnerable adults.
- Probate and Trust Appeals: Serving as lead appellate counsel in complex estate and fiduciary appeals before California Courts of Appeal.
- Comprehensive Estate Planning: Structuring sophisticated trusts, wills, advance healthcare directives, and powers of attorney for high-net-worth families.
Recognized Leadership and Professional Distinction
A Stanford University graduate who earned her Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University School of Law in 1997, Leigh W. Burnside has been selected to Super Lawyers continuously from 2013 to 2026. She has repeatedly earned placement on the prestigious Top 50 Women Attorneys and Top 100 Attorneys in Northern California lists, as well as holding an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. In addition to firmwide leadership at Fennemore, she has served as Treasurer on the Board of Governors of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers and is a past president of the Fresno County Young Lawyers Association.
Compassionate Guidance in High-Stakes Family Disputes
Estate controversies often involve delicate family dynamics that require sensitivity alongside courtroom assertiveness. Leigh W. Burnside provides transparent counsel, helping clients understand their legal options, evaluate settlement avenues, and vigorously protect their rights at trial. If you need an attorney urgently to preserve disputed trust assets or resolve a probate impasse, Fennemore offers unparalleled fiduciary advocacy.
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Location & Access
Primary Address
Located in the upscale Bullard / Palm Bluffs business district in North Fresno, near the San Joaquin River bluff.
Building Location
This is a 3-story Class-A commercial office building built in 2005 (known as River Bluff I), situated close to Spano Park.
Parking Details
The office building features an on-site parking lot with 100 surface parking spaces and 40 covered parking spaces, providing convenient and free parking for clients.
Public Transit
Served by FAX Route 26 (Palm/Butler); nearest stop is at SW Palm - Herndon.
Accessibility / Suite Access
Enter the main lobby of the 3-story River Bluff I building through the front entrance, then take the elevator to the 3rd floor. The office is located in Suite 300.