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Jennifer Sawday, Partner

Jennifer Sawday is a partner at TLD Law, LLP. She serves a wide range of clients in all matters related to probate, trusts, estate planning — and related litigation. She also handles pre- and post-death administration for clients who serve as personal representatives, executors, and trustees for trusts and estates. Ms. Sawday’s favorite clients are ordinary homeowners in Long Beach and surrounding communities looking to set up an estate for their loved ones to avoid probate.

Ms. Sawday’s approach to estate planning is thorough, personalized, informative, and caring. She works with individuals and families to make sure they first understand why estate planning is essential and then helps make it easy for them to complete the many moving parts of a sound estate plan. A comprehensive estate plan starts with a revocable living trust, which should be accompanied by pour-over wills, durable powers of attorney, and advance health care directives for each client. For those with minor children, there must be provisions made to designate guardians for the kids if something should happen to you.

The next step is funding the trust and to determine what assets should become vested in the trust and how to transfer those assets there. We understand that some of these are difficult decisions, but we encourage our estate planning clients to complete the entire process within a 4 to 6-week period. This way everyone is working hard on a fairly tight deadline, which helps reach the common goal of avoiding probate or dealing with severe consequences resulting from the absence of an estate plan.

Ms. Sawday has more than twenty years of legal practice experience. Her expertise and tenacity have allowed clients to see their court matters resolved as quickly as possible.  Ms. Sawday also works with clients to handle trust administration and contested matters involving wills and trusts with the firm’s trial lawyers.

Jennifer Sawday completed two terms as President of Women Lawyers of Long Beach as she served from 2008 to 2009 and again from 2013 to 2014. Following that, she was the President of the Estate Planning and Trust Council of Long Beach from 2014 to 2016. Ms. Sawday has been selected as the Lawyer of the Year by the Long Beach Bar Association for 2024 for her contributions to the local bar and community at large for her work in trusts and estates.

Ms. Sawday has been selected as a prestigious SuperLawyer and Rising Star by SuperLawyers, as featured in the Los Angeles County Magazine for many years from 2019 to 2024. Ms. Sawday has been consistently rated a 10.0 “Superb” attorney by the respected attorney rating organization, AVVO. She is also AV-rated from Martindale Hubbel.

Fun fact: Ms. Sawday was selected as the Best Wills and Trusts Attorney in Long Beach by the local Long Beach newspaper, the Beachcomber—for years 2014 through 2023.

PRIMER FOR AGING PARENTS: YOU PLANNED FOR THIS, NOW WHAT?

This primer is designed to provide you with some how-to’s and how/where to get started as you age, your parents age or maybe even assist with other aging relatives from my own personal perspective: Primer For Aging Parents

RECOGNITION & AWARDS

  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating
  • Southern California Super Lawyers® “Rising Star”, 2011 – 2013
  • Southern California Super Lawyers®, 2020 – 2024
  • “Mentor of the Year” finalist, Los Angeles Business Journal, 2023
  • 2022 Women of Influence: Attorneys”, Los Angeles Business Journal
  • Press Telegram/Grunion Gazette Readers Choice Award, “Favorite (Top 5) Living Trust attorney”, “BEST – Attorney, Living Trust”, “BEST – Attorney, General”, 2022
  • Top Women Attorneys for Southern California
  • LA Magazine Top Lawyers in Southern California
  • Superb Rated Attorney, 10.0 – Avvo
  • Thomas More Law Honor Society
  • Loyola Law School, Dean List (1998-2000)
  • Loyola Law School, First Honors Award in Legal Research and Writing (1999)
  • Loyola Law School, The Mabel Wilson Richards Scholarship
  • Long Beach Beachcomber’s “Best Attorney – Wills & Estates” for 2014 to 2020

PROFESSIONAL & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

  • Member, Long Beach Bar Association
  • Member, Women’s Lawyers of Long Beach (2006-present) and President (2008-2009 and 2013-2014)
  • Member, Estate Planning and Trust Council of Long Beach (2006-present)
  • Member, Long Beach City College Foundation Board
  • Member and President, Executives Association of Long Beach (2014 to present)
  • Adjunct Professor at Cerritos College for paralegal courses (2009-2014)

EDUCATION

  • California State University Dominguez Hills, B.S., Public Administration, 1995
  • California State University Dominguez Hills, M.P.A., honors in the major, 1997
  • Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, J.D., Evening Program, 2002

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • California, 2003
  • S. District Court, 2003

Jennifer’s thoughts on Diversity & Inclusion

“It is a pleasure to be a part of a very well regarded law firm where diversity and inclusion are appreciated among the partners, attorneys and staff. Here at TLD Law, we listen to ensure that we take the best approaches to minimizing or solving our client’s problems for which they seek our advice. We take the time to listen – to listen to our clients, to our staff and even to opposing counsel to thoughtfully tackle all of the legal issues because you never know what strategy or answer will be what solves the issue!”

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