Professional Experience
Paulla is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning Trust and Probate law. Her practice is focused on representation of individuals in estate planning matters, including preparation of revocable and irrevocable trusts and administration of trusts and estates. She also assists clients with formation of business entities, general business matters, elder law and estate gifting issues, as well as establishing special needs trusts to protect public benefits eligibility.
Paulla served as a Judicial Extern to Justice Connie Callahan, California Court of Appeal, Third District.
In addition to Paulla’s experience in law, she spent nine years as an elementary and middle school teacher for Yuba City Unified and Franklin Elementary School Districts.
Representative Matters
Established a Special Needs Trust and obtained Court approval for such trust for disabled child who received a personal injury settlement. By creating and obtaining the Court’s approval of the Special Needs Trust, the minor’s entitlement to future public benefits remained intact.
Obtained court approval to appointment of successor trustee to a revocable living trust where the individuals named to serve had predeceased or were unavailable to serve.
Structured plan for parent to transfer a portion of substantial real estate to children while minimizing estate and gift taxes.
Represented trustee in dispute with co-trustee regarding trust administration and identification of trust assets.
Obtained Court Order that certain property was property of the trust estate of a decedent. The decedent had failed to transfer the property to the trust estate through inadvertence and the Court order avoided a probate of the will for the sole purpose of distributing that property.
Admitted to Practice
State Bar of California, 2002
United States District Court, Eastern District of California
All California State Courts
Education
University of California Davis, School of Law
J.D., 2002
Order of the Coif
California State University, Sacramento
B.A. with Honors, Sociology, 1981
Leadership Positions & Affiliations
- Member, Yuba-Sutter Bar Association
- Member, State Bar of California, Trusts and Estates Section
- Member, Rotary Club of Yuba City
- Board of Directors, Adventist Rideout Health Foundation