How do I evaluate an elder law attorney in California?

Verify the license and discipline record in the State Bar of California's public records, then sort by craft: elder abuse litigation and protective planning are different practices. Ask which one dominates the attorney's caseload, how fees are structured for your matter type, and how fast the office can move when assets are at risk.

Start with the objective check every hire deserves: the State Bar of California's public records show whether the license is active and whether there is discipline, and only active licensees may practice under Business and Professions Code section 6125. Then sort by craft, because elder law is really two practices. If the matter is abuse or neglect litigation, ask how many Elder Abuse Act cases the attorney has taken to resolution, whether the fee is contingency-based given the fee-shifting of Welfare and Institutions Code sections 15657 and 15657.5, and how quickly the office can seek protective orders or asset freezes when money is moving. If the matter is planning or a conservatorship, ask about experience in the county's probate department, flat versus hourly fees, and how capacity evaluations are handled. In either lane, insist on the written fee agreement state law requires and on clarity about who in the office will actually handle the file.

Authority: Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6125