The RegistryPractice Area · Statewide
Find Elder Law Lawyers in California
Counsel for California's elders: abuse, neglect, and protective arrangements. This is the statewide record for elder law in California: every attorney on the State Bar of California's official roll whose published practice reaches this area, shown in neutral directory order.
Californians search this field under many names · elder law attorney, elder law lawyer, elder abuse lawyer, elder abuse attorney, conservatorship attorney · and the registry answers all of them from the same source. Below: the governing deadline with its citation, what to weigh as you read the record, the questions Californians ask with the code sections that answer them, and elder law coverage county by county, from Del Norte to San Diego.
The clock & the craft
Four years from discovery for financial elder abuse claims.
Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 15657.7
Physical elder abuse and neglect claims follow the two-year injury period (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1). The Elder Abuse Act's enhanced remedies (§ 15657) require clear and convincing evidence of recklessness, oppression, fraud, or malice.
Reading the roster
Elder matters split into two crafts: protective litigation (financial abuse, nursing home neglect (often contingency-fee, with the Elder Abuse Act's fee-shifting) and planning (conservatorship alternatives, Medi-Cal long-term-care planning) typically flat or hourly fees). Look for attorneys who practice in the county's probate department for conservatorships, ask how they handle capacity evaluations, and act quickly where assets are moving; pre-judgment attachment and account freezes can preserve what a lawsuit would otherwise chase.
Elder Law · statewide roster
2,318 attorneys on the official State Bar of California roll list elder law among their practice areas, with an address of record in 50 of California's 58 counties.
2,240 of them hold an active licence; the remainder are recorded as inactive and are not currently eligible to practise.
The largest county rosters are Los Angeles (563), Orange (284), San Diego (232), San Francisco (137) and Sacramento (115).
145 hold a State Bar Certified Legal Specialist designation, a certification issued by the State Bar's Board of Legal Specialization, and not a rating or a ranking.
144 are recorded as taking client work in a language other than English.
Elder Law matters in California
The matters this field covers, as Californians search for them. Each attorney's own profile states which of these they take.
- elder financial abuse
- nursing home neglect and abuse
- conservatorships
- Medi-Cal planning
- long-term care planning
- guardianship of an adult
- undue influence and elder fraud
- residential care disputes
- powers of attorney disputes
- estate recovery
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Elder Law questions, cited
What qualifies as elder abuse under California law?
The Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 15600 et seq.) covers physical abuse, neglect, abandonment, isolation, and financial abuse of anyone 65 or older. Financial abuse is defined broadly, taking or retaining an elder's property for wrongful use, with intent to defraud, or by undue influence (§ 15610.30). Proof of recklessness or malice unlocks enhanced remedies including attorney fees and pre-death pain-and-suffering damages (§ 15657).
How long do I have to sue for financial elder abuse in California?
Four years from when the abuse was, or reasonably should have been, discovered (Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 15657.7). Claims for physical abuse or neglect generally follow the two-year personal injury period of Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1. When the abuser controlled the elder's affairs, discovery rules and equitable tolling often become central issues.
Can a nursing home be sued for neglect in California?
Yes. Skilled nursing facilities owe statutory duties of care under the Elder Abuse Act and patient's rights regulations; reckless neglect supports enhanced remedies under Welf. & Inst. Code § 15657, and Health & Safety Code § 1430(b) provides a resident's private right of action for rights violations. Arbitration agreements signed at admission are common and frequently contested, they do not always bind the resident or heirs.
What is a conservatorship and when is one needed?
A superior court proceeding appointing a conservator to manage the person or estate of an adult who cannot manage themselves (Cal. Prob. Code § 1800 et seq.). Courts must consider less restrictive alternatives first (powers of attorney, health care directives, or supported decision-making), and since AB 1194 (2021), conservatee rights and conservator accountability have been tightened. Limited conservatorships serve developmentally disabled adults.
Who is required to report elder abuse in California?
Mandated reporters (care custodians, health practitioners, clergy, and financial institution employees for suspected financial abuse) must report known or suspected abuse to Adult Protective Services or law enforcement (Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 15630, § 15630.1). Failure to report is a misdemeanor. Anyone may report voluntarily, and reports can run alongside a civil case rather than replacing it.
Legal information, not legal advice.
From the answer files
Elder Law in all 58 counties
Elder Law by city
Adjacent shelves of the law
Full Elder Law rosters, by surname
If cost is the concern
Court self-help, legal-aid organizations and attorney-stated fee options, with source links. No account or case submission is needed to use them.
Read the record. Then decide.
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Find Your Counsel278,688 attorneys · 58 counties · Official State Bar records