Sarah S. Broomer

Sarah S. Broomer is a partner of Ruttenberg Cutler Broomer, LLP.  Sarah’s practice includes all aspects of complex conservatorship, fiduciary, trust, guardianship, and estate litigation, as well as the mediation of disputes.  Sarah is also the Chair of the firm’s Estate Planning section, and handles all aspects of estate planning, family succession planning, charitable giving, special needs planning, and insurance trusts, as well as the handling of property tax and reassessment matters.

Sarah received her B.A. in 2004 from University of California, Berkeley, in Political Science, where she was a recipient of the Arnold S. Nelson Scholarship for academic excellence in 2000-2004. She earned her J.D. in 2008 from Southwestern School of Law where she received the Southwestern School of Law Scholarship for 2005-2007. She was also an Alternate Oralist in the Southwestern School of Law Annual Intramural Moot Court Competition in 2006.

During law school, Sarah served as law clerk to the Honorable Aviva K. Bobb, the Presiding Judge of the Probate Court. In addition, Sarah was also an extern in the Probate Department of County Counsel.

Sarah is fluent in Farsi.

Practice Areas

Trusts and Estates Litigation

Conservatorship Litigation & Administration

Guardianship Litigation & Administration

Estate Planning

Probate and Trust Administration Conservatorship Real Property Law

Real Property

Bar Admission

State Bar of California, 2008

Education

Southwestern School of Law, J.D., 2008
University of California, Berkeley, B.A., 2004

Distinctions

Named “Super Lawyer,” Trust and Estates Litigation, Super Lawyers Magazine, 2023, 2024.

Named “Southern California Rising Star,” Trust and Estates Litigation, Super Lawyers Magazine, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022.

Named “Top Women Attorneys in Southern California,” Los Angeles magazine, special edition, 2017, 2018, 2021-2024.

Publications & Editing

Co-Author, Certificate of Independent Review: A Must-Have Protection: Valley Lawyer, October 2019

Co-Author, Chapter 1: Managing and Processing Probate Workflow: CEB, Handling a Probate, 2021-2024.

Update Author, Chapter 1: Managing and Processing Probate Workflow: CEB, Probate Workflow Manual, 2021.

Update Author, Chapter 2: Immediate Arrangements: CEB, Probate Workflow Manual, 2017-2019.

Update Author, Chapter 11: Inventory and Appraisal: CEB, Probate Workflow Manual, 2021-2023.

Update Author, Chapter 12: Creditor’s Claims: CEB, Probate Workflow Manual, 2020-2023.

Update Author, Chapter 16: Estate Management Issues: Borrowing Money, Title Disputes, Executory Contracts, Testamentary Options, Petitions for Instructions: CEB, Probate Workflow Manual, 2017-2019.

Update Author, Chapter 17: Preliminary Distribution: CEB, Probate Workflow Manual, 2017-2019.

Update Author, Steps 1-7: Handling a Probate Action Guide: CEB, California Decedent Estate Practice, 2017.

Update Author, Chapter 15: Independent Administration of Estates: CEB, California Decedent Estate Practice, 2016-2024.

Update Author, Chapter 20: Compromise and Settlement of Claims: CEB, California Decedent Estate Practice, 2016, 2017.

Author, Chapter 24: Accounts: CEB, California Decedent Estate Practice, 2016-2024.

Update Author, Chapter 4: Difficult Family Situations: CEB, Complete Plans for Small and Mid-Size Estates, 2015, 2016.

Co-Author, Chapter 5: Problem Assets: CEB, Complete Plans for Small and Mid-Size Estates, 2019-2023.

Update Author, Chapter 10: Plan for Unmarried Person with Minor Children: CEB, Complete Plans for Small and Mid-Size Estates, 2015-2023.

Co-Author, Chapter 4: Durable Powers of Attorney for Financial Management: The Fundamentals: CEB, California Powers of Attorney and Health Care Directives, 2015-2023.

Update Author, Chapter 5: Durable Powers of Attorney for Financial Management: Specific Clauses and Complete Forms: CEB, California Powers of Attorney and Health Care Directives, 2015-2023.

Update Author, Chapter 17: Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRTs): CEB, Irrevocable Trusts, 2020.

Update Author, Chapter 18: Charitable Remainder Trusts: CEB, Irrevocable Trusts, 2020-2023.

Author, Chapter 1: The Role of the Attorney: CEB, Trust Administration, 2020-2023.

Update Author, Chapter 7: Recordkeeping and Accounting: CEB, CEB, Trust Administration, , 2020-2023.

Assistant Editor, Death of a Litigant: What is a Trusts and Estates Litigator to Do?: California Trusts and Estates Quarterly, Volume 20, Issue 3, 2014.

Speaking Engagements

Professional Fiduciary Association of California, Co-Speaker, “Protecting Elder and Dependent Adults—Elder Abuse Restraining Orders” (upcoming May 2024)

Continuing Education of the Bar—California, Co-Speaker, “Temporary Elder Abuse Restraining Orders” (upcoming March 2024)

San Fernando Valley Bar Association: Probate and Estate Planning Section, Co-Speaker, “Is There A Doctor In The House? When Lawyers Need Doctors To Support And Defend Their Client’s Estate Plan” (April 11, 2023)

Los Angeles County Bar Association, Co-Speaker, “LASC Court Reporters in Probate” (January 2023)

San Fernando Valley Estate Planning Council, Co-Speaker “The Danger Zone: Estate Planning For Clients With Diminished Capacity” (June 23, 2022)

Professional Fiduciary Association of California, Co-Speaker, “Ethical Considerations for Fiduciaries and Their Counsel” (May 2022)

Estate Counselors Forum, Speaker, “No Certificate of Independent Review? Can You Meet   The Clear & Convincing Evidence Standard To Save The Gift?” (January 21, 2021)

San Fernando Valley Bar Association, Co-Speaker, “Behind the Scenes: A Conversation With Former LASC Probate Attorney Patricia Doyle” (June 8, 2021)

Ventura County Bar Association—Estate Planning and Probate Lecture Series, Co-Speaker, “No Certificate of Independent Review? Can You Meet   The Clear & Convincing Evidence Standard To Save The Gift?” (November 19, 2020)

Los Angeles County Bar Association, Co-Speaker, “No Certificate of Independent Review? Can You Meet The Clear & Convincing Evidence Standard To Save The Gift?” (October  2020)

Woodland Hills Tax & Estate Planning Council, Co-Speaker, “A Conversation on The Way To An RFA: How To Get Court Approval Of Fiduciary Reports And Accountings, As Well As Court Approval Of Attorneys’ Fees” (March 4, 2020)

myLawCLE, Speaker, “Trust Accountings When the Settlor Lacks Capacity” (July 15, 2019)

San Fernando Valley Estate Planning Council, Co-Speaker, “No Certificate Of Independent Review? Can The Gifts To A Prohibited Transferee Otherwise Be Salvaged?” (May 23, 2019)

San Fernando Valley Bar Association, Co-Speaker, “Watch that Boilerplate! Pitfalls of Standard Estate Planning Language From the Perspective of Litigators” (May 14, 2019)

“A Conversation on The Way To An RFA: How To Get Court Approval Of Fiduciary Reports And Accountings, As Well As Court Approval Of Attorneys’ Fees” (February 9, 2019)

Beverly Hills Bar Association/Family Law Section, Guest Panelist, “Crossover Issues Between Family Law, Estate Planning, & Probate” (June 2017).

Beverly Hills Bar Association/Elder Law Section, Guest Speaker, “Trust Accountings When a Settlor Is Incapacitated” (April 2017).

Pepperdine School of Law, Guest Speaker, “Removal of Trustee” (March 2016).

Beverly Hills Bar Association/Trusts & Estates Section, “Nuts and Bolts of Estate Planning” (September 2015).

Estate Counselors Forum, “Hindsight is 20/20: A Litigator’s Perspective On Estate Planning” (September 2015).

Professional Associations & Memberships

Chair of the Los Angeles County Bar Association: Trusts & Estates Section, 2023 – 2024.

Co-Chair Beverly Hills Bar Association, Trusts & Estate section, 2016 – 2017.

Los Angeles County Bar Association, Trusts & Estate section – Member of the Executive Committee, 2018 – present.

Beverly Hills Bar Association, Trusts & Estate section – Member of the Executive Committee, 2012 – 2017.

Beverly Hills Bar Association, Trusts and Estates Section, 2009 – present.

Los Angeles County Bar Association, Trusts & Estates Section, 2009 – present.

Co-President, Southwestern Law School Women’s Law Association, 2006 – 2007.