Trusts and Estates

An excellent listener and communicator, Mrs. Phillips-Coleman takes pride in developing a strong working relationship with her clients, by taking the time to understand each client's family dynamics and unique situation.  She enjoys working with clients to help them understand the estate planning process and provide options to best suit each clients' individual needs. She counsels on a variety of estate planning considerations, including family wealth preservation and transfer of assets, planning and caring for minor children, business succession planning, estate tax planning, planning for incapacity and charitable giving, as well as probate and trust administration and litigation.

Conflict resolution

Mrs. Phillips-Coleman effectively advocates and negotiates on behalf of clients to resolve trust and estate conflicts. She represents clients in will and trust contests, as well as mediation of trust and estate disputes. 

Experience and Leadership

Mrs. Phillips-Coleman earned an LL.M in Taxation from Golden Gate University School of Law and is a member of the East Bay Trusts and Estate Lawyers (EBTEL) association, the Alameda County Bar Association and the East Bay Estate Planning Council. She is the 2022 Past President of EBTEL, and is a co-founder of the East Bay Advisory Panel.  Mrs. Phillips-Coleman was selected as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers in estate planning and probate law in Northern California in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, an honor reserved for only 2.5% of attorneys in Northern California who exhibit excellence in their practice.  

Mrs. Phillips-Coleman has focused her legal career on trusts and estates after her own personal experience of losing her grandparents, who had a well-executed and properly funded trust, which made the grieving process much easier on her and her family.  She lives in Alameda with her husband Chris, a San Francisco firefighter/paramedic, their daughter Sophie and their Golden Retriever Charlie.  In her free time, she enjoys traveling, baking cookies, playing trivia, pilates, hiking, and spending quality time with her family and friends.  

Admissions

State Bar of California, 2014

U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 2014

Education

LL.M., Taxation, Golden Gate University School of Law, 2014

J.D., Golden Gate University School of Law, 2013

B.A., cum laude, Political Science, Arizona State University, 2009

B.A., cum laude, Women and Gender Studies, Arizona State University, 2009

Professional Associations

Alameda County Bar Association

California Lawyers Association, Trusts & Estates Section

East Bay Advisory Panel

East Bay Trusts and Estates Lawyers