Joshua Meier

Meier Law Firm is an Orange County, California estate planning and business law firm that focuses on helping families and businesses achieve their dreams. As parents and a business owners, the attorneys at Meier Law Firm excel in helping clients meet their financial, legal, and moral obligations to their loved ones by creating estate, business, and life plans that ensure their family's complete protection and well-being. Unlike traditional law firms, Meier Law Firm offers unique flat-fee estate planning packages that not only include all of the typical estate planning documents such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health care documents, but also include planning for life, trust funding, a Kids ICE plan ensuring kids would never be in temporary foster care even for one second, legacy preservation so that parents can pass down their values and morals and dreams to their kids, unlimited free phone calls and emails, free three-year reviews of your estate plan, and more! Meier Law Firm includes all of these essential estate planning services for about the same flat-fee cost that most firms charge for traditional estate planning documents alone. No matter where your family finds itself today, Meier Law Firm can help you create a real plan that will achieve your goals and dreams, and protect your loved ones no matter what life brings. Great families plan for great futures...who are you planning for? Visit us today at www.meierfirm.com, call us a 949.718.0420, or e-mail us at office@meierfirm.com to discover the Meier Law Firm difference. We'd love to learn who you are planning for! Mention that you found us on LinkedIn and receive a FREE initial consultation (a $750 value).

LEAD-OC is a collection of young professionals, executives, and entrepreneurs, seeking to make a difference through philanthropy and the exchange of innovative ideas. LEAD-OC Membership provides exclusive access to the best professional development, social, and civic programming in Orange County. LEAD-OC Members are committed to: (1) philanthropy with a focus on making a real and tangible difference in our community; (2) developing leaders through education, mentorship, and the mutual support between members; (3) creating the next generation of ambassadors promoting business growth; and (4) forming the most influential network of future business and community leaders.

Litigate complex, multimillion dollar matters in state and federal court for clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to small businesses to public entities to individuals. PRACTICE AREAS Business Litigation: Represent businesses and individuals in business-related disputes, including breach of contract, unfair competition, intellectual property, breach of fiduciary duty, and corporate disputes. Construction Litigation: Represent general contractors and subcontractors in construction-related lawsuits, including breach of contract, mechanic liens, and construction defect. Probate, Trust, and Estate Litigation: Represent fiduciaries and beneficiaries in a full range of probate and trust matters, including will and trust contests, will and trust interpretation, estate valuation, accountings, and fiduciary duties. Real Estate Litigation: Represent lenders, real estate investment firms, and commercial tenants in real estate disputes, including breach of promissory note/guaranty, purchase disputes, and landlord-tenant disputes. SUCCESSFUL RESULTS Represented minority member against majority member and manager in an international, real estate investment dispute. Obtained $200,000 jury verdict. Represented subcontractor against homeowner, general contractor, and lender. Settled matter with lender on 10th day of trial and obtained 96% of principal amount owed to client. Obtained judgment against owner and general contractor for principal balance, interest, costs, and attorney’s fees. Obtained $85,000 attorney’s fee award.

Litigated complex, multimillion dollar matters in state and federal court for Fortune 100 companies, small businesses, public entities, and individuals in business, construction, probate and trust, public entity, and real property cases. PRACTICE AREAS Probate, Trust, and Estate Litigation and Administration: Represented fiduciaries and beneficiaries in a full range of probate and trust matters, including will and trust contests, will and trust interpretation, estate valuation, accountings, and fiduciary duties. Business Litigation: Represented businesses and individuals in business-related disputes, including breach of contract, unfair competition, intellectual property, breach of fiduciary duty, and corporate disputes. SUCCESSFUL RESULTS Defended trustee of $25,000,000 trust against his two step-mothers and half sister in a highly litigated and contested breach of trust case. Negotiated favorable global settlement. Represented decedent’s estate in a highly publicized wrongful death case. Settled case, which resulted in estate receiving over $1 million in assets. Represented estate of a wife, who was killed by her husband, against the State California, which demanded that the wife's estate pay for her husband’s mental health treatment. Prepared appellate brief. Appellate court affirmed order limiting estate’s liability and published the opinion. Represented trustee of $10,000,000 trust against beneficiary who contested the trustee’s fees and trust distributions. Invoked no-contest clause against beneficiary. Appellate court affirmed. Represented trustee against beneficiary who contested trustee’s trust distributions. Invoked no-contest clause against beneficiary. Prepared two appellate briefs. Appellate court affirmed orders and published the opinion, which established no-contest clause law. PUBLISHED OPINIONS Schwartz v. Schwartz (2008) 167 Cal.App.4th 733 In re Conservatorship and Estate of Edde (2009) 173 Cal.App.4th 883.

Researched a variety of legal issues and prepared bench memoranda. Authored civil and criminal orders and opinions.

Researched and wrote on several adjudication topics for Professor Horton's Adjudication Seminar. Prepared class lectures and handouts.

Researched legal issues and wrote memoranda for the Affirmative Civil Enforcement and Bankruptcy divisions. Notably, researched the legality of a loophole in the Chapter 13 bankruptcy laws that allows certain non-dischargeable debts to be discharged, including student loans. Prepared a memo that focused on split decisions among different circuit courts and discussed the various legal bases for determining whether the debts should be discharged.

Researched legal issues on appeal. Prepared bench memoranda and authored appellate opinions. Attended oral arguments and classroom lectures. Authored opinions for four appeals, including one civil, one juvenile, and two criminal cases.

Researched complex legal issues and wrote bench memoranda covering several bankruptcy areas, including Title 11 of the U.S.C. and the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure. Attended hearings and mediations. Prepared bankruptcy externship manual, which explained bankruptcy laws and provided sample documents.

Supervised job crews of up to 50 employees on several multi-million dollar commercial projects including medical facilities, office buildings, churches, and schools.

San Diego Law Review Highest Grade in Class, Criminal Procedure

Varsity Football (Fall 1998 – Spring 2002): Team Captain (Fall 2001); Defensive MVP (Fall 2001); Iron Man Award (Fall 2000); Coach’s Award (Fall 1999) Student Advisory Committee, Member (Fall 2000 – Spring 2002)