Empathy Estate Planning

Peter Pelavin

Attorney at Law

I was born and grew up near Haight-Ashbury, in San Francisco in the 60’s. I received my law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law where I was a Comments Editor on the Law Review.

After graduating law school, I worked in Studio Carnelutti, a general law firm in Milan, Italy where I gained valuable legal experience while improving my Italian. I returned to San Francisco where I worked in a small law firm which developed into a medium-sized firm, and eventually a large firm. Realizing that I prefer a small personable law firm dynamic, I established my own law practice in 1991. Samantha Tighe joined me in 1996 and we moved our practice from San Francisco to the North Bay in 2018.

While I have experience in several areas of law, my practice is now focused on Trust, Wills, Trust Administration and Probate. I have also lectured on the topics of estate planning and estate administration.

What I most enjoy about the law I practice is that I help people avoid problems rather than resolving existing disputes.

In addition to law, I have worked with a private foundation which helped children living in poverty in Manila. Another passion of mine are plants, and I have been a director and officer of the Strybing Arboretum Society, now the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society.

I moved from San Francisco to Novato in 2018 where I live with my two cats. My son is currently studying music at Lawrence University in Wisconsin.

EDUCATION

UCLA Bachelor of Art in in English Literature (1983)
Santa Clara University School of Law (1986)

MEMBERSHIPS

State Bar of California
Marin County Bar Association