Michelyn R. MillerAttorney
PRACTICE AREAS
Michelyn R. Miller began working at Patterson Law as a law clerk in 1992. Shortly thereafter, she obtained her juris doctorate, passed the California State Bar and was promoted to an associate in the area of Trust and Estates, where she currently heads the department alongside Christine P. Snapp.
Michelyn has always been fascinated with family dynamics and her natural interest in the topic has served her well in Estate Planning, Trust Administration and Probate/Trust Litigation. Keenly aware that every family is unique and each case poses its own distinct challenges, she has always stood in opposition of one-size-fits-all solutions. Michelyn also understands lawyer fees and litigation costs can become expensive and therefore offers her clients a number of options. Yet whether clients choose a more affordable route or a more expensive one, Michelyn attends to every case with the utmost respect for her clients and an unparalleled integrity in her work.
BAR ADMISSIONS
California State Bar
EDUCATION
University of California Riverside, BA Liberal Arts
Western State University College of Law, JD
Q&A WITH MICHELYN R MILLER, ATTORNEY
Describe your approach to a case.
Though I handle each case in a very respectful manner, I usually take an aggressive approach because I have found a more assertive stance often achieves the best results for the client.
Describe your strengths as it pertains to your Practice Area.
I take the time to sit with my clients and let them tell me their story. It is important to understand family dynamics and history in order to help the client achieve their goals. Since these dynamics and family histories are different with every case, I like to create a unique approach for each individual client to ensure that everyone’s needs will be met.
I also recognize that attorneys and litigation can become pricey so I usually come up with a few options for my clients, giving them the pros and cons of each option.
What are you most passionate about professionally?
Many people have a negative perception of attorneys. Everyone will encounter the legal profession in one way or another and I believe the public’s opinion of those of us in the legal profession will improve if they see us handling every case in a respectful manner. Even though I work diligently to keep my cases progressing forward, I always make sure to do my job with integrity.
What excites you most about your work and the contributions you make?
When it comes to estate planning, I love to see the relief on a client’s face when they realize that setting up an estate plan to fit their needs is not nearly as painstaking as they thought it would be. People wait years to prepare their estate planning documents because they think the process is going to be so laborious. It’s not. They come into our office for the initial meeting, we sit and talk and gather their information. After that, the documents are signed and the client leaves our office absolutely thrilled with their new estate plan.