Julie King

With 30+ years’ experience, Julie King practices law with the highest standards of ethics and professionalism. She is easy to speak with and talks in plain English (not legalese). Julie handles a wide variety of estate planning and business matters including: (1) ESTATE PLANNING - wills and trusts, health care directives, powers of attorney, special needs trusts, pet trusts, grant deeds and more; and (2) BUSINESS LAW - corporation/LLC/partnership formation, annual meeting minutes, corporate records, contracts, and employee training.

Julie served as in-house counsel to major international corporations, including Toshiba America, where she worked for 15 years and hired lawyers throughout the world. She has been a "client", so she understands clients' needs in a way many lawyers do not. Contact Julie today and see the difference!

Call or email today for a FREE initial consultation! (831) 275-1002 Julie@PierceKingLaw.com

• Form Corporations, LLCs and Partnerships
• Business Transactions & Contracts
• Trusts, Wills, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directives
• Real Estate Grant Deeds and Related Documentation

• Free Consultation
• Credit Cards Accepted
• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  Pierce King, P.C. bills hourly or charges a flat fee, depending on the type of matter.

California

Since 1987

Founding Attorney

Pierce King, P.C., a Professional Law Corporation

2012 - Current

BUSINESS LAW - Negotiating and drafting a variety of complex business contracts, including an international Private Cloud Infrastructure and Management Services Agreement and a Funding Agreement involving the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. - Forming C and S Corporations, LLCs and Partnerships, and drafting documents related thereto, such as Buy-Sell and Operating Agreements, Bylaws, Annual Meeting Minutes and Board Resolutions. ESTATE PLANNING - Drafting a variety of wills and trusts (including Revocable Living Trusts, Special Needs Trusts and Pet Trusts), Health Care Directives and Durable Powers of Attorney, as well as Grant Deeds and other documentation relating to funding trusts. - Counseling clients in Trust Administration matters - Preparing, filing and representing clients in Probate actions

Director, Contracts and Intellectual Property

CTB/McGraw-Hill LLC

2007 - 2012

Assistant General Counsel

Toshiba America

1991 - 2006

Julie was an in-house counsel for Toshiba for 15 years and handled a wide variety of matters for the corporation. She helped the Human Resources Dept. with employment matters and policy drafting, the Sales Dept. with contracts, the Finance Dept. with guaranties, and anyone else in the company who needed assistance in any area of law. She would be honored to do the same for you. Call today!

Univ of California at Los Angeles

Undergraduate Degree

Loyola Law School

Law Degree

BEST LAWYER IN MONTEREY COUNTY

Monterey Herald Readers' Poll

2024

BEST LAWYER IN MONTEREY COUNTY

Monterey Herald Readers' Poll

2023

BEST LAW FIRM IN MONTEREY COUNTY

Monterey Herald Readers' Poll

2023

Volunteer of the Year

Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce

2023

BEST LAWYER IN MONTEREY COUNTY

Monterey Herald Readers' Poll

2021

IMPOWER (Businesswomen inspiring each other and helping our community)

Vice President of the Board of Directors

2021 - Current

Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce

Ambassador

2014 - Current

Monterey County Bar Association

Member

2007 - Current

California State Bar  # 132813

Member

1987 - Current

Central Coast Human Resources Association

Member of the Board of Directors

2019 - 2022

License to Practice Law

California Bar Association

Q. Can I take LLC membership title as community property from trust in CA?

February 28, 2025

A: It is a common mistake for a beneficiary (the person who benefits from a trust by receiving an inheritance) to believe that an asset belongs to them even though it is still located in another person’s trust. But, while the asset is in another person’s trust, the asset belongs to the trust. It does not belong to a beneficiary until the asset is removed from the trust and handed to the beneficiary. Further, all assets must be removed from a trust by the currently serving Trustee (the title of the person who has the legal right to handle assets in a trust), but the Trustee must follow the terms of the trust as to how that asset may be taken out of the trust. So, even if a beneficiary wanted to change title or swap assets with another beneficiary, they cannot do so until the asset is removed from the trust and handed to them. That’s because beneficiaries cannot control or change an asset they don’t own. And, again, the beneficiary doesn’t own an asset until it is taken out of the trust and given to them by the trustee. After that point, the beneficiary can do whatever they want with the asset so long as it is legal or, in the case of a corporation or partnership, so long as it complies with the Bylaws and Buy-Sell or Operating Agreement. I hope that helps! ... Read More

Q. Cost of setting up a trust in California for home and investments

February 22, 2025

A: It depends on where you are located. I have friends in Orange County who charge $7,500 and up for two people. I’m in Monterey County and we are closer to $5,000 for a married couple or registered domestic partnership. Be sure to ask what you get for that cost. My firm, for example, gives 12-20 documents for our fee, depending on the clients’ situation, but that comes with one grant deed to place a home, building or vacant lot into the trust. The more real estate a person owns usually increases the cost simply because it involves more work.

My firm offers a flat/set fee for new estate plans, so the cost does not change if you ask 5 or 20 questions. However, most estate planning lawyers have moved away from flat fees because sometimes lawyers make money and other times they don’t. (There’s a lot of work that goes into the documents!) Many lawyers now charge by the hour, which means the more time you take, the higher the cost. So be sure to ask if the fee is a flat/set fee or if you are billed hourly, and find out what you’ll get for that price , so you can compare apples to apples. Best wishes! ... Read More

Q. How to get legal authority for burial changes with incapacitated parent in CA?

February 21, 2025

A: Once someone has lost their mental capacity from a legal standpoint (a physician should make that determination in writing), then the only way to make decisions for the incapacitated person is to become their conservator. I no longer handle conservatorships, but there are plenty of lawyers on Justia who do. Also, be careful about removing someone’s remains. There are laws on that subject.

Best wishes!