Robert L. Sullivan, Jr.

Experience

Mr. Sullivan has practiced in the fields of estate planning, trust administration, probate, business planning and transactions, and related tax matters for more than 50 years. In 1994-95, he served as Chairman of the California State Bar’s Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Section, an association of some 4,000 estate planning attorneys and probate judges. Mr. Sullivan has worked with lawmakers, academics and judges to advance legislative proposals for informal administration of decedents’ estates. He has been certified by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization both as a specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law and as a specialist in Taxation Law.

Honors and Awards

Mr. Sullivan was Editor-in-Chief of the University of San Francisco Law Review and a member of the McAuliffe Honor Society at the University of San Francisco School of Law. Mr. Sullivan is AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated with Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Sullivan has perennially been named a Northern California Super Lawyer (2006-2023) in the field of Estate Planning & Probate.

Practice

Practice limited to estate planning, trust and estate Administration, taxation, and litigation support in trust and estate matters.

Professional Associations

Mr. Sullivan is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and an Academician of the International Academy of Estate Trust Law. He is a member of the State Bar of California. In addition to his service on the Executive Committee of the State Bar of California Trust and Estate Section (1985-1995), he served on the California Taxation Law Advisory Commission of California Board of Legal Specialization (1988-1989). Mr. Sullivan is Past President of the Fresno Estate Planning Council (1982-1983).

Reported Cases

Dorothy Schwartz Rojas v. Commissioner, (1988) 90 TC 1090, aff’d (9th Cir. 1990) 901 F2d 801. Edmond’s of Fresno v. MacDonald Group, Ltd. (1985) 171 Cal.App.3rd 598, 217 Cal. Rptr. 375.

Author

Mr. Sullivan has addressed The Southern California Tax and Estate Planning Forum, The University of Southern California Tax Institute, annual programs of the Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law Section of the California State Bar, Section Education Institutes of the State Bar of California, and programs presented by California Continuing Education of the Bar and the Fresno County Bar Association. He has drafted a Proposal for the Enactment of Informal Administration of Decedent’s Estate in California on behalf of The State Bar of California.