About Us
Meet Julie Ann Sowards, ESQ. & LL.M – TAX
A Well-Rounded Advisor You Can Trust
It takes a sharp mind and a meticulous spirit to make sure a living trust is perfectly tailored to each client. That’s one reason why Julie has been so successful as an Estate Planning and Trust Administration Attorney for over a decade. Her ability to see around corners, close loopholes, and implement advantageous legal estate planning and tax strategies is a hallmark of her practice.
Above all, Julie understands that a cookie-cutter approach to estate planning simply won’t work and that every living trust must meet the specific needs of the individual client. It’s that kind of scrupulous devotion and keen understanding of the Law that makes her the best at what she does.
Academics & Experience
A graduate of Lincoln Law School in San Jose, with a separate Masters of Law (LLM) in Tax Law and Taxation from the Villanova University School of Law, Julie worked as a paralegal before becoming an attorney. While at Lincoln, she was awarded the Cynthia Ware Young Scholarship, given to the student in the school of law program who shows the most character, perseverance, and compassion.
When working with people one-on-one to develop their estate plans, Julie also utilizes the skills she learned as a communications major at California State University, Long Beach, where she earned her bachelor’s degree.
In addition to her expertise in estate planning and complex trusts, Julie has extensive experience in special needs trusts, charitable remainder trusts, and irrevocable asset protection trusts. Julie is adept at handling all aspects of trust administration and often serves as a Trust Protector. She’s passionate about preparing a client’s trust and representing the trustee(s) during trust administration.
Yangxue Gao2024-02-08I had a very positive experience working with Julie. She provided excellent service and demonstrated a strong understanding of trusts and estate planning. Julie and her assistant Kelsey guided me through the process smoothly and ensured that all my questions were answered thoroughly. I appreciate their professionalism and would recommend their services to others seeking trust-related legal assistance.
Sunny Hy2024-01-29Working with Julie Ann was a great experience. We had her help us with our trust and tailored it to what we needed/wanted and followed up quickly and promptly, giving us peace of mind throughout the process. It was done within a reasonable time and cost. I would highly recommend her and her team if you were looking to get a trust for you and your family.
Chris Johnson2024-01-13Julie has helped me both personally and professionally for more than a decade. During those years Julie has shown herself as a great listener while presenting intelligent options and sound legal advice for both my family and my clients in their estate planning process. She has never disappointed. I'll continue to refer my friends, family and clients for a great experience!
Andy B2024-01-11Julie helped my wife and I secure our future with a Living Trust as well as a Post-Nuptial agreement. Julie was thoughtful and thorough in gaining an understanding of our specific needs and interests; was effective at translating complex legal-ese into something we understood; and was prompt and efficient in providing the final product. Kelsey supported this process as a legal assistant and was proactively communicative; ensured we had all necessary files, forms, and ephemera necessary to successfully complete what would otherwise be a confusing process. They are an great team and are highly recommended.
Ryan Lam2024-01-11Julie and her team were great to work with throughout the entire estate planning process. They were very understanding of our goals and always took the time to guide us through the complex information. After sharing my experience with friends and family, I have already had people asking for an introduction to Julie and her team!
Richard Ho2023-11-25Julie handled our estate planning needs very professionally. She has a lot of knowledge and experience and helped us understand the changes to the law that have happened since we last looked at estate planning. She is so calming and very patient to answer questions and make sure we understood everything. Her staff are super helpful and very friendly and accommodating. Highly recommended!
Barry2023-10-30I engaged the services of Ms. Sowards in July of 2022 for the purpose of drawing up my will and establishing my living trust. She carried these out to the highest standards, thus relieving me of a major concern. I highly recommend her to my friends, acquaintances, and anyone else who need this done.
Jerry Young2023-10-30Julie was phenomenal in helping me administer my great grandfathers trust. Her steps were easy to follow and I look forward to forming my own trust with her.
Kyra Leonard
Paralegal
Trusts and Estate Plan documents, as well as Probate and Trust Administration.
She is knowledgeable in real estate transactions from trust transfer deeds to transferring title of the real estate to the trust beneficiaries.
Maureen Dela Cueva
Legal assistant
