Partner
Christine M. Chacon
Best Best & Krieger Partner Christine M. Chacon practices in the areas of probate and trust administration, and estate planning. She has extensive estate planning experience in the areas of trusts, wills, powers of attorney and health care directives. Christine represents individuals at every phase of life, including trustees, professional fiduciaries, beneficiaries and families. She is approachable and forward-thinking in her practice, always working to provide guidance that aligns with today’s high-tech, fast-paced society.
In her role, Christine enjoys being a resource and voice of reason for clients in times that can be difficult and overwhelming. Her clients range from young families to established adults and represent a variety of industries, demographics and financial standings. She takes a personal and empathetic approach to every client matter, with the client’s wellbeing and perspective always at the forefront. Although Christine is based in San Diego, she also serves clients in Riverside and Indian Wells.
Before joining BBK, Christine was with Walsh Law Firm, A.P.C. Having practiced law for over a decade, she first became interested in the legal field while working for the workforce management company Kronos, Inc. Christine enjoyed and excelled at the transactional work, and decided to attend law school; thereafter she has worked exclusively in the area of trusts and estates. Her range of business and legal experience has provided her with the insight to plan effectively for her clients and apply a personal understanding of their needs. She is also a recognized thought leader in her field, and contributes to Probate Attorneys of San Diego, Probate Handbook, “Wills” chapter annually.
Christine is a California native who enjoys spending time with her family, the outdoors and travel.
- Achieves trust settlement agreements outside of court to resolve internal trust matters, or in-kind and differing distributions of beneficiaries.
- Prepares and resolves fiduciary accountings to protect trustee, provide transparency to beneficiaries and achieve distribution of trust estates.
- Handles successful probate administrations in probate courts throughout California.
- Successfully handles Heggstad petitions and Spousal Property Petitions to court resulting in avoidance of probate of estates; handles additional trust and probate code Section 17200 petitions in court, including, but not limited to, Petitions for Instructions, Petition to Appoint Trustees, and Modification and Termination of Trusts.
- Achieved distribution of life insurance policy to trust, thereby avoiding probate when trust document itself was missing by submitting evidence that trust did in fact exist.
- Amicably resolved distribution of decedent’s probate estate when family learned of pretermitted heir—decedent’s child who was previously unknown by the family and legally entitled to a share of the estate.
- Amicably resolved sibling dispute prior to filing Petition for parent’s probate, presenting Agreement to court at time of filing Petition thereby preventing will contest, receiving thanks from the judge and family.
- San Diego Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Estate & Probate, 2024
- JD Supra Readers' Choice Top Article, 2021
- San Diego County Bar Association, Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law and Business & Corporate Law Sections
- California Lawyers Association Trusts and Estates Section
- Probate Attorneys of San Diego
- KPBS Planned Giving Committee
- Vista Chamber of Commerce
- Boys & Girls Club of Vista Foundation, Trustee
Publications
- “Caring for Four-Legged Family Members in the Long-Term: Providing for Pets in Your Estate Plan,” Whittier Trust newsletter, Nov. 20, 2023
- “Converting Existing Entity to LLC,” chapter update co-author for Continuing Education of the Bar publication, “Selecting and Forming Business Entities,” 2011-2016
Presentations
- “Strategies to Protect Owners’ Business, Legacy, Insurance and Life Planning,” Inland Empire Business Owners Forum, Sept. 26, 2024
- “A New Year, A New Plan – An Estate Planning Refresher,” BB&K Monthly MCLE Training Program, Feb. 10, 2021
- “Planting the Seed: Estate Planning 101,” Virtual Event, KPBS, Jan. 23, 2021
- Helen Woodward Animal Center Planned Giving Lunches, guest speaker, 2021-2022
