CORCORAN SMITH LAW CORP.


You Built a Legacy. We'll Protect It.


California's Trusted Inheritance Dispute & Beneficiary Rights Attorneys — Serving the SF Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego & Beyond


Protecting Heirs & Beneficiaries Across California


Secure your future and build your legacy with Corcoran Smith Law Corp.   We offer expert legal counsel in Business Law, Real Estate, and Estate Planning, empowering you to make informed decisions and confidently achieve your goals. Our high-quality, accessible, and cost-effective services include tailored legal subscription plans, providing cost predictability for businesses and fostering long-term client relationships.

Corcoran Smith Law is a California law firm focused on protecting heirs, beneficiaries, and families in inheritance disputes and estate litigation. If you are dealing with a contested will, trust dispute, fiduciary misconduct, or a mismanaged estate, our attorneys provide clear legal strategies and aggressive representation to protect what is rightfully yours.


Our firm offers a unique Initial Case Assessment (ICA) — a flat-fee, in-depth legal analysis that gives you a clear understanding of your rights, claims, and options before you commit to costly litigation. This structured approach has helped California families make informed decisions about their inheritance.


In addition to inheritance disputes, we serve California businesses through our General Counsel subscription services, provide comprehensive estate planning for individuals and families, handle complex real estate transactions, and proudly advocate for military veterans seeking disability compensation.


With offices in San Francisco and Sacramento, we represent clients throughout California — including the SF Bay Area, Greater Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego, and coastal communities statewide.

General Counsel legal services for California businesses — Corcoran Smith Law
Contract negotiation and business law services — Corcoran Smith Law California
California civil litigation attorneys — courtroom representation by Corcoran Smith Law
Employment law services for California businesses — workplace legal compliance
Estate planning and elder law — protecting California families and their legacies
California inheritance dispute and beneficiary rights attorneys — trust litigation and estate fraud protection
Veterans disability compensation attorneys — founded by Army combat veteran Mark C. Smith
California real estate law — property transactions and dispute resolution attorneys

BOOK A FREE CONSULTATION

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At Corcoran Smith Law, we’re committed to providing value-driven legal services that secure both your professional and personal future. Our General Counsel Subscription Services offer ongoing legal support for businesses, with a focus on creating long-term value and trusted partnerships. Through our subscription model, we deliver Fortune 500-level legal expertise that’s accessible and personalized to fit the needs of businesses of all sizes.


We also provide custom Estate Planning solutions, carefully designed to protect personal assets and honor individual wishes with precision. Additionally, as part of our commitment to meaningful impact, we proudly dedicate a portion of our practice to Veterans Law—offering low-cost and pro bono legal support to military veterans seeking disability compensation and related assistance through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

A large white building with a dome on top of it

At Corcoran Smith Law, we provide value-driven legal services that protect your inheritance rights, secure your business, and preserve your personal legacy. Our Inheritance Disputes & Beneficiary Rights practice is one of the fastest-growing in California, helping heirs and beneficiaries navigate contested wills, trust disputes, probate litigation, and fiduciary misconduct. Through our Initial Case Assessment (ICA), we deliver clear legal strategies at a predictable flat fee—so you can understand your rights before committing to costly litigation.


Our General Counsel & Business Law Subscription Services provide ongoing legal support for businesses of all sizes. With Fortune 500-level expertise at a fraction of the cost, we serve as a trusted partner in contracts, compliance, negotiations, and dispute resolution.


We also specialize in customized Estate Planning solutions to protect assets and ensure your wishes are honored, along with meticulous Real Estate legal services to safeguard property transactions and investments.


As part of our mission, we proudly dedicate a portion of our practice to Veterans Law, offering affordable and pro bono representation for veterans seeking disability compensation and related benefits.


Protect your inheritance, your business, your family, and your legacy with experienced California attorneys on your side.

Recent Posts

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California Trustee Fiduciary Duties & Beneficiary Rights

By Mark Smith • February 15, 2026
Trustee won’t share information or provide an accounting? Learn California trustee fiduciary duties, beneficiary rights, and steps to compel action.
A man is walking away from a woman who is sitting on the stairs.

Divorce And Estate Planning: Protecting Your Legacy During Life's Transitions

By Nicholas Jacobs • January 24, 2025
First Thing to Do and What You Can't Do Divorce is more than a personal and emotional shift; it is a legal and financial shift that will substantially impact your estate plan. Without proper action, your assets may end up in the wrong hands. Therefore, there are steps that you must take if you are in the process of a divorce or are already divorced. The first step is to review your prior estate plan after your divorce. If your divorce is still pending, you cannot change your current estate plan, except for a few exceptions. The rationale is that your spouse likely has an interest in the assets of your estate plan. Our legal system does not want spouses shielding their assets until the divorce is final. This is particularly true in California because California is a community property state, meaning thatall assets acquired during the marriage, other than outside bequests or inheritances, belong equally to the spouses. However, you can generally still revoke your Last Will and Testament, but you can only create a new one if you only devise your separate property and have half interest in the community property. You can create a new trust if you don't fund it until the divorce is final. Funding means to put assets inside the trust, usually by changing the title to the asset to the name of the trust. As you can see, there are many legal nuances here.
A group of people are standing in front of a house looking at papers.

Top California Real Estate Contract Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

By Nicholas Jacobs • January 22, 2025
Purchasing a home or other property is among the most significant purchases a person can make. Real estate transactions are also complex and time-consuming. Therefore, it's critical you avoid the following real estate contract mistakes to ensure a smooth transaction: Failing to Disclose Known Defects Sellers are legally required to disclose any known material defects with the property. Disclosure is not optional. What I see as the most significant point of confusion is what is considered a material defect. So, what is a material defect? A material defect is an issue withthe property that could significantly impact the property's value or pose a danger to people. Even this definition may not be precise enough for some. Therefore, my advice would be to air on the side of disclosure. It's better than having the contract canceled or, worse, being sued later. Example: John is selling his home. John is aware that the basement of his house has a long history of flooding when it rains. John sells the home to Sally without disclosing the basement's history of flooding. Because the basement flooding is a material defect, Sally could recover damages from John for his failure to disclose.
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