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Carmen Alberio, Esq. is a recognized expert in the field of Probate, Estates and Trusts law, with 36 years of experience as a Probate Attorney for the Los Angeles Superior Court. During her tenure at the Court, Ms. Alberio gained extensive experience handling complex contested matters in the areas of wills, trusts, estate administration, conservatorships, guardianships, elder abuse claims, and special needs trusts.

As a Probate Attorney for the Court, Ms. Alberio worked closely with over 55 judges presiding over probate matters, providing instrumental assistance with the preparation and review of matters coming up for hearing. She extensively reviewed and analyzed thousands of probate cases dealing with real property disputes, interpretations of wills and trusts, breaches of fiduciary duties by executors, trustees and conservators, heirship petitions, and many other probate-related matters. Among the many judges that Ms. Alberio had the pleasure of working with at the Court is Hon. Craig D. Karlan (Ret.), and she is thrilled to be teaming up with him again at ADR Services, Inc. to co-mediate probate, estates and trusts matters.

Ms. Alberio is highly respected in the legal community for her knowledge, skill, and professionalism. She is regularly requested as a frequent panelist and speaker on a variety of probate topics for local bar associations in Los Angeles County. She also served as Education Chair for the California Lawyers Association’s Trusts and Estates Section Executive Committee and planned educational programs for its Annual Meeting.

Ms. Alberio is the recipient of numerous awards in recognition of her contributions to the legal profession, including the 2022 Timothy A. Whitehouse Award from the Beverly Hills Bar Association. This award honors an individual who has improved judicial services to the public-at- large and has furthered the goals of fair and efficient administration of justice within the Probate Court. Ms. Alberio was also awarded the 2003 Timothy A. Whitehouse Award, making her the first two-time winner of this prestigious award.

In 2021, Ms. Alberio received the coveted Arthur K. Marshall Award from the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Trusts and Estates Section. This award was established to honor a leader of the Los Angeles probate bar who has made an outstanding contribution to the legal profession in the field of probate and trust law, either through education of the probate and trust bar, advancement of knowledge through publication of significant writings, or in public service to the bar and the community. This award is an excellent testament to Ms. Alberio’s distinguished career and contributions to probate law.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Contested Accountings
• Trust and Estate Administration Disputes
• Real Property Transfers
• Breach of Fiduciary Duty
• Trust Contests
• Contested Conservatorships 
• Will Contests

HONORS AND AWARDS

• 2022 Timothy A. Whitehouse Award, Beverly Hills Bar Association 
• 2021 Arthur K. Marshall Award, Los Angeles County Bar Association 
• 2017 Hon. William E. McFadden Award, South Bay Bar Association 
• 2013 Recognition of Service Award, Santa Monica Bar Association 
• 2006 Woman of the Year Award, South Bay Bar Association
• 2003 Timothy A. Whitehouse Award, Beverly Hills Bar Association
• 1993 Certificate of Appreciation, Pepperdine University School of Law
• 1987 Certificate of Appreciation, South Bay Legal Secretaries Association
• Recipient of the Meritorious Service Award, Kidney Foundation of Southern California

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Probate Attorney for the Los Angeles Superior Court, 1985-2021

EDUCATION

• Pepperdine University, Caruso School of Law, Juris Doctor
• Marymount College, Bachelor of Arts
• Mediation Training: “Mediating the Litigated Case”, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University, Caruso School of Law (40 hours), July 31-August 4, 2023

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

California Lawyers Association, Trust and Estates Section, Executive Committee, 2002-2007 

• Membership Co-Chair
• Education Chair

Los Angeles County Bar Association

• Barristers Executive Committee, 1984-1985
• Barristers Membership Co-Chair, 1982-1984
• Barristers Newsletter Co-Chair and Co-Editor, 1985-1986

Pepperdine University Alumni Board, 1989-1993

Hon. Benjamin Aranda American Inns of Court, 1996-2001 

• Executive Committee
• Membership Co-Chair

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

• CEB: Fundamentals of Probate Estate Administration, November 1996

• Frequent speaker on various probate topics for the Beverly Hills Bar Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Santa Monica Bar Association, South Bay Bar Association, Long Beach Bar Association, Los Angeles Paralegal Association, and South Bay Legal Secretaries Association.

PUBLICATIONS

“Private Real Property Sales in Probate Proceedings - Let the Seller Beware,” California Trusts and Estates Quarterly, Volume 11, Issue 4, Winter 2005

“Drafting Readable Petitions for Court Review,” California Trusts and Estates Quarterly, Volume 10, Issue 1, Spring 2004