Calvin A. Slater holds California Board of Legal Specialization certification as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, a designation maintained through demonstrated expertise and periodic recertification. He also holds an M.S. in Economics from UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management, a John M. Olin Fellowship Award in Economics and Law, a B.S. in Real Estate and Finance from the USC School of Business Administration, and his J.D. from UCLA School of Law, where he was admitted to the California Bar in 1981. He has been recognized as a California Super Lawyer, placing him in the top five percent of California attorneys, every year since 2011. He is also the co-author of “For California Doctors, A Guide for Asset Protection Tax and Estate Planning,” published by Guardian Publishing. The Pasadena firm he co-leads has operated for more than forty years.
Overview
Slater Cosme, PC operates from Suite 920 at 300 North Lake Avenue in Pasadena, serving Los Angeles County clients in estate planning, asset protection, trust and estate administration, trust and estate litigation, business planning, real estate planning, and mediation.
The firm’s client base is specifically identified: entrepreneurs, real estate investors, physicians, and affluent families. This is not a general estate planning firm that occasionally handles complex matters. The practice is oriented toward clients with more complex planning needs, including advanced trust structures, business succession, and asset protection from litigation exposure.
The attorney team reflects this orientation. Calvin Slater’s board certification, Super Lawyers recognition, economics graduate degree, and published authorship represent the kind of accumulated credential profile associated with a practice focused on sophisticated clients. Vaughn A. Blackman graduated Order of the Coif from UC Davis School of Law, served as Senior Articles Editor of the UC Davis Law Review, and clerked in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California before joining the firm. The depth across the attorney team is consistent with the complexity of the matters the firm handles.
The firm holds a Martindale-Hubbell AV rating.
Practice Areas
Advanced Estate Planning is the firm’s signature work. Beyond standard wills and trusts, the firm structures Dynasty Trusts for multi-generational wealth transfer, Family Limited Liability Companies for family wealth management and asset protection, Qualified Personal Residence Trusts for the tax-efficient transfer of real estate, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts for estate liquidity and tax planning, and Charitable Remainder Trusts for clients with philanthropic goals alongside estate planning needs. Each of these instruments requires technical knowledge to draft and structure correctly, and the appropriate tool depends on the specific combination of assets, family situation, tax exposure, and planning objectives.
Standard Estate Planning covers foundational documents: wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney, and health care directives. Even standard plans are developed with attention to the tax and asset protection dimensions that the firm’s advanced planning work addresses.
Asset Protection planning structures client assets to reduce vulnerability to creditors and litigation. This is a distinct planning discipline from estate planning, though the two are often integrated. Physicians and entrepreneurs, two of the firm’s identified client segments, face elevated professional liability exposure that makes asset protection planning particularly relevant.
Trust and Estate Administration (Probate and Settlement) covers the administration of trusts and estates following death, including the California probate process for assets that require it and private trust settlement for assets held in trust.
Trust and Estate Litigation handles contested trust and estate matters. This is a specialized area that requires both estate law knowledge and litigation capability. The firm handles trust and estate disputes through both litigation and alternative dispute resolution.
Mediation and Arbitration provide alternative dispute resolution options for trust, estate, and business disputes.
Business Planning covers formation, maintenance, and succession for closely held businesses. For entrepreneurs and business owners, business planning is typically integrated with estate planning and asset protection.
Real Estate Planning serves real estate investors and owners with the legal planning dimensions of real estate ownership, including how real estate is held, transferred, and protected.
Attorney Profiles
Calvin A. Slater is a Partner and founding attorney.
Education: B.S. in Real Estate and Finance, USC School of Business Administration; J.D., UCLA School of Law (admitted California Bar 1981); M.S. in Economics, UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management. John M. Olin Fellowship Award in Economics and Law.
Bar admission: California, Bar No. 101364.
Certification: California Board of Legal Specialization Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law.
Recognition: Martindale-Hubbell AV rating (highest designation); California Super Lawyers (top 5% of California attorneys) every year since 2011.
Published work: Co-author, “For California Doctors, A Guide for Asset Protection Tax and Estate Planning,” Guardian Publishing.
Vida Velez Cosme is a Partner.
Bar admission: California, Bar No. 216128.
Practice focus: Estate planning with a reputation for thorough and personalized plans tailored to each client’s specific goals. Additional credential details are not publicly available.
E. Nicole Ball is an Attorney.
Practice focus: Trust, estate, and probate administration; asset protection planning; general business transactions.
Bar admission: California. Specific bar number not found in public sources.
Vaughn A. Blackman is an Attorney.
Education: B.A. summa cum laude, Boston University, 2007; J.D., Order of the Coif, UC Davis School of Law, 2010. Senior Articles Editor, UC Davis Law Review. Law Clerk, Civil Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
Bar admission: California, Bar No. 273873.
Teny Nazari is an Attorney.
Bar admission: California. Additional credential details are not publicly available.
Location and Service Area
Office: 300 North Lake Avenue, Suite 920, Pasadena, CA 91101.
Phone: (626) 795-1600.
Website: slatercosme.com/
Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Service area: Los Angeles County, California, based in Pasadena.
Client Focus
Slater Cosme serves entrepreneurs, real estate investors, physicians, and affluent families with estate planning and asset protection needs. The firm’s stated approach is to limit its practice to six core areas in order to maintain specialized expertise in each, rather than expanding into unrelated legal fields.
Whether initial consultations are provided without charge is not publicly specified.
Languages spoken beyond English are not publicly available. Fee structures are not publicly specified.
FAQ
What is the California Board of Legal Specialization, and why does Calvin Slater’s certification matter?
The California Board of Legal Specialization issues specialist certifications to attorneys who demonstrate concentrated expertise, pass a rigorous examination, and maintain ongoing education in the designated area. Certified Specialists in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law represent a small percentage of California attorneys. Calvin Slater has held this certification alongside his AV Martindale-Hubbell rating and continuous Super Lawyers recognition since 2011.
Does the firm handle complex trust structures beyond standard wills and trusts?
Yes. The firm structures Dynasty Trusts, Family Limited Liability Companies, Qualified Personal Residence Trusts, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts, and Charitable Remainder Trusts. These are advanced planning instruments used for sophisticated estate, tax, and asset protection planning.
Does the firm handle trust and estate litigation?
Yes. The firm handles contested trust and estate matters through litigation and alternative dispute resolution. Calvin Slater also provides mediation and arbitration services for these disputes.
What types of clients does the firm primarily serve?
The firm identifies its primary client segments as entrepreneurs, real estate investors, physicians, and affluent families. These groups share elevated needs for asset protection planning, business succession, and complex estate planning.
Does Calvin Slater have published credentials beyond legal practice?
Yes. He is the co-author of “For California Doctors, A Guide for Asset Protection Tax and Estate Planning,” published by Guardian Publishing, which reflects his expertise in the specific intersection of medical professional liability, asset protection, and estate planning.
Closing
Slater Cosme’s forty-year Pasadena practice, Calvin Slater’s board certification and sustained Super Lawyers recognition, and the depth of the attorney team reflected by Vaughn Blackman’s Order of the Coif graduation and federal clerkship experience collectively reflect a firm operating at the sophisticated end of the California estate planning market. For Los Angeles County clients with complex planning needs across estate, asset protection, business, and real estate dimensions, the firm’s specific expertise and multi-attorney depth address those needs within a single practice.