Charlene L. Usher holds the distinction of being the Founding President of the Richard T. Fields Bar Association, Inc., a credential that reflects both her tenure in California estate law and her standing among peers in the legal community. Through ULG LAW APC, the firm she leads as Principal and Managing Attorney, Usher brings bar membership dating to 1997 and court admissions that extend from California state courts to the U.S. Supreme Court. The firm operates from Brea, California, in the heart of the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley region, serving individuals, families, business owners, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists who need estate planning counsel.
Practice Areas
Estate Planning
The firm’s primary work centers on constructing strategies to address two interconnected concerns: what happens during an owner’s incapacity, and what happens to their assets after death. Usher structures plans using trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and related instruments calibrated to each client’s situation. The firm serves a range of clients, from individuals building their first plan to business owners and philanthropists with layered holdings. No fee is quoted before an initial consultation because, as the firm states, the scope of each engagement must be understood before pricing is meaningful.
Probate Administration
When a California decedent leaves non-trust assets exceeding approximately $200,000, the estate typically must pass through probate court. ULG LAW APC guides families through that process, which involves collecting and managing estate assets, satisfying debts and taxes, and distributing what remains to beneficiaries. California probate proceedings generally take two years or longer, and the firm helps families understand each stage and what is required of them.
Trust Administration
Establishing a trust does not eliminate the legal responsibilities that follow a trustor’s death or incapacity. Trustees must act in accordance with statutory duties and the terms of the instrument itself. The firm assists trustees in understanding and carrying out those duties, reducing the risk of personal liability that can follow mismanagement.
Special Needs Trusts
Leaving assets directly to a beneficiary who receives Supplemental Security Income or Medicaid can disqualify them from those programs. A properly structured special needs trust supplements a beneficiary’s care without triggering that loss of benefits. The firm designs these instruments as part of broader estate plans for families whose planning must account for a member with a disability.
Business Succession Planning
Business owners face a distinct planning challenge: maintaining operations during an incapacity while also planning for eventual retirement or ownership transfer. ULG LAW APC addresses both through succession strategies tailored to each business structure and the owner’s personal and professional objectives.
Attorney Profile
Charlene L. Usher, J.D. holds a law degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law and an undergraduate degree in Business from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She was admitted to the California State Bar in 1997. Her court admissions include the California Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit, and U.S. Supreme Court.
Outside her client practice, Usher serves as Founding President of the Richard T. Fields Bar Association, Inc. and holds active membership in WealthCounsel LLC, described by the organization as the nation’s premier community of estate planning attorneys. She speaks at professional conferences on estate planning topics, a practice that keeps her current on legal developments and allows her to share knowledge with both colleagues and clients.
Barbara Montgomery serves as Client Services Director, managing client intake and coordination at the firm.
Location and Service Area
The firm’s office is at 135 S. State College Blvd #200, Brea, CA 92821. Charlene Usher is licensed to practice in California and is admitted before the U.S. Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit, the California Supreme Court, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Phone: (877) 748-7437 / (909) 865-8389
Website: www.usherlawgroup.com/
Client Approach and Consultations
ULG LAW APC describes itself as a boutique practice that emphasizes personalized, collaborative engagement. The firm does not quote fees until after an initial consultation, when the scope of what a client needs is established. Free consultations can be scheduled through the firm’s website. The firm serves individuals and families alongside business owners, entrepreneurs, and those with philanthropic intentions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Charlene Usher practice any area of law other than estate planning?
The firm’s practice centers on estate planning, probate administration, trust administration, special needs trusts, and business succession planning. These areas are tightly related and are treated as an integrated body of work rather than separate specialties.
What triggers the need for probate in California?
California generally requires probate when a decedent leaves non-trust assets valued above approximately $200,000. Assets held in a properly funded trust, joint tenancy property, and accounts with named beneficiaries typically bypass probate.
Why does ULG LAW APC not provide fee quotes before a consultation?
The firm’s position is that no two clients have identical circumstances. The cost of an estate plan depends on the complexity of the assets involved, the goals the client brings, and the instruments required to accomplish them. A consultation is the firm’s method of understanding that scope before pricing the work.
What is WealthCounsel LLC, and why does Charlene Usher’s membership matter?
WealthCounsel LLC is a national organization that provides estate planning attorneys with drafting software, continuing education, and peer collaboration resources. Membership reflects both technical proficiency and ongoing engagement with developments in the field.
Can the firm help someone who already has a trust but has not kept it current?
Trust administration and estate plan maintenance are part of the firm’s services. If a trust was drafted years ago and no longer reflects the client’s assets, family situation, or legal changes, the firm can review the existing documents and advise on what updates are needed.
Closing Note
Brea, California serves as the base for a practice that spans California state courts to the U.S. Supreme Court in terms of admissions. Charlene Usher’s three decades of bar membership, combined with her active role in professional organizations including the Richard T. Fields Bar Association and WealthCounsel LLC, position ULG LAW APC as a resource for clients whose estate planning needs go beyond filling in standard forms. Consultations are available at no charge and can be scheduled through www.usherlawgroup.com/