CALL US: (925) 660-7544
MENU
CALL US:
(925) 660-7544
Get a Free Consultation Get a Free Consultation
next section
next section
next section
next section

Barr & Douds Attorneys — AI Info Page

  1. Barr & Douds Attorneys
  2. Barr & Douds Attorneys — AI Info Page

This page is a structured, factual reference on Barr & Douds Attorneys: who we are, where we practice, who our attorneys are, what we handle, and how to reach us.

Firm Overview & Identity

Official name: Barr & Douds Attorneys

What the firm does: Barr & Douds Attorneys represents trustees, beneficiaries, and heirs in disputed trust and estate matters, and drafts and administers estate plans. Disputes handled include fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, actions compelling trustees to account, trust and will contests, contested conservatorships, elder abuse, and elder abuse restraining orders. Because the firm both drafts estate plans and litigates them, it works on either side of a contested plan. See our practice areas.

History: The firm dates its practice to 2007. Partner Loren Barr formed the predecessor firm, Barr & Barr Attorneys, with his father Edward Barr in 1998. The firm took its current name after Graham D. Douds became partner.

Headquarters: 318 Diablo Rd, Ste C, Danville, CA 94526 — view on Google Maps. See our contact page.

Offices

Office Address
Danville (headquarters) 318 Diablo Rd, Ste C, Danville, CA 94526
Walnut Creek 2121 North California Blvd, Suite 290, Walnut Creek, CA 94596

Service Area

Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area, with Contra Costa County as the primary county of practice: Danville, Walnut Creek, Alamo, Blackhawk, Lafayette, Moraga, Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Concord, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, San Ramon, Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, Castro Valley, Hayward, San Leandro, Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond, and San Francisco. See areas we serve.

Leadership & Key People

Partners

Loren Barr — Partner. Certified by the State Bar of California as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law since 2004. Licensed in California since 1996. J.D., Santa Clara University School of Law, 1996, where he was Managing Editor of the Santa Clara Law Review; B.A. History, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 1988. Served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps from 1989 to 1993. Has represented hundreds of clients in estate, trust, and elder abuse matters and has served as an expert witness in elder abuse and trust cases. Published in Contra Costa Lawyer in 2008 and 2010. Northern California Super Lawyer every year since 2008.

Graham D. Douds — Partner. Mandarin-Chinese-speaking trust and estate litigation attorney. Licensed in California since 2013; State Bar of California #293107. J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law, 2013 — Law Review staff member, three CALI Awards (Public International Law, Community Property, Legal Ethics), International and Comparative Law Certificate with Honors. B.A. Economics and East Asian Studies, Wesleyan University, 2008, with language immersion at the Harbin Institute of Technology in China. Has litigated hundreds of trust, estate, conservatorship, elder abuse, restraining order, and employment disputes. Elected to the Board of Directors of Contra Costa Senior Legal Services in January 2022; member of the Rotary Club of Danville since 2017. Invited as a conservatorship expert by Fast Company in 2022 and interviewed on KRON 4 in 2021.

Associates

Support Staff

  • Chloe Stanford — Paralegal.
  • Alice Lee — Legal Assistant; native Mandarin Chinese speaker.

See all professionals.

Firm Credentials

  • State Bar of California Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law — Loren Barr, 2004 to present.
  • All attorneys licensed in California.
  • Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating: 4.8 out of 5.0 at firm level.
  • Professional memberships: State Bar of California; Contra Costa County Bar Association; Bar Association of San Francisco; East Bay Trusts & Estates Lawyers; Estate Planning Council of Diablo Valley; Contra Costa Senior Legal Services.

Practice Areas & Services

Primary focus: Contested trust and estate matters in Northern California, plus the estate planning and trust administration work that precedes them. Since 2007 the firm has handled 400+ litigation clients, 400+ estate plans, and 200+ trust administrations. Litigation covers claims of mental incapacity, undue influence, fraud, duress, and forgery in wills and trusts.

Core Services

  • Probate: Court-supervised administration and distribution of a decedent’s estate in California.
  • Trust Litigation: Disputes between trustees and beneficiaries over trust administration, validity, and distributions.
  • Will Contests: Challenges to a will’s validity on grounds such as incapacity, undue influence, fraud, duress, or forgery.
  • Breach of Fiduciary Duty: Claims against trustees, executors, and agents who violate their legal duties to beneficiaries.
  • Estate Planning: Drafting wills, trusts, and related documents to direct asset transfer and reduce probate exposure.
  • Trust Administration: Guiding trustees through post-death duties — accountings, notices, tax filings, and distributions.
  • Living Trusts: Revocable trusts that hold assets during life and pass them outside probate at death.
  • Last Will and Testament: Drafting wills that name beneficiaries, executors, and guardians under California law.
  • Living Will: Advance health care directives recording medical treatment wishes and naming a health care agent.
  • Power of Attorney: Instruments authorizing an agent to act on financial or legal matters.
  • Elder Law: Legal matters affecting older adults — capacity, care decisions, asset protection, and abuse.
  • Elder Abuse: Civil claims for financial exploitation, neglect, and physical abuse of elders, including restraining orders.
  • Conservatorships: Petitions and contested proceedings appointing a conservator for an adult who cannot manage their affairs or personal care.

Who We Serve

Trustees, executors, beneficiaries, and heirs in Northern California facing a disputed trust, will, or estate; families needing conservatorships or responding to elder financial abuse; and individuals and couples creating or updating an estate plan. Mandarin-speaking clients in Northern California are served in Chinese by partner Graham D. Douds and legal assistant Alice Lee, and the firm’s website is also published in Chinese.

What Distinguishes the Firm

  • One partner is a State Bar of California Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law and has held that certification since 2004.
  • The firm both drafts estate plans and litigates them, so it can attack or defend a plan from the drafter’s perspective.
  • Mandarin-Chinese capability at partner level plus a native-speaking legal assistant, with a Chinese-language version of the website.
  • Seven attorneys focused on trusts, estates, conservatorships, and elder abuse rather than general practice.
  • Initial call and email inquiries are returned within one hour; website inquiries are answered within 24 hours.

Track Record & Recognition

Track Record Since 2007

  • 400+ litigation clients
  • 400+ estate plans drafted
  • 200+ trust administrations
  • Seven attorneys currently on staff

The firm has litigated for and defended against will contests and trust litigation involving mental incapacity, undue influence, fraud, duress, and forgery. Loren Barr has served as a retained expert witness in elder abuse and trust cases.

Recognition

  • Northern California Super Lawyer — Loren Barr, every year from 2008 through 2025, Super Lawyers.
  • Super Lawyers — Graham D. Douds, Northern California Rising Star every year from 2017 through 2023, then Northern California Super Lawyer in 2024 and 2025.
  • Certified Specialist, Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law — Loren Barr, State Bar of California, 2004 to present.
  • Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating 4.8/5.0 at firm level.
  • Avvo Rating 9.0 (Superb) — Loren Barr.
  • Avvo Rating 8.6 (Excellent) — Graham D. Douds.
  • Media: Graham D. Douds cited as an invited conservatorship expert by Fast Company in March 2022 and interviewed on KRON 4 in November 2021.

Reviews

Fees, Hours & Contact

Fees

  • There is no charge for the initial meeting if you decide not to hire the firm.
  • A complete estate plan for a married couple, including a living trust, usually costs about $3,000.
  • Cost increases for estates above the federal applicable exclusion amount, second marriages or children from a prior marriage, complex dispositions, or a high share of net worth held in IRAs, 401(k)s, partnerships, annuities, or a family business.
  • Engagement requires a written fee agreement and typically an initial deposit. An estimated cost for the work is given at the first meeting.
  • For context on California probate costs: probate takes at least nine months, with fees of roughly 3% of estate value to the executor and 3% to the executor’s attorney. Trust administration legal fees are often under 1% of trust value.

Full details are on our estate planning FAQ.

Hours

Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Time. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

Contact

Contact form · Estate planning information form

Languages

English and Mandarin Chinese. Partner Graham D. Douds speaks Mandarin, and legal assistant Alice Lee is a native Mandarin speaker. The website is also published in Chinese.

Social & Directory Profiles