Sherlock Lau, Associate Attorney
Juris Doctor, Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law. Works on estate planning, trust administration and probate matters.
Read Sherlock's background
Draft for attorney review
Estate planning and probate, here in Irvine
Planning ahead, or settling a loved one's trust or estate? We explain each step in plain language.
A+ rated by the Better Business BureauLicensed in California since 2006
A note from Evelyn
Welcome. My approach is simple: thorough preparation, plain-spoken explanations, and documents crafted for real life. When you call, you reach a real person who explains your options and keeps your matter moving. You meet directly with the attorney who drafts your plan, and before any work begins, we outline the scope, timing and fees up front.
Evelyn M. Leathers, Attorney
Meet EvelynAt a glance
Bezaire & Leathers is an estate planning and probate law firm at 41 Corporate Park in Irvine, California. Attorney Evelyn M. Leathers, licensed in California since 2006, and associate attorney Sherlock Lau prepare wills and living trusts and help families with trust administration, probate, special needs trusts and conservatorships across Orange County and Southern California. The office is open Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, and the first consultation is free.
Meet Evelyn M. Leathers
Evelyn M. Leathers leads Bezaire & Leathers and has been licensed in California since 2006. Her practice focuses on estate planning, trusts and probate. She prepares wills, living trusts and special needs trusts, and she guides trustees, executors and families after a death. In law school, as Managing Editor of the Whittier Journal of Child and Family Advocacy, she advocated for disabled children's access to an appropriate education.
Read Evelyn's full backgroundCheck her license on the State Bar website (opens in a new tab)
You don't need to know the legal terms to call us
You may be calling because:
A parent or spouse has died, and you have just learned you are the trustee or the executor.
You own a home in Orange County, and you have no trust, or your trust was signed long ago.
Your child or grandchild has a disability, and you want to leave them money without putting their benefits at risk.
Someone you love can no longer manage their own affairs, and there is no power of attorney in place.
Each of these has a clear set of next steps under California law. At your free consultation, we lay those steps out in order, tell you what we would handle and what you would do, and give you the timing and the fee before you decide.
Request a free consultationAlso at Bezaire & Leathers
Our office
41 Corporate Park, Suite 320Irvine, CA 92606Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM
Get directions (opens in a new tab)What working with Bezaire & Leathers is like
A person answers when you call
Call during office hours and you reach a person at our office, not a call center or a phone menu. They can answer your scheduling questions and make sure the attorney gets your message.
Scope, timing and fees, explained before you commit
Before any work begins, we explain what we will do, about how long it should take, and what it will cost. You get those terms in a written fee agreement, and you sign it before we start.
Plain explanations of how California law applies to you
We explain how a will, a living trust, powers of attorney and a health care directive work together under California law, in everyday words. You leave knowing what each document does and what you need to do next, such as moving your home and accounts into your trust.
Request a free consultationMeet in Irvine, by video, or closer to home
Meet at our office at 41 Corporate Park in Irvine, or by video if traveling is hard. Evelyn also travels to meet clients in Los Angeles, San Diego and the Inland Empire.
One firm for the plan and for carrying it out
We prepare estate plans, and we also help the people you leave in charge: trustees who take over a trust, and executors when an estate has to go through probate court. The office that explained your plan can help your family use it.
Careful planning for a loved one with a disability
Evelyn's interest in this work goes back to law school, where she served as Managing Editor of the Whittier Journal of Child and Family Advocacy and advocated for disabled children's access to an appropriate education. Today we prepare first-party and third-party special needs trusts and fit them into your overall plan.
Request a free consultationWhat happens when you contact us
- Call us or send the short form. We ask only for names first, so we can check for conflicts of interest before you share any private details.
- Have your free consultation. Meet at our Irvine office or by video. We listen, explain your options in plain language, and outline the scope, timing and fee.
- Sign a fee agreement, then we get to work. We prepare your documents or begin the administration, and we tell you what happens at each step.
An Irvine firm with long Orange County roots
Bezaire & Leathers began as Neil Bezaire's law practice more than four decades ago. Today the firm is led by Evelyn M. Leathers, licensed in California since 2006, with associate attorney Sherlock Lau, office manager Heather Prince and Lauren Fidel in client services and operations. Our office is in Irvine, and we work with families across Orange County and Southern California.
About the firm
Heather PrinceOffice Manager 
Lauren FidelClient Services & Operations
Free guides written by Evelyn Leathers
Where we help
Our office is in Irvine. We work with families across Orange County and in Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, in person or by video.
Common questions
Is the first consultation free?
Yes. Your first consultation with Bezaire & Leathers is free. You can meet at our Irvine office or by video. We use that time to understand your situation, explain your options, and tell you the scope, timing and fee for the work before you decide.
Do I need a living trust if I own a home in Orange County?
It depends, and it is worth asking. A home held in your name alone, with no trust, may have to go through probate court before your family can sell it or transfer it. A revocable living trust that holds the home lets your successor trustee transfer it without probate. We look at what you own and who it should go to, then tell you whether a trust makes sense for you.
I was just named trustee. What do I do first?
Find the trust and any amendments, secure the property, and do not distribute anything yet. In California, the trustee must send a formal notice to the beneficiaries and the heirs within 60 days of the death. Our step-by-step checklist walks through the first steps, and we can help you with each one.
How much does an estate plan cost?
It depends on what your plan needs. We explain the fee and what it covers at your free consultation, and you get it in a written fee agreement before any work starts.
Can we meet by video?
Yes. We offer virtual consultations, and Evelyn also travels to meet clients in Los Angeles, San Diego and the Inland Empire.
Talk to us about your family's plan
Call (714) 543-6829, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, to set up your free consultation. In this preview, the form below is a demonstration and is not sent to the firm.