Michelle is a Certified Specialist Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. Michelle, known as "the attorney with a heart," received the Top Attorney in Northern California 2019 and Top Women Attorneys award in Northern California 2019  and was voted "#1 Favorite Lawyer for Marin and Sonoma Counties" by the "J." Newspaper Readers' Poll 2007.   Michelle was also selected for inclusion in the 2009, 2010, 2017, 2018 and 2019 California Super Lawyers, a selection limited to only 5% of the lawyers in the entire State. A recognized leader in estate planning, Michelle was past president of the Estate Planning Section of the Marin County Bar Association. She is the founder and co-chair of the Estate Planning Section Mentor Group, a monthly meeting of estate planning professionals. Having just released the Third Edition of her book, Create Your Best Legacy, Michelle stays current on laws and trends and is dedicated to sharing her knowledge. A featured commentator on radio and television and a much sought-after professional speaker, Michelle is passionate about helping people reach their estate planning goals. A star attorney and student, she obtained her Degree of Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude from the University of California at Los Angeles and her Degree of Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California, where she received an AmJur Award.