James Cummins

James R. Cummins

Shareholder & Director

As a seasoned litigator, Jim Cummins has earned a reputation as a skilled and tenacious advocate in the field of trust and estates law. With a deep understanding of the complex legal issues involved in probate and trust litigation, Jim is committed to providing his clients with the highest level of legal representation and achieving the best possible outcomes.

Jim is a Shareholder and Director at Barulich Dugoni & Suttmann Law Group, Inc. His practice is focused on a wide range of trust and estates matters. He represents trustees, executors, personal representatives, and attorneys-in-fact in actions involving accusations of trust mismanagement, breaches of fiduciary duty, contests to wills and trusts, and even disinterment. Jim also has significant experience in litigating domestic and international commercial disputes, business disputes in marital dissolution actions, and real property disputes.

Jim has successfully represented clients in numerous high-stakes trust and estates cases. He has been recognized for his outstanding legal work and is a sought-after speaker on trust and estates law.

Jim takes a strategic and personalized approach to every case, tailoring his representation to the needs and goals of each client. He understands the emotional and financial stakes involved in trust and estates disputes and is committed to providing his clients with compassionate and effective advocacy.

Admissions:

California, 2009

Education:

• Santa Clara University School of Law, Santa Clara, California - J.D., 2009 (Certificate in Social Justice & Public Interest, CALI Award: Remedies, and Moot Court Competitor & Honors Moot Court Board Member)
• Loyola Marymount University - B.A., 2005

Published Works:

• Contributor, Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB®) Practitioner Guide:
  • Request For Admissions (Trusts and Estates: Elder Financial Abuse)
  • Petition to Invalidate Will or Trust on Grounds of Forgery
  • Petition to Invalidate a Will or Trust on Grounds of Duress or Menace
• Co-author, “Smith v. Szeyller: Probate Court Authority for Attorney’s Fee Award under the Substantial Benefit Doctrine for Successful Beneficiaries”, California Lawyers Association Trust and Estates Quarterly Newsletter (Vol 26, Issue 2, 2020)
• Co-author, “Probate Court Closed to Disinherited Trust Beneficiaries,” Daily Journal, September 2018

Classes and Seminars:

• Speaker, Settlor Incapacity: The New World of Trust Administration, East Bay Trust and Estates Lawyers Spring Symposium, May 18, 2023
• Speaker, Settlor Incapacity: The New World of Trust Administration, Jerry A. Kasner Virtual Estate Planning Symposium, September 8, 2022
• Speaker, Collecting Attorney Fees and Damages in Trust & Estate Litigation, Jerry A. Kasner Virtual Estate Planning Symposium, October 8, 2021
• Speaker, Attorney Fee Recovery in Trusts and Estates: From Engagement Agreements to Settlement Agreements, San Mateo County Bar Association, July 16, 2020
• Speaker, Drafting Petitions and Responses, East Bay Trust and Estates Lawyers Litigation Boot Camp, September 12, 2018
• Speaker, Undue Influence in Will and Trust Contests Under Probate Code 86, Tri-Valley Estate Planning Council, Pleasanton, CA, March 1, 2018
• Speaker, Undue Influence in Will and Trust Contests Under Probate Code §86, Marin County Estate Planning Council, San Rafael, CA, September 13, 2017
• Speaker, Undue Influence Contest in Will and Trust Litigation Probate Code §86 and Family Code §721, EACBA Monthly MCLE Luncheon, Pleasanton, CA, March 16, 2017

Honors and Awards:

• Northern California Super Lawyers “Rising Star”, San Francisco Magazine, 2022-2023

Professional Associations and Memberships:

• Alameda County Law Library, Former Board of Trustee Member
• Irish-American Bar Association of Northern California
• San Mateo County Bar Association
• Silicon Valley Bar Association, Former Social Chair
• Silicon Valley Organization - San Jose Leadership Class of 2017
• San Jose Seahawks Rugby Football Club Alumni Association