Mark A. Lester

Mark A. Lester is a highly-regarded estate planning attorney with a focus on trust & estate litigation and partner at the law firm of Lester & Hirschberg, LLP.  He serves clients throughout Camarillo, Los Angeles and Ventura County, California. Licensed to practice in California in the year 1981, he is also admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Central, Northern, Southern and Eastern Districts of California.

The trial and appellate matters that Mr. Lester has assisted during his eminent career have included:

• Estate & trust litigation, including creator and co-author of the "Breslin Notice"
• Expert witness (standard of care for estate planning attorneys and trustees, and care custodian issues)
• Estate planning
• Probate and trust administration
• Succession planning and special needs planning
• Contested guardianships and conservatorships

His reported appellate opinions include: Breslin v. Breslin (2021) 62 Cal.App.5th 801; Barefoot v. Jennings (2020) 8 Cal.5th 822 (Amicus Brief cited by Supreme Court in reversing court of appeal and trial court); Leiper v. Gallegos (2019) 42 Cal.App.5th 394; Christie v. Kimball (2012) 202 Cal.App.4th 1407; In re Estate of Odian (2006) 145 Cal.App.4th 152; Askari v. R&R Land Co. (1986) 179 Cal.App.3d 1101.

Mr. Lester attended Stanford University and obtained his Bachelor of Arts in 1977, followed by his Juris Doctor in 1980 from University of Puget Sound School of Law (now Seattle University). He also holds an L.L.M. in taxation from Boston University School of Law. During his time in law school, he was the recipient of the American Jurisprudence Award (Wills & Trusts), the editor of the University’s Law Review and chairman of Phi Delta Phi.

Board-certified as a specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, Mr. Lester was honored by Martindale-Hubbell for his impeccable professionalism and high ethical standards – he was given an AV Preeminent* peer review rating, the organization’s highest rating, and has maintained that rating since 2001.

When it comes to giving back, Mr. Lester spends his time providing services to his community. He previously served on the board of trustees of the California Board of Legal Specialization and as a commissioner of the organization’s Estate Planning Law Advisory Commission.  In September 2025, Mr. Lester will begin a 3-year term serving on the ABA Standing Committee on Legal Specialization.  He currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee for the Ventura County Bar Association Estate Planning and Probate Section and as a volunteer settlement officer / mediator for the San Fernando Valley Bar Association and Ventura County Superior Court Probate Division.

Since 2003, Mr. Lester has been a frequent and highly sought-after presenter of continuing legal education courses focusing on trust & estate litigation, care custodian, estate planning, and trust & estate administration issues to legal professionals through the National Business Institute, Professional Fiduciary Association of California, Los Angeles, Ventura and San Diego Bar Associations, Pincus Professional Education, Woodland Hills Tax & Estate Planning Council, San Fernando Valley Estate Planning Council, Estate Counselor's Forum, and Fiduciary Roundtable of Pasadena. He also supports a variety of legal causes through his pro bono work and is a part of the Wellness and Caregiver Center of Ventura County, Ventura County Council – Boy Scouts of America and the Family Health Care Centers of Greater Los Angeles.

*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.