Practice areas: Estate Planning & Probate, Estate & Trust Litigation, Business & Corporate; view more
Licensed in California since: 2011
Education: Seton Hall University School of Law
Languages spoken: English, Korean
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2025 - 2026 Call today:
626-613-5165
Chang and Lee
301 E. Colorado BoulevardSuite 325
Pasadena, CA 91101 Visit website
At Chang and Lee in Pasadena, California, Joseph Lee dedicates his practice to estate planning, trusts, wills, estate law, probate, family law, employment law, conservatorship/guardianship and corporate law. His journey through various legal landscapes, including a significant stint at a large insurance defense firm and a role as in-house counsel for major nonprofits, gave him a wealth of experience. However, his true passion emerged when his son was diagnosed with autism.
Understanding the unique legal challenges that special needs families encounter, Mr. Lee reimagined his practice through the lens of their specific needs. He asked himself, "What would a family like mine require from legal services?" This question illuminated a clear path for expanding his practice. Many parents face the daunting task of reshaping their lives upon learning their child has special needs, and he has been fortunate enough to turn his practice into a "family business" dedicated to aiding these families.
Mr. Lee's multifaceted life journey includes roles as an attorney, minister and schoolteacher. Today, he blends these experiences to support families with special needs children. Drawing on his background as a former school administrator, he adeptly navigates educational systems. His legal acumen empowers him to advocate for children requiring assistance, and his ministerial training allows him to empathize deeply with families in distress. Ultimately, he is committed to serving families needing compassionate legal guidance.
Families seeking a knowledgeable attorney to help them navigate the complex legal and emotional terrain of setting up Special Needs Trusts, administering Special Needs Trusts and navigating government benefits can rely on Mr. Lee's proficiency. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College (1996), a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law (1999), an MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary and a DMin from Fuller Theological Seminary.
Admitted to practice in New Jersey (1999), the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey (1999), New York (2000), California (2011) and the U.S. District Courts for the Central and Eastern Districts of California, Mr. Lee remains an active and respected member of various professional organizations. His "Superb" rating on Avvo and fluency in Korean further underscore his commitment to excellence and accessibility in serving his community.
Practice areas
Estate Planning & Probate, Estate & Trust Litigation, Business/CorporateFocus areas
Business Formation and Planning, Business Organizations, Contracts, Estate Planning, Guardianships & Conservatorships, Limited Liability Companies, Living Wills, Partnership, Power of Attorney, Probate & Estate Administration, Sub-chapter S Corporations, Trusts, Will Contests, Wills
- 60% Estate Planning & Probate
- 30% Estate & Trust Litigation
- 10% Business/Corporate
First Admitted: 1999, New Jersey
Professional Webpage: https://www.changleelaw.com/meet-the-attorneys
Bar / Professional Activity
- New Jersey (1999)
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
- Member Pasadena Bar Association
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California (2011)
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California (2011)
- California (2011)
- New York (2000)
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey (1999)
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Spouse of decedent petitioned for over $1 million against children of decedent, claiming he was an omitted spouse. Children of the decedent were my clients. The case resolved with spouse agreeing to walk away., 2024
- My client filed for a Conservatorship of the Person and Estate for her mother. My client believed that her mother was being abused both financially and physically by my client's sister. My client successfully obtained a restraining order against the abusive sister, obtained the Conservatorship over the objections of the sister, and successfully petitioned to get both of her parents' estate plan restored to what it was prior to the abusive sister forcing her parents to change their estate plans so that she would become the sole beneficiary., 2024
Representative Clients
- My client has multiple children with one having special needs. We were able to craft a plan that would take care of the Special Needs child without overburdening the other children. At the end of the planning, all children were excited with what the parents had crafted and also understood all of their roles and responsibilities. This avoided potential fights over who would do what after the parents passed away., 2024
- I represent a Private Professional Fiduciary who is the Administrator of a rather large estate that encompasses multiple pieces of real estate. My client has successfully sold all parcels of real estate without any issue and is now closing out the Estate., 2024
- I was retained by the Administrator of an Estate in which the initial attorney has not been able to assist my client in any of her duties as the Administrator. While the estate was in disarray, my client was able to sort things out and now, the estate is ready to be adminstered., 2024
- I represent a Private Professional Fiduciary who is the trustee of a rather large Special Needs Trust. The beneficiary suffered an injury and the settlement of that claim funded this trust. The administration of this trust has been smooth from the beginning and my client anticipates that the administration will continue to be smooth., 2024
- I helped craft an estate plan for an actor who has assets in multiple states as well as a production company. This plan encompassed many wrinkles as the client did not have children and wanted to leave assets to others, including a few children that were on needs based benefits. This plan was created so that the beneficiary children would continue to receive their benefits after inheriting from the estate my client., 2025
Pro bono / Community Service
- Member Pasadena Tournament of Roses, 2024
- Vice-President Estate Planning Council of San Gabriel Valley, 2024
- Board Member Villa Esperanza Services, 2024
- Board Member Pasadena Child Development Associates, 2024
Honors
- Pasadena Top Attorney, 2015 - Present, 2024
- "Superb" rating on Avvo, 2024
Educational Background
- Boston College, B.A.
- Princeton Theological Seminary, M.Div.
- Fuller Theological Seminary, D. Min.
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Do I Need a Special Needs Trust?
- Special Education Due Process Hearing
- How to Prepare for an IEP Meeting
- What is an IEP Plan? An Introduction
- Professional Fiduciaries
These comments were made by fellow attorneys during the annual nomination process.
“Joe is as pleasant as he is competent. Planning for special needs is a highly detailed process - Joe is excellent at it!”
“Dr. Lee is equal parts skilled and compassionate. Dr. Lee works quite hard to resolve problems before they become costly. I often refer special needs families to Dr. Lee and the reports I receive back from them are always positive.”
“Having a special needs child himself, he is extremely passionate and compassionate about special needs trust, related planning and education law, fighting to ensure special needs kids get the services that they need and deserve from their schools. Very knowledgeable and extremely kind, ethical attorney.”
Office location for Joseph Lee
301 E. Colorado Boulevard
Suite 325
Pasadena, CA 91101
Phone: 626-613-5165
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2025 - 2026
