Lynda I. Chung

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An energetic problem solver, Lynda I. Chung specializes in trust and estate and business disputes.

Lynda helps her clients through what is often the most emotionally and financially trying time in their lives. Whether being taken advantage of by a trustee or a managing member of the client's company (often the client's own family member), she works hard to resolve the matter to her client’s benefit.  

Notable results that Lynda and her colleagues have delivered include:

  • A $23M surcharge judgment against an unfaithful trustee (client's half-brother), including double and punitive damages;
  • A $500K Right To Attach Order against the client's former consultant, who allegedly made secret profits in connection with a luxury home project outside of Moscow;
  • A $7M Right To Attach Order in an adversarial proceeding in the Bankruptcy Court against a debtor who orchestrated a fraudulent bankruptcy scheme and diverted corporate assets to foreign bank accounts.

Trust and estate litigation matters that Lynda handles include financial elder abuse by caregivers or family members, will and trust contests, disputes over settlors' capacity, undue influence, fiduciary accounting, and conservatorships.  

Lynda also serves as outside general counsel for family offices and high-net-worth clients. In this capacity she provides general legal advice and guidance on estate and succession planning, trust administration, and managing the care of elder family members. Her goal is to minimize her clients’ risks and maximize preservation of their assets.

Lynda is fluent in Korean.

AREAS OF PRACTICE:

  • Litigation Group

AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

  • Probate, Trust & Estate Litigation
  • General Counsel for Family Offices
  • Estate Planning, Trust Administration and Probate
  • Financial Elder Abuse
  • Business Litigation
  • Wage & Hour Disputes
  • Multi-National, Multi-Generational Wealth Transfer

BAR ADMISSIONS:
California, 1995

  • U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1995
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of California, 2001
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1997

EDUCATION:

  • Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, CA , 1995 – J.D.; Finalist for Top Ten Best Briefs, Loyola Law School Moot Court Competition, 1994; Scott Moot Court Honors Board, 1994 – 1995
  • University of California at Santa Barbara,1987 – M.A., Anthropology, U.C. Regent's Fellowship, 1984 – 1985, Rotary International Scholarship 1985-1986 
  • Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea – B.A. with honors, Sociology

PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP: 

  • Nominee, Los Angeles Business Journal Women’s Council & Awards, 2019 and 2021
  • Beverly Hills Bar Association, Trusts & Estates Section, Co-Chair (2019-2020), Executive Committee (2016-2021)
  • Southern California SuperLawyer, 2019 through 2023
  • L.A. County Bar Association, Trusts & Estates Section, Executive Committee (2019-present)
  • Korean American Bar Association
  • Korean American Chamber of Commerce, Board Member (2004 – 2016), Chairperson of the Bylaws Amendment Committee (2008 – 2009), Vice President (2009 – 2010), Auditor (2011-2012)
  • St. Vincent Medical Center, Board Member (2010-2013)
  • Pacific American Volunteer Association, Board Member (2017-Present)
  • Korean American Family Services, Board Member (2014-2016)
  • Outstanding Volunteer Certificate recipient from the Los Angeles County Bar Association Family Law Section and the Superior Court of Los Angeles (1993)
  • Pro Bono service: Asian American Dispute Resolution Center (1991-1992)

PUBLICATIONS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:

  • Contributing Editor, CEB Practitioner, Trust and Probate Litigation, "Petition To Recover Property Under Probate Code Section 850 with Financial Elder Abuse Remedies.”
  • Speaker, "Money, Marriange, Debt and Death," California Professional Fiduciary Assocation Conference, June 1, 2023; Korean American Bar Association, October 5, 2023
  • Panelist, "Money, Marriage, Divorce & Death," International Assocation of Korean Lawyers, October 28, 2022
  • Speaker, Probate Litigation for Civil Litigators, Beverly Hills Bar Association, May 10, 2023 and June 26, 2018
  • Speaker, Handling Decedents’ Estates and Trusts with Community Property or Debt Issues, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Trusts & Estates Section, November 5, 2021. (See YouTube video.)
  • Speaker, Handling Estates with Post-Mortem Debt Issues, Beverly Hills Bar Association, May 13, 2020.
  • Speaker, Post-Mortem Debt Collection: Lorman Education Series, December 12, 2018; Beverly Hills Bar Association, February 28, 2019; South Bay Bar Association, April 24, 2019
  • Don't Ignore Demanding Prelitigation Procedures, LA Daily Journal, Dec. 30, 2014
  • Global Wealth Transfer & Succession Planning — A Case Study, Chinese American CPA Assoc., 2015
  • Overview of Probate Procedures and Trust Administration – 5th Annual Advanced Planning Seminar, Korean American CPA Society and Professional Advisors Group, 2006 
  • Civil & Criminal Consequences of Bankruptcy – Fraud and Creditors' Remedies, Korean American CPA Society, 2005 
  • Civil Discovery in the U.S., International Association of Korean Lawyers, 2000 (Seoul, S. Korea)