Managing Partner, Barulich Dugoni Law Group, Inc.
Phone: 650.292.2900
Email

Practice Areas: Estate Planning, Probate, Trusts and Estates, Business Planning, Corporate Law, Real Property, Taxation

Paul J. Barulich is the founding and managing partner at Barulich Dugoni Law Group, Inc., and oversees all practice areas of the firm.

His estate planning clients include high net worth individuals and families, business owners, and clients with significant financial interests in high-tech, wholly owned and start-up companies. The focus of his estate planning practice is assisting clients in transferring wealth with minimum death taxes while maximizing retention and control over their resources.

Mr. Barulich specializes in representing individual and corporate executors and trustees, and conservators in administrations of estates in contested and non-contested matters.

Professional Recognition

Mr. Barulich is a frequent lecturer and author on issues relating to the firm’s practice areas. Mr. Barulich has been certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization as a specialist in estate planning, probate and trust law. He has received the highest ratings and appointments from his peers, including:

American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) – Fellow (2000 - present). The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel is a professional association consisting of approximately 2,700 lawyers from throughout the United States. Fellows of the College are nominated by other Fellows in their geographic area and are elected by the membership at large. A lawyer cannot apply for membership in the College. Fellows are selected on the basis of professional reputation and ability in the fields of trusts and estates and on the basis of having made substantial contributions to these fields through lecturing, writing, teaching and bar activities.

San Mateo County Bar Association – Appointed Chair Probate and Estate Planning Section (1995)

Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law – Certified California State Bar Specialist (1995)

Executive Committee for the Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Section of the State Bar of California – Member (1997-2000), Advisor (2000-2003). The Executive Committee consists of approximately 30 attorneys appointed to work with the State Bar of California to provide substantive continuing education to over 5,000 attorneys who practice the areas of Estate Planning, Income and Transfer Taxes, Trust and Estate Administration, Litigation, Incapacity, and Ethics. Mr. Barulich was also appointed to spear head the first ever “Speakers Bureau” consisting of over 350 specially trained attorneys who provide educational presentations to the public with a focus on how to avoid trust scams and problems. This assignment resulted in launching the Section's first ever video tape: Taking Charge: The Risks and Awards of Estate Planning. This video is published by the State Bar of California and is in general circulation to the public.

Publications

CEB Action Guide – Co-Author, “Handling Postmortem Trust Administration: A Checklist.”

California Trusts and Estate Quarterly/ w draft
A Pick and Choose Approach to the Marital Deduction Formula
(Volume 6, Number 4 Winter 2000)

California Trusts and Estate Quarterly
Trust Accounting Alert
(Volume 7, Issue 3, Fall 2001)

CEB California Trust Administration - Author, Chapter 2, "Overview of Trustee's Duties, Standards, and Powers"

Contributing commentator: Guide to the California Rules of Professional Conduct for Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Counsel, State Bar of California, Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Section (1997).

Article: The Estate Administration of Contaminated Property, California Trusts and Estates Quarterly, Vol. 6, No. 2 (Summer 2000)

Article: Trading Property Can Be Hazardous to Your Adjusted Basis, California Trusts and Estates Quarterly, Vol. 4, Number 2 (Summer, 1998).

Article: A Practitioner's Guide to Drafting Shared Equity Financing Agreements, Tax Management Memorandum, Bureau of National Affairs, Vol. 6, No. 2 (February 7, 1990).

Service

Executive Committee for the Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Section of the State Bar of California – Member (1997-2000), Advisor (2000-2003)
The Executive Committee consists of approximately 30 attorneys appointed to work with the State Bar of California to provide substantive continuing education to over 5,000 attorneys who practice the areas of Estate Planning, Income and Transfer Taxes, Trust and Estate Administration, Litigation, Incapacity, and Ethics. Mr. Barulich was also appointed to spearhead the first ever “Speakers Bureau” consisting of over 350 specially trained attorneys who provide educational presentations to the public with a focus on how to avoid trust scams and problems. This assignment resulted in launching the Section's first ever video tape: Taking Charge: The Risks and Awards of Estate Planning. This video is published by the State Bar of California and is in general circulation to the public.

Serves on Board of Directors for the following:

San Mateo County History Museum, (2007 - present)

San Mateo Cares

San Mateo Police Department Police Activities League

KQED- Planned Advisory Council for Northern California Public Broadcasting in which KQED & KETH are members

Downtown San Mateo Association supporter

Awards

Honored as one of the Northern California SuperLawyers™ in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 by San Francisco Magazine.

Education

Golden Gate University, J.D., (1984)
University of California at Berkeley, A.B. (1981)