Lauriann Wright

Lauriann Wright, founding partner of WKD, is an experienced, award-winning probate litigator and expert witness located in Glendale, California. For 30 years, she has been practicing all phases of probate law, estate planning, and litigation, including conservatorships, guardianships, trusts, and probate estates, predominantly in Los Angeles County.

Ms. Wright has conducted numerous contested probate bench trials, dozens of depositions, and written and argued several probate appeals. She has successfully represented professional fiduciaries in numerous contested and protracted probate litigation proceedings including those involving high net worth trusts and estates. Ms. Wright is experienced in skillfully and discreetly navigating the media in high-profile cases, working with public relations and crisis management professionals as needed. She has also proudly represented the Anti-Defamation League in various trust and estate matters related to its charitable bequests.

Ms. Wright is consistently recognized by her peers as a leader in her field. She has been named as a Southern California Super Lawyer in Trust and Estate Litigation for 15 consecutive years, from 2012 through 2026. For 2019 through 2026, she has been named as one of the Top 50 Women Super Lawyers in Southern California and, for 2020 and 2022 through 2026, she made the list of Top 100 of all Super Lawyers in Southern California. For 2016 through 2026, she is also listed as one of The Best Lawyers in America in Litigation / Probate by Best Lawyers of U.S. News & World Report, and her law firm has been named a Best Law Firm as well. She has been named as a member of the National Advocates: Top 100 of Wills, Trust, and Estates Lawyers, among other honors.

In addition to her probate experience, Ms. Wright is also experienced in business litigation, commercial finance, contracts, corporate law, factoring, real estate, construction defect, and intellectual property. She has briefed and argued cases in several appellate matters, including the successful, published opinion in Soderberg v. McKinney, 44 Cal. App. 4th 1760 (1996), which reversed the law on real estate appraiser liability in California.

Four key qualities make Ms. Wright an effective advocate for her clients: a keen understanding of probate law and procedure, garnering the respect of her fellow attorneys and bench officers; thoroughness and attention to detail; expansive litigation experience; and social intelligence and understanding of the emotionally-charged nature of probate disputes.

Ms. Wright graduated from University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1994 with her Juris Doctorate, including a semester of specialized coursework in international law completed at University of Leiden Law School, Leiden, the Netherlands. Ms. Wright was admitted to the California Bar in December 1994 and is admitted to practice in all the California state and federal trial and appellate courts.

She is a Board Member and Past President of the San Gabriel Valley Estate Planning Council, and a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Trust & Estate Section, the California State Bar Trust & Estate Section, the Pasadena Bar Association, and the Beverly Hills Bar Association Trust & Estate Section.