Stephen P. Ajalat has over 27 years experience in handling probate, trust and estate matters. He has successfully handled numerous probate and trust administrations, as well as a wide range of probate and trust disputes, many of which have been extremely contentious and involved complex issues. Steve regularly appears in the probate court in Los Angeles and many other counties throughout Southern and Northern California. Steve has also represented parties involved in conservatorship and guardianship proceedings including the petitioning party, contestants, and the proposed conservatee.
In addition to his probate practice, Steve has had extensive experience throughout his legal career in handling general civil litigation matters. His general litigation experience spans many different practice areas, but more recently has focused on real estate claims and disputes, contract disputes, and employment cases involving wrongful termination or discrimination.. Steve will also at times handle select medical malpractice and personal injury matters.
Notably, earlier in his career Steve handled several recognized cases involving children's rights with respect to child abuse reporting. As the lead attorney in the nationally-recognized case Alejo v. City of Alhambra (which imposed liability on a police officer for the failure to report and investigate child abuse), Steve attracted national and statewide attention in these types of cases. Attorneys across California have sought his consultation or retained Steve to handle trial and appellate level cases involving child abuse reporting laws as applied to law enforcement officers, social workers and medical professionals.
Bar Admissions
Education
- J.D., Western State University College of Law, 1990
- B.A., California State University, Northridge, 1985
Professional Memberships & Associations
- State Bar of California
- Los Angeles County Bar Association (Member and Board of Trustees, 2002-2003)
- Lawyers Club of Los Angeles County (President 2000-2002, Board of Governors 1999-Present)
- San Fernando Valley Bar Association, Probate Section (Current Member)
- Consumer Attorneys Association of California, Past Member
Reported Cases
- Jacqueline T. v. Alameda Child Protective Services (2007) 155 Cal.App.4th 456 (social services failure to properly investigate reported child abuse)
- Calderon v. Glick (2005) 131 Cal.App.4th 224 (physician's failure to warn of dangerous patient)
- Alejo v. Alhambra (1999) 75 CA App. 4th 1180 (law enforcement failure to investigate reported child abuse)
- Cotran v. Rollins Hudig Hall Int'l (1998) 17 Cal.4th 93 (employment sexual harassment)