Matthew D. Kanin is of counsel in the Wills, Trusts & Estates practice group at Greenspoon Marder LLP. Mr. Kanin focuses his practice on trust and estate litigation, decedent estate and trust administration, protective proceedings, and business litigation.
Mr. Kanin is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law (by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization). His trust-and-estate law experience includes representing fiduciaries, beneficiaries, and proposed conservatees. His experience includes will and trust contests, accounting and fiduciary duty disputes, and fiduciary appointment matters.
This year, Mr. Kanin joined the Executive Committee of the Trusts & Estates Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA). In addition, Mr. Kanin actively serves on the Court-Appointed Counsel (formerly known as “PVP”) panel of the Los Angeles Superior Court, and has been appointed by the Court in over 30 cases, representing proposed conservatees and other individuals with disabilities. In 2018, Mr. Kanin was one of the speakers for LACBA’s “Limited Conservatorship PVP Training”, a mandatory training program for court-appointed counsel in limited conservatorship cases. Mr. Kanin has also spoken for various local bar associations on both estate, trust and probate issues, and enforcement of judgment law.
In addition, Mr. Kanin’s practice serves the hospitality industry, representing hotel owners and operators, as general counsel, and in civil litigation. Mr. Kanin’s litigation experience includes civil trials, motions, and appeals.
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
Bar Admissions
- California
Education
- J.D., Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, CA 2007
- B.A., International Affairs and Philosophy, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. 2004
Languages
- French
- Spanish
Professional and Community Involvement
- Executive Committee Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association Trusts & Estates Section, 2020-present
- Volunteer Settlement Officer, Los Angeles Superior Court Probate Division, 2014 – Present
Representative Experience
Appellate Litigation
- Obtained published reversal of an order denying post-judgment attorneys’ fees under Cal. Civ. Proc. Code. § 685.080. Wertheim LLC v. Currency Corp., 35 Cal. App. 5th 1124 (Cal. Ct. App. 2019)(review denied, Aug. 21, 2019).
- Obtained reversal of a $176,869 sanctions award. Broadcast Music Inc. v. Sturctured Asset Sales, LLC, B272418/B278379 (2d Dist., Div. 2 July 30, 2019) (unpublished).
Speaking Engagements
- Panel Moderator, “Rule of Law: Challenges in Indefinite Detention, Supreme Court Conduct, and Sibling Placement Decisions,” Beverly Hills Bar Foundation, July 15, 2024
- Featured Speaker, “Thinking of becoming CAC? Let’s Talk Eligibility, Ethics, and Opportunities to Serve,” Los Angeles County Bar Association, April 15, 2024
- Moderator, “Rule of Law: Putting Limits on Money and Power,” Beverly Hills Bar Foundation, June 1, 2023
- Speaker, “44th Annual UCLA/CEB Estate Planning Institute” CEB, April 28, 2022
- Speaker, “Conserving Britney Part II: The Internal Affairs of Conservatorships: how they run, change and end” The Los Angeles County Bar Association, September 30, 2021
- Speaker, “Conserving Britney: the Law, the Facts about Conservatorships, and the Future” The Los Angeles County Bar Association, July 30, 2021
Recognitions
- Super Lawyers magazine, “Southern California Rising Stars,” 2015-2021
- Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law (Certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization)
In the News
- Author, “Clear, Certain, and Undisputed: Who Holds the Estate Planners Accountable?,” Daily Journal, November 13, 2024
- Published, “Telling the story of a trust administration, in numbers: an introduction to trust accountings,” Daily Journal, April 24, 2023
- Published, “Demystifying Conservatorships” Daily Journal, April 26, 2022
- Published, “Demystifying Conservatorships: More FAQs” Daily Journal, January 31, 2022
- Published, “Demystifying Conservatorships: FAQs” Daily Journal, October 25, 2021
- Quoted, “Britney Spears’ father won’t leave without a fight, despite saying he would step down” Los Angeles Times, August 16, 2021
- Quoted, “What Does Britney Spears Want? That’s What the Court Needs to Know, Lawyers and Judges Say,” Law.com, July 30, 2021
- Quoted, “Britney Spears has been pushing her attorney to petition to end her conservatorship in days since hearing” CNN, June 30, 2021
- Mentioned, “Sanctions, Section 1717: Failure To Provide Safe Harbor Notice And Combining 1717 Fee Request With Sanctions Motion Rendered $176,869 Award Infirm,” California Attorney’s Fees, July 31, 2019
- Mentioned, “Judgment Enforcement: Where Judgment Debtor Resisted Efforts To Allow Payment To Judgment Creditor Despite Court Deposit, Judgment Creditor Entitled To Seek Postjudgment Enforcement Fees And Costs,” California Attorney’s Fees, June 10, 2019
- Quoted, “Zsa Zsa Gabor’s Husband Keeps Funds Flowing As She Nears 100,” Daily News, October 6, 2016
News
- Sep 13, 2021 Greenspoon Marder Attorney Matthew D. Kanin Featured Speaker For Los Angeles County Bar Association Webinar On The Internal Affairs of Conservatorships
- Jul 28, 2021 Greenspoon Marder Attorney Matthew D. Kanin Featured Speaker For Los Angeles County Bar Association Webinar On Conservatorship Proceedings For Journalists And The Public
- Jun 8, 2021 Two Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Recognized Among “2021 Southern California Rising Stars” By Super Lawyers
- Jun 26, 2020 Two Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Recognized Among “2020 Southern California Rising Stars” By Super Lawyers
