Our Firm
Just as the placement of a keystone at the summit of an arch provides stability for the entire structure, the individual skills of each member of Keystone Law Group work collectively to make our firm a premier resource for complex probate matters.
Our Story
Shawn S. Kerendian founded Keystone in 2014 to fill a specific and somewhat ambitious niche — to create a boutique practice focused solely on probate litigation and administration, and provide services to this underserved market. Rather than expanding to estate planning and related areas of law, Shawn kept Keystone’s mission focused on probate litigation and administration matters in order to cultivate a deeper understanding and a greater level of expertise in this specialty.
While recent laws regarding trusts and estates have opened up new areas for potential disputes, contesting wills and trusts remains notoriously tricky. While many firms shy away from these challenging cases, Shawn created the firm to serve as the keystone for those seeking support for their complex probate needs.
With about 50 full-time employees consisting of seasoned probate attorneys and a dedicated team of support staff, Keystone has grown to become one of the largest — if not the largest — firms in California focused exclusively on probate litigation and administration.
We represent trustees, executors, administrators, heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, guardians, and conservators in virtually any dispute that may arise in the context of a person’s death or incompetency, including:
- Will and trust contests
- Enforcement of beneficiary rights
- Financial elder abuse claims
- Petitions to recover trust and estate assets
- Prosecution and defense of fiduciary misconduct
- Conservatorship litigation
- Probate administration
Our Team
Keystone has come a long way since opening its doors in 2014 with just three attorneys and two support staff. The firm has grown organically through the years by hiring talented individuals with unique backgrounds and skillsets who are eager to learn the legal landscape that shapes the outcome of probate and trust disputes. As a result, our attorneys have achieved mastery in this growing field and, with the support of our stellar administrative team, provide our clients with unmatched expertise.
Mutual respect is the foundation of Keystone’s culture. Every member of the firm — from the receptionist to the managing partner — has a voice that will be heard. We believe that when every team member feels comfortable offering his or her ideas and opinions, true collaboration can happen.
Our firm is guided by an Executive Committee made up of a core group of team members who have been with Keystone since its founding year:
- Founder and Managing Partner Shawn Kerendian
- Partner Verlan Y. Kwan
- Partner Joshua D. Taylor
- Partner Lindsey F. Munyer
- Firm Administrator Biana Kerendian
Each member of the Executive Committee brings his or her own experiences and skills that help advance Keystone’s mission to be a premier resource for complex probate matters. Josh brings nearly two decades of litigation experience, including experience in BigLaw. Lindsey’s entire career has been dedicated to probate, is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law, and has a background in tax planning and tax controversy. Verlan has worked with Shawn since 2010, prior to Keystone’s formation, on probate litigation and administration, and couples her broad knowledge with a compassionate approach to the cases she handles.
Biana is a human resource professional with experience working in both accounting and law firms, with offices nationwide. As Shawn’s wife and the firm’s administrator, she has established a culture within the firm that values family and prioritizes mutual respect, collaboration and a healthy work-life balance.
Our attorneys are respected probate litigators both inside and outside the courtroom, and serve as thought leaders in the field. We stay current with the evolving laws, rules, and procedures in this area of the law. We are frequently invited to speak on probate litigation and administration for law students, attorneys, CPAs, and other professionals, as well as the media.
Keystone lawyers have been featured by news outlets including International Business Times, Fortune, Los Angeles Business Journal, Time, Yahoo! Finance, Super Lawyers, Daily Journal, News Nation Now, the Insider, and Law & Crime.
Our Attorneys
Keystone boasts some of the top probate lawyers in California. Our singular focus on probate matters has allowed us to achieve mastery in the field. Click to learn more about our achievements and accolades.
Our Staff
Keystone’s attentive staff provides top-of-the-line support to both our clients and attorneys, and Keystone could not function without them. Click to learn more about each of our staff members’ unique qualifications.
Our Accolades
- Keystone earned a Great Place to Work® Certification™ in 2022.
- Keystone was named as a 2022 Best Place to Work SoCal.
- Best Lawyers named Shawn Kerendian, Lindsey Munyer, Cliff Melnick and James Andrade among the Best Lawyers in America.
- Best Lawyers named Lindsey among Ones to Watch.
- Many Keystone attorneys are regularly recognized as Super Lawyers in the field of probate and trust litigation.
- Super Lawyers named Shawn as one of the top 100 up-and-coming lawyers in Southern California.
- Super Lawyers featured Lindsey as one of the top 50 up-and-coming female attorneys in Southern California.
- The Daily Journal recognized Shawn, Lindsey and Roee Kaufman as “Top 40 Under 40” attorneys, and featured Keystone in its small firm spotlight, highlighting the firm’s focus on culture and work-life balance.
Our Technology
The right technology helps firms run more efficiently, ultimately benefiting clients by providing top-of-the-line services at below-market rates. Keystone is committed to having the latest and newest technologies and invests heavily in tools that promote organization and efficiency. As a result, our firm functions more like a tech company at times than a traditional law firm.
Some of our technological achievements include:
- Since Keystone was established in 2014, our firm has been paperless — a practice Shawn spearheaded at his previous law firm.
- When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, before the stay-at-home order came out, we decided to go fully remote until we could safely work in person again. Because our systems were fully accessible, without limits, anywhere in the world, our firm was up-and-running without limitation within 24 hours of announcing this plan to our staff.
- We recently revamped our office space to make it more accessible for hybrid and remote work, including investing in state-of-the-art videoconferencing technology to ensure that our remote workers feel just as connected to the team as our workers present in the physical office.
- In 2020,Keystone updated its brand and website to better convey the complexities of our practice and where our talents lie.