Attorney Spotlight: Jeeni Casey
Jeeni R. Casey is a Senior Associate at Keystone Law Group, P.C., whose practice focuses on probate, trust, and estate litigation. An accomplished litigator with a diverse legal background, Jeeni has handled matters spanning civil, business, and real estate litigation, as well as several specialized areas of law. Starting in early 2014, she concentrated her practice in probate litigation, refining her skills at a respected boutique firm where she represented trustees, executors, administrators, beneficiaries, creditors, conservators, guardians, and other interested parties in a broad range of contested matters.
Drawing on her extensive litigation experience and deep knowledge of probate law, Jeeni is a trusted advocate for clients facing complex disputes. She is known for developing thoughtful legal strategies, resolving challenging issues, and guiding clients through sensitive situations with professionalism, empathy, and a steadfast commitment to achieving the best possible outcome.
Fast Facts
Jeeni is caring and compassionate, takes the time to truly get to know her clients, and brings both substantial experience and creative, out-of-the-box thinking to every matter. She consistently brings professionalism, problem–solving, and her unique perspective to each case that she handles. These attributes make her an extremely valued member of the Keystone team.
– Partner Cliff Melnick
- Graduated from University of California at Berkeley with an undergraduate degree in Political Science and Religious Studies
- Graduated from University of San Francisco, School of Law
- Enjoys community service, reading, and travel
What inspired you to pursue a legal career?
I wanted to save the world! I know how that sounds, but it’s exactly what I said when someone asked me the same question during a law school tour.
What turned that instinct into a career was an interview with the managing partner at a law firm while I was still in school. I told him the same thing: I wanted to save the world. He didn’t laugh at me or disregard me. Instead, like a true mentor, he told me, “You can. You’ll just have to do it one person at a time.” Then he walked me through what that looks like for a client such as a contractor with a growing company and a family who has a lot to lose: protecting the business, giving employees the tools to follow the law, protecting personal assets from potential corporate liability, retirement planning, planning for what happens to the family if the owner and breadwinner dies before retirement.
That has been my approach ever since.
So many clients are hardworking people who have never been through a lawsuit, and I can help take that stress off their shoulders.
– Senior Associate Jeeni Casey
What do you like most about the work that you do?
Helping people. There is a Dalai Lama quote that has become my mantra: if a problem can be solved, there is no need to worry; if it can’t be solved, worrying is of no use. That is what keeps me steady in this work, and it is a big part of how I hold onto some work-life balance.
What is the most valuable thing a lawyer can do for their clients?
A deep sense of empathy, patience, and a great legal strategy. I think you need all three. Winning looks different for every client, and there is rarely a shortcut around the legal steps required to get the result they need. I like to think I am a steady presence for clients through that process, someone who can reassure them while the work gets done and their case moves toward the outcome that best serves their goals.
What have been some of your most memorable cases?
The one case I still think about was my first significant immersion in the challenges and complexities of this area of the law. I represented successor trustees who had stepped in after their parent, the prior successor trustee, sadly passed away. The matter involved: three generations of family members, two trusts, two sets of successor trustees, a death both prior to litigation and during litigation, an out-of-state beneficiary alleging breaches of trust, and an omitted spouse claim on top of it all. There was a probate petition, a trust contest, and related civil litigation. The case was like a law school writing prompt: every type of breach of fiduciary duty and elder abuse allegation imaginable, cross-actions, overlapping factual disputes, a statute of limitations claim subject to a motion for summary judgment, and an enormous amount of discovery. I litigated the matter for about a year and a half.
Writing the mediation brief was its own challenge, because the chronology covered over twenty years. We mediated before a retired trust and probate judge and obtained an excellent result for our clients as well as much-needed closure after such an emotionally difficult journey.
What do you enjoy most about working at Keystone?
Keystone isn’t your typical firm. Work moves so efficiently; I am able to leverage the strengths of our associates on certain assignments, and I work closely with our supervising attorneys who consistently review final drafts. Helping each other seamlessly is built into our firm culture. This provides the opportunity for everyone to learn from each other and to maximize the skill level of each attorney at the firm.
This model is a large part of why we represent clients so effectively.
The best of what the firm has to offer goes into the analysis, the pleadings, and every document prepared on behalf of the client, and we get there quickly. Careful attention is given to the details, and strategic options are thoroughly evaluated before we act.
– Senior Associate Jeeni Casey
What advice would you give to someone starting their career in probate litigation?
Find an excellent mentor. In this area of law, there is no substitute for having an experienced attorney with compassion for clients that you can turn to with questions.
When you are not working, what would people find you doing?
Outside of work, I have longstanding commitments that keep me engaged in my community. In addition to spending time with my family and friends, I have been a member of Rotary since 2009. Rotary is the oldest service club in the world and was founded by an attorney. I am a past president of my club, and I have served in multiple board and committee positions. We meet weekly, organize and support volunteer events, host speech contests for high school students, award scholarships, raise funds for local organizations and nonprofits, as well as support and volunteer in international service projects. Serving with my fellow Rotarians gives me a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
How do you stay motivated and overcome challenges in your role?
I always come back to my clients. Sometimes a case does need to be tried, and when that is the right path, I am prepared to take it all the way. From the outset of a case, I speak with my clients holistically, taking into consideration both legal and non–legal concerns, especially because I am so often working with families, blended families, and clients who have lost a loved one or need help to protect a loved one.
A dispute in this area takes a toll that is both financial and emotional, so I am upfront with my clients about what they can expect as they go through litigation.
– Senior Associate Jeeni Casey
Part of my job is to convey what winning actually looks like, because sometimes it doesn’t look like a win in a courtroom as shown in the movies or on TV. For many clients, the best result also preserves a relationship with a sibling or protects what their parents built, so I help them weigh what a fight is worth against what it takes to get there. Keeping that perspective, along with keeping work separate from my personal life, is what helps keep me steady.
What do you think the future holds for this area of law, and how are you preparing for it?
It is only going to expand, because of the way generational wealth is being transferred and because the gap between the very wealthy and everyone else continues to widen. The middle class looks different than it did last century. It is harder to build wealth than it was 50 to 75 years ago, so in some situations there is more at stake and fewer resources to leave to family, charities, and other endowments. Family dynamics have changed too, and there is a real struggle in deciding how to leave funds when you have children and even step-children of different means, abilities, and needs.
People are also living longer, resulting in more resources going toward end-of-life care or forcing families to make difficult decisions regarding caregiving, assigning decision-making, etc. This can impact the availability of and the decisions around wealth transfer. This, and other factors, has shifted the way people think about their parents’ assets. We have to stay ahead of those changes and evolve alongside them.
What might people be surprised to know about you?
I was a speaker at the 52nd Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. As part of my presentation, I wrote a paper on preventing human trafficking that was published by the UN. And in 2005, I was in a Bollywood movie.
Jeeni Casey is an outstanding attorney! She is professional, knowledgeable, and truly cares about her clients. She took the time to explain everything clearly and made a stressful process feel manageable and supported. Her responsiveness and attention to detail gave me a lot of confidence throughout my case. I’m very grateful for her guidance and would highly recommend her to anyone needing strong, compassionate legal representation.
I had the pleasure of working with Jeeni Casey. Jeeni is extremely knowledgeable about probate and contract law as it pertained to my case. She is professional, personable and presents legal terms in an easy-to-understand way. I would specifically hire her again if need be.
I had the opportunity to work with Jeeni Casey on a trust litigation matter, and I cannot speak highly enough of Jeeni’s expertise, professionalism, and dedication. From the very beginning, she demonstrated a deep understanding of trust and estate law, navigating the intricacies of our case with confidence and strategic precision. Her ability to clearly explain legal options and anticipate challenges gave me a strong sense of reassurance during a very emotionally charged process.