Biography

Joshua D. Taylor is a Partner at Keystone Law Group, P.C. Josh’s practice is exclusively focused on the complex field of trust, estate, and conservatorship litigation. Josh has over two decades of overall litigation experience, and a myriad of probate-related first-chair trial experience. Josh routinely represents trustees, executors, heirs, administrators, conservators, and beneficiaries in litigated matters valued in excess of $50 million. 

Prior to joining Keystone, Josh worked for many years as a litigation attorney for Heller Ehrman LLP, an Am Law 100 firm. Josh has also previously held senior litigation positions with several prominent Los Angeles based non-profit organizations, where he achieved far-reaching victories for this state’s underserved population. 

Josh is a seasoned litigator with over 20 years of experience. Josh began his litigation career working for a top-ranked multi-national civil litigation law firm. Upon joining Keystone, Josh refocused his work exclusively on the field of probate, trust, and estate litigation, where he has obtained excellent results for his clients. During his tenure at Keystone, Josh has acted as first chair on several trials, including a multi-day trial in which he successfully obtained a judgment invalidating a trust based upon the decedent’s lack of capacity as of the date of execution. Josh is recognized as a Certified Specialist in the probate, trust and estate specialization by the State Bar of California, and has put his strong writing skills to use by overseeing the firm’s quarterly newsletter. Josh was selected as a Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers Magazine every year from 2020-2023.

Speaking Engagements

What to Do if You Suspect Elder Abuse, Live Radio Interview on the East Coast on 1160 AM WOBM, May 9, 2017
Fiduciary Accounts, Requirements, Issues and Common Mistakes, Los Angeles County Bar Association Brown Bag Event, September 13, 2018
Probate Litigation and Closing the Estate, National Business Institute’s Probate Boot Camp, June 18, 2019
What to do if Your Loved One is a Victim of Undue Influence?, Loyola Law School MCLE Day, July 26, 2019
Will & Trust Contests, Beverly Hills Bar Association, June 8, 2023

Joshua D. Taylor

Partner

Phone: 310.444.9060
Email: joshua@keystone-law.com

Education

Josh received his undergraduate degree in English from the University of California at Berkeley, and his law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. While at Hastings, Josh was a member of Law Review, and was one of only two students whose law review articles were later selected for publication.

Bar Admissions

California
New York
Washington, D.C.

Specialist

Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the State Bar of California (Board of Legal Specialization).

Memberships

California Lawyers Association, Trusts & Estates and Litigation Sections
Los Angeles County Bar Association, Trusts & Estates and Litigation Sections
ProVisors

Representative Matters

Successfully represented client in a vigorously contested conservatorship action, and secured client’s immediate appointment as Temporary Conservator of the Person of her mother, allowing client to immediately relocate her mother to a safe residence during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby potentially saving her mother’s life.
Successfully represented co-trustee and beneficiary of her parents’ trust in litigation with the surviving settlor, which resulted in client receiving more through settlement than she was entitled to receive under the terms of the trust itself.
Successfully represented son of decedent in an action to invalidate decedent’s newly revised trust, which primarily benefitted decedent's new spouse and was contrary to decedent’s long-standing estate plan which had always benefitted his children.
Successfully represented disinherited trust beneficiary in a multi-day bench trial, which resulted in a judgment restoring client’s full inheritance rights.
Through vigorous litigation, obtained a settlement on behalf of non-relative, contingent trust beneficiaries of the vast majority of decedent’s multi-million-dollar trust estate, despite the fact that decedent’s new trust was prepared by a premier estate planning firm and named a third-party as sole beneficiary.
Achieved settlement after just one day of trial to remove client trustee, which fully vindicated client’s position and allowed him to remain acting as trustee.
Successfully represented clients at trial on the guardianship of the estate of a minor, securing a full victory on the basis of trial brief arguments alone and without the need for a full trial.
Successfully represented clients at trial on a highly contested conservatorship proceeding, with multiple competing petitioners.
Successfully represented co-conservators in a complex substituted judgment petition involving an international heirship search.
Successfully recovered over a half-million dollars for a trust beneficiary in a matter where the opposing party refused even to admit to the existence of the trust.
Successfully represented trustee on an ex parte basis to block the imminent autopsy of a decedent whose religious beliefs forbade autopsy.
Successfully recovered over a half-million dollars for a trust beneficiary from uncooperative trustees, solely through the pre-litigation process and without the need to file any court papers.

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Interests

Outside of the office, Josh enjoys staying active and spending time with his family. Some of his favorite activities include: triathlon racing, scuba diving, travel, skiing, and hiking.

News and Articles about Joshua

Four Partners Honored As 2022 Super Lawyers

Keystone Recognizes Team Members for Their Years of Service and Dedication

COVID-19 and Temporary Conservatorship: Keystone’s Use of Conservatorship Proceedings Potentially Save the Life of Client’s Elderly Mother