Alma Soongi Beck, Esq.
J.D., LL.M. Taxation
Alma Soongi Beck, Esq. is a Certified Specialist, Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. She helps individuals, couples and families navigate issues relating to estates and trusts, probate and trust administration, domestic partnership and property co-ownership, particularly as they affect unmarried and same sex couples.
Ms. Beck earned her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1998, and an LL.M. degree in Taxation (graduate law degree) from Golden Gate Law School in August 2004. For high school, she graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts and for college, earned a B.A. in American and Ethnic Studies from Yale University.
Ms. Beck also leads diversity awareness and cross-cultural communication workshops for law firms, legal organizations, Fortune 500 companies and non-profit organizations.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:
Seminar Facilitator on estate planning and domestic partnership issues for:
- The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR),
- Our Family Coalition (OFC), an organization for LGBT parents and families,
- Barbary Lane Senior Communities,
- Financial Title Company,
- The Horizons Foundation.
Volunteer attorney for the AIDS Legal Referral Panel (ALRP) Will Drafting Section.
Served as Board Member for:
- Transgender Law Center (TLC), 2003-2007
- Our Family Coalition (OFC), 2003-2007
- Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALiF), 2001-2003
- The Korean American Bar Association of Northern California (KABA-NC), 2000-2002
COMMUNITY RECOGNITION:
- AIDS Legal Referral Panel (ALRP) 2007 Attorney of the Year, with Certificates of Recognition from The San Francisco Mayor’s Office, San Francisco Assessor Phil Ting, California State Assembly member Mark Leno, California State Senator Carole Migden
- Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALiF) 2007 Honoree for “Outstanding Service to the Legal Community” presented at the UNITY Reception for Bay Area Minority Bar Associations
- Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA), 2006 Business Advocate of the Year, Individual
What We Do
Areas We Serve
We have clients based in San Francisco and Los Angeles Counties as well as surrounding counties, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Marin, Orange, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sonoma and Yolo Counties.
Services We Provide
Estate Planning
- Drafting of wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney
- Property Tax Planning issues for Unmarried and Same-sex Couples
- Asset and Creditor Protection Planning
- Federal gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer tax issues for individuals, couples and families
- Charitable Planning; Charitable Remainder and Lead Trusts
Estate/Trust Administration
- Probate Administration
- Trust and Estate Administration
Domestic Partnership – Registration; Federal Tax Issues
- Information and counsel about California State and local domestic partnership registries
- Information and counsel on rights and responsibilities under same sex marriage
Property Co-Ownership Issues
- Property Co-ownership and Co-tenancy Agreements
- Issues relating to Formation and Dissolution of Unmarried and Same-Sex Relationships
- Property titling issues for unmarried and same sex couples purchasing or refinancing property