Kimberly D. Neilson

Practice areas

Estate & Trust Litigation, Elder Law, Estate Planning & Probate

Focus areas

Guardianships & Conservatorships, Power of Attorney, Probate & Estate Administration, Will Contests

Kimberly D. Neilson serves as a lawyer at Frisella Law, APC, situated in San Diego, California. Operating across California, Ms. Neilson specializes in various areas of law, including trust administration and litigation, cases of elder financial abuse, estate administration and probate, representing beneficiaries, handling conservatorships and guardianships, as well as estate planning matters.

Ms. Neilson is extensively involved in legal proceedings within Probate Courts across California. Some instances of her cases involve disputes concerning the mental capacity during trust establishment, manipulation exerted on a trustor leading to asset disposal under undue influence, determination of inheritance rights for step-children, inheritance rights for children from subsequent families unknown to the initial family, contested conservatorship disputes, and instances of contested wills or improperly executed wills, among others.

Having earned an Honors degree in psychology from the University of Tulsa in 1998, Ms. Neilson achieved her Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2001. She was admitted to practice by The State Bar of California in 2001, and she holds admission to practice before all U.S. District Courts in California, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Throughout her legal career, Ms. Neilson has tackled numerous civil litigation cases, encompassing intricate matters of consumer law, employment law, and disputes related to wages and hours. She has also gained significant experience in handling class action lawsuits and collective actions involving consumers. Notably, she played a crucial role in securing a favorable verdict for economically disadvantaged residents in a case concerning violations of a local rent control ordinance. Furthermore, she effectively represented San Diego’s homeless population in a legal battle involving illegal lodging tickets.

Actively engaged in the legal community, Ms. Neilson holds memberships in The State Bar of California, the San Diego County Bar Association, the Lawyers Club of San Diego, the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, and the Probate Attorneys of San Diego. Beyond her legal practice, she dedicates her time and services to Voices of Children, a nonprofit organization advocating for the rights and welfare of foster children in dependency courts. In her role, she provides consistent support and guidance to youth, participates in the VFC Community Outreach Committee, delivers presentations on the positive impact of a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) at various community events and meetings, and serves as a frequent speaker during volunteer training sessions organized by Voices for Children.

Ms. Neilson boasts a successful record of litigating cases throughout the state, encompassing matters such as financial elder abuse, contested conservatorships and guardianships, determinations of heirship, breaches of fiduciary duty, actions for trustee removal, violations of power of attorney, accounting disputes, as well as a multitude of trust and estate-related concerns. Recently, Ms. Neilson achieved a favorable outcome in an elder financial abuse case that went to trial, successfully recovering real property and monetary assets for the estate. The jury’s unanimous decision covered both liability and punitive damages.

Practicing across various counties within California, including but not limited to San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Alameda, Orange, Imperial, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Butte, and Sacramento, Ms. Neilson effectively litigates matters across the state.