Matthew R. "Matt" Owens

Matt is a partner in the trust and estate litigation team at Withers Bergman LLP. Matt focuses his practice on trust, estate, and inheritance disputes. He has prosecuted and defended a wide range of matters in probate court, including trust contests, elder abuse actions, accountings, contested conservatorships and claims involving breach of fiduciary duty. His clients include high net worth individuals and families, corporate trustees, and private professional fiduciaries.

Matt has successfully handled numerous trials and arbitrations of trust and estate disputes. He has also handled many appeals, including the following cases that resulted in published opinions:

• Funsten v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (2016) 2 Cal.App.5th 959
• Dunlap v. Mayer (2021) 63 Cal.App.5th 419

Matt is a certified specialist in estate planning, trust, and probate law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. He frequently speaks and writes on trust and estate litigation topics, is a member of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association (TEXCOM), and serves as Chair of the Executive Committee of the San Diego County Bar Association’s Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law Section. Matt is also a registered foreign lawyer in the UK.