Sheila-Marie Finkelstein, LL.M. is a Shareholder in Klinedinst’s Irvine office. She is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Ms. Finkelstein regularly practices in probate court.

Ms. Finkelstein is passionate about education and veterans. She practices in estate planning because of her experiences as a Clerk for the U.S. Air Force JAG corps, and as an elementary school science teacher with Teach for America. She is also a Veterans Affairs Accredited Attorney, and launched the pro bono Estate Clinic at Veteran’s Legal Institute.

An accomplished author and speaker, Ms. Finkelstein has been published multiple times in American Bar Association magazines, including GPSolo and OC Lawyer. She has taught several Continuing Legal Education Courses, and frequently speaks at private and public events on the benefits of proper estate planning for individuals, families, and professionals. Ms. Finkelstein has been recognized by Southern California Super Lawyers® as one of its Rising Stars each year since 2018.

Veterans Legal Institute, Lawyers for Warriors named Ms. Finkelstein as its Veterans Advocate of the Year in 2021, the same year that Expertise.com named her Probate Lawyer of the Year in Long Beach. A graduate of Washington & Lee University School of Law, Ms. Finkelstein earned her LL.M. in Taxation from the Chapman University School of Law. She also studied International Law at University of Copenhagen. She previously earned a Masters in Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a B.A. from American University.