Michael McDonald is a Partner in The Estate Lawyers’ San Diego office, where he focuses his practice on trust and estate litigation. He represents clients in complex disputes involving trusts, breach of fiduciary duty, financial elder abuse, will and heirship contests, and contested conservatorships. With extensive experience litigating probate matters, Michael has secured favorable outcomes for clients through trial advocacy and strategic settlement negotiations, bringing a focused and results-oriented approach to protecting their interests.
Michael has dedicated his legal career to trust and estate litigation and related civil disputes. Before joining The Estate Lawyers in 2025, he developed his experience at established San Diego law firms, working alongside experienced attorneys in the trusts and estates field. This background has strengthened his ability to navigate complex probate disputes, evaluate litigation risks, and develop effective strategies tailored to his clients’ objectives.
Actively involved in the legal community, Michael is a member of the San Diego County Bar Association, Probate Attorneys of San Diego, the American Inns of Court’s William B. Enright Chapter, and ProVisors. He has served in leadership and editorial roles with the San Diego County Bar Association’s Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Section and contributed as an editor of the Probate Attorneys of San Diego’s Probate Handbook. Michael also regularly presents at continuing legal education programs and has spoken at engagements with the American Bar Association’s Tax Section, the American Inns of Court, and Probate Attorneys of San Diego.
Michael’s professional accomplishments have earned him recognition on the Super Lawyers Rising Stars list for Estate and Trust Litigation and Estate Planning and Probate. He has also been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for his work in trusts and estates.
Michael earned his Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law, where he competed in moot court and mock trial tournaments and served as Vice President of the Vis International Commercial Arbitration Team. He received his Bachelor of Science in Finance, cum laude, from Arizona State University’s Barrett Honors College and W. P. Carey School of Business in 2009.
Outside the office and courtroom, Michael enjoys spending time with his wife, Chelsea, their two sons, and their dog, Teemu.
