Most People Put This Off. Marina Gets You Through It.
Nobody wants to do estate planning. Marina Modlin knows this better than anyone.
Some people are superstitious — they feel like making a plan invites the thing they’re planning for. Some can’t bear to think about their own death, or the death of the people they love. Some worry they don’t have the right people in their lives to nominate as trustees or guardians. And some just have too much going on to add one more complicated thing to the list.
Marina has heard all of it. And she’s built her entire practice around getting people through it anyway — before they know what hit them.
“It’s not fun to think about but it was really great working through it with Marina.” That review, or something close to it, shows up again and again. It’s not an accident.
How It Works
The process is designed to move quickly and require as little from you as possible.
It starts with a 15 minute free phone or Zoom consultation. Marina asks enough to understand your situation, explains what you need and why, and if it’s a good fit, usually gives you a flat-fee quote. No obligation.
If you want to move forward, you schedule your first meeting. That’s where she gathers everything she needs — through conversation, not forms. She walks you through every decision you need to make, explains the tradeoffs in plain language, and helps you make choices that actually fit your family, your wishes, and California law – all with the goal of avoiding or at least minimizing future problems.
Then she drafts, you review and ask Marina to explain anything you don’t understand. Then you sign — in person in the Bay Area, or remotely if you’re elsewhere in California. Marina makes sure everything is properly executed.
Most clients are done in about three weeks. Many come in having started a plan with another attorney years ago and never finished it. Marina gets them across the finish line.
What Makes Modlin Legal Different
• No questionnaires — ever. Marina gathers information through conversation.
• Flat fees, quoted upfront. No surprises.
• Plain language. Marina has a gift for making complicated legal concepts easy to understand — clients say so constantly.
• Three weeks, typically, if clients do their part on time. Faster than any comparable firm Marina is aware of.
• Many clients arrive with half-completed plans from other attorneys. Marina gets people to actually finish.
• Zoom or phone meetings with signings in person in Redwood City, Campbell, or Mountain View – all with free parking.
• She’s responsive. Emails get answered. Calls get returned.
• She makes it human. Yes, this involves thinking about death. Marina makes that manageable — and occasionally even funny.
Background & Credentials
• California State Bar No. 252572, admitted 2007
• Focused exclusively on estate planning and trust administration since 2010
• Serves clients whose estates do not require specialized estate tax advice (2026 federal exemption: $15M per person)
• J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law
• B.A., University of California, Davis
• Regularly teaches estate planning seminars for California residents
• Author, The Independence Track: How To Succeed As A Freelance Attorney (2011)
• Quoted in CNBC, MarketWatch, and other national publications
• Native Russian speaker — able to work with clients who speak no English
Outside the Office
When she’s not working, Marina is usually on one of her bikes exploring Bay Area trails, or at home with her cat — who has strong opinions about estate planning and is usually present during many meetings, unless it’s her nap time. (You’d be surprised how many cat owners become Modlin Legal clients. Correlation? Causation? The cat isn’t saying.)
Set up a free consultationModlin Legal serves clients throughout California. Offices in Mountain View, Campbell, and Redwood City. Free parking. Virtual consultations available. CA State Bar No. 252572.