Ellen Cookman

Ellen Cookman is passionate about helping families of all shapes and sizes plan for the future and utilize available resources. She and her team of 3 attorneys and 9 support staff at Cookman Law, PC in Palo Alto, California assist clients all over California in estate planning, special needs planning, and trust administration. Ms. Cookman specializes in helping families whose children have not yet "launched" and need additional support and scaffolding from other professionals when the parents are gone.

Ms. Cookman received her J.D. at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and her LL.M. in Estate Planning, Administration, and Probate Law from Golden Gate University School of Law. She is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trusts, and Probate with the California Board of Legal Specialization. Ms. Cookman worked at two small estate planning firms before starting Cookman Law in 2015.

Ms. Cookman frequently gives presentations on estate planning and special needs planning topics for various nonprofit organizations, bar associations, and parent support groups. She is a member of Academy of Special Needs Planners, a nationwide network of attorneys and financial planners who provide special needs planning services. Ms. Cookman was selected to Super Lawyers for 2020 to2024, a selection of the top 5% of all attorneys, and has the rating of AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, a peer rating for the highest level of professional excellence.