James R. Cummins

Jim Cummins’ practice is focused on a wide range of trust and estates matters. He represents trustees, executors, personal representatives, and attorneys-in-fact in actions involving accusations of trust mismanagement, breaches of fiduciary duty, contests to wills and trusts, and even disinterment. Mr. Cummins also has significant experience in litigating domestic and international commercial disputes, business disputes in marital dissolution actions, and real property disputes. With a deep understanding of the complex legal issues involved in probate and trust litigation, he is committed to providing his clients with the highest level of legal representation and achieving the best possible outcomes.

Mr. Cummins received his J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law in 2009, where he also earned a Certificate in Social Justice & Public Interest, the CALI Award for Remedies, and served as both a Moot Court Competitor & Honors Moot Court Board Member. Prior to his time at Santa Clara, he received his BA from Loyola Marymount University in 2005.

Mr. Cummins has successfully represented clients in numerous high-stakes trust and estates cases. He has been recognized for his outstanding legal work and is a sought-after speaker on trust and estates law, most recently at the Jerry A. Kasner Estate Planning Symposium in 2021 and 2022. In addition to other published works, Mr. Cummins has contributed to the CEB's Practitioner Guide on the following topics: Request For Admissions (Trusts and Estates: Elder Financial Abuse); Petition to Invalidate Will or Trust on Grounds of Forgery; and Petition to Invalidate a Will or Trust on Grounds of Duress or Menace.