Stephanie B. Hess
Managing Partner
Stephanie Barber Hess is a partner with Friedemann Goldberg Wargo Hess LLP. Her legal practice primarily involves trust and estate litigation, including will and trust contests, elder abuse, and undue influence claims. Ms. Hess also handles probate and trust administrations, and bankruptcy disputes. She has been practicing law since 1999.
She focuses her practice on analyzing and advocating her clients’ legal and policy positions. She excels at fostering communication with her clients as well as opposing counsel. Ms. Hess combines a communicative and responsive approach with strong analytical thinking to achieve the best possible results for her clients.
Ms. Hess received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Riverside, and received her law degree from Southwestern University School of Law, cum laude, working as an extern clerk with Los Angeles Superior Court. She practiced law as a litigator with Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP in Los Angeles prior to joining Friedemann Goldberg.
A resident of Sonoma County for nearly a decade, Ms. Hess is active on several boards and councils within the area, and has been recognized by community and civic organizations for her work. She was named one of the top Women in Business in the North Bay in 2015 by the North Bay Business Journal. She is also active with Redwood Empire Estate Planning Council, and the Sonoma County Bar Association.
education
- Juris Doctorate, cum laude
- Southwestern University School of Law
- Bachelor of Science
- University of California, Riverside
admissions
- California
- United States District Court
- Northern District of California
- Central District of California
- Southern District of California
honors
and affiliations
- North Bay Business Journal – “Women in Business” 2015
- Sonoma County Women in Law, Board Member & Treasurer (2011-2012)
- Participated in Leadership Santa Rosa, Class XXVII (2011-2012)
- Sonoma County Bar Association, Board Member (2015 – present)
- Lawyer Referral Service Committee and Special Events Committee.
- Sonoma County Bar Association Secretary. (2018-present)
- Redwood Empire Estate Planning Council , Board Member (2017-present)
- Sonoma County Bar Association, Bench Bar Commitee (2014-2017)
- Sonoma County Bar Association, Trust and Estates Section, Steering Committee (2015- present)
- Sonoma County Bar Association, Trust and Estates Section, Brown Bag Coordinator. (2014-2015)
- Community Matters, Secretary/Treasurer (2018- present)
- Periodic volunteer work for Legal Aid Sonoma County (2018-2019)
- National Academy of Estate Planning Lawyers (NAELA) member (2019- present)