INDIVIDUAL PROFILE

John Scheerer

High Net Worth 2026

Sacks, Glazier, Franklin, Lodise, McMurtrey & Scheerer, LLP

Ranked in 1 practice area

Private Wealth Disputes

California

2 years ranked

About

Provided by Sacks, Glazier, Franklin, Lodise, McMurtrey & Scheerer, LLP

High Net Worth

Practice Areas

Estate litigation

Trust litigation

Conservatorship litigation

Estate, probate and trust mediation

Estate, probate and trust appeals

Career

Hueston Hennigan LLP, Litigation Associate

Irell & Manella LLP, Litigation Associate

California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, Summer Law Clerk at the Criminal Appeals, Writs, and Trials Section, Los Angeles, CA

Professional Memberships

Beverly Hills Estate Planning Council, Board Member

American Bar Association Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section, Vice-Chair Professional Responsibility

Los Angeles Estate Planning Council, Member

Publications

Tung Decision Signals More Expansion to Fulfilling Testator Intent – Published: Daily Journal, June 2026

No harm, but still foul: Boyajian and California’s failure to extend the harmless error doctrine to revocations – Published: Daily Journal, July 2025

Resolving Contested Trusts and Estates-Related Fiduciary Matters Without Litigation – Published: Thomson Reuters Practical Law Trusts & Estates, January 2025

A Succession of what? The legal significance of the “piece of paper” in estates – Published: Daily Journal, April 2023

‘Dead Men Tell No Tales,’ but Their Attorney May Have To: Overlooked Exceptions to Privilege in California – Published: The Recorder, February 2023

Work Highlights

- Successfully defended a multibillion-dollar claim against the Barron Hilton Trust.

- Obtained terminating sanctions in addition to demurrers sustained without leave to amend against a disgruntled relative of his client, a trustee of a trust holding substantial assets.

- Obtained a dismissal in subsequent related conservatorship litigation.

- Obtained an affirmance in favor of his clients, both trustee and beneficiaries of a trust, after an extensive appellate process, which included Mr. Scheerer’s oral advocacy in the California Court of Appeal.

At his previous firm, Mr. Scheerer was part of a team that served as trial counsel to Sumner Redstone, controlling shareholder of Viacom Inc. and CBS Corp., securing complete dismissal of the lawsuit after the first day of trial.

Education

University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law

UCLA

Awards

Best Lawyers

Super Lawyers Rising Stars

Super Lawyers

Legal Visionaries –

Los Angeles Times

2026

Best of L.A. Legal –

Los Angeles Magazine

2026

500 Leading Lawyers, Trusts & Estates Litigation

Lawdragon

2025

Future Star

Benchmark Litigation

2025

Industry Sector Expertise

John Scheerer focuses his practice exclusively on trusts, estates and conservatorship litigation. He has successfully handled a variety of matters before the Probate Department of the Superior Court as well as appeals in the California Court of Appeal resulting in multiple successful appellate decisions.

Mr. Scheerer represents beneficiaries, trustees, professional fiduciaries, and non-profit institutions such as national universities. He balances clever advocacy with an unbiased and realistic assessment of each of his client’s cases in order to provide the most cost-effective favorable outcome.

Representative examples of Mr. Scheerer’s practice include prosecuting and defending will and trust contests, defending creditor’s claims in decedents’ trusts or estates, defending conservatorship proceedings, and prosecuting and defending breach of fiduciary duty and surcharge claims against trustees.

Mr. Scheerer’s work in trusts and estates litigation has earned recognition among leading awards and rankings:

- Legal Visionaries – Los Angeles Times

- Best of L.A. Legal – Los Angeles Magazine

- 500 Leading Lawyers, Trusts & Estates Litigation – Lawdragon

- Future Star, Benchmark Litigation

- Best Lawyers

- Super Lawyers Rising Stars

An ardent Los Angeles Dodgers fan, Mr. Scheerer has been interviewed by multiple outlets about his extensive bobblehead collection, including a feature profile with Super Lawyers Magazine. He frequently authors articles on timely trusts and estates issues for publications such as Thomson Reuters Practical Law Trusts & Estates, Daily Journal and The Recorder.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers High Net Worth

Private Wealth Disputes - California

Up and Coming

Individual Editorial

John Scheerer represents wealthy individuals in trust and estate disputes.

Learn more about this team View ranking table

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

John is very skilled as an advocate.
Private Wealth DisputesChambers High Net Worth
John has great attention to detail and is always quick to respond with legal analysis.
Private Wealth DisputesChambers High Net Worth