Hackard Law

What Hackard Law does

Hackard Law is a California boutique law firm founded in 1983 by Michael A. Hackard, focused on trust, estate, and probate litigation with a secondary personal injury practice (including traumatic brain injury cases). The firm represents individuals — primarily heirs, beneficiaries, trust beneficiaries, and elderly victims of financial exploitation — in will contests, trust disputes, beneficiary abuse matters, life insurance beneficiary litigation, probate proceedings, and trust accounting enforcement. Its customer base is concentrated in California, with website coverage spanning Greater Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles County, and several outlying municipalities.

The firm monetizes through two primary fee structures: outcome-based contingency engagements (typically 33-50% of recovered amounts) on inheritance theft and trust/trustee-misconduct cases, and traditional hourly billing at $400-$800 per hour for matters not suited to contingency. A free initial phone consultation serves as the primary inbound conversion mechanism, with the firm investing heavily in content-driven top-of-funnel marketing rather than paid acquisition. Its go-to-market depends on educational authority: six published books on estate litigation and elder financial abuse, more than 900 YouTube videos, city-specific SEO landing pages, recurring media appearances (Wall Street Journal, C-SPAN, Fox News), and community partnerships (KCRA 3, California Highway Patrol, Rancho Cordova Chamber).

From a technology standpoint, Hackard Law positions itself as a legal services firm rather than a technology product company — the firmographic record explicitly classifies core technology as "Not applicable." The firm's competitive moat rests on the founder's 50 years of specialized experience, accumulated content library, peer-review credentials (Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent for 20+ years, Super Lawyers, Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum), and state-bar trust-and-estates specialization. Reported client outcomes include over $100 million in cumulative recoveries across the firm's history, with marquee verdicts such as a $20 million trust manipulation case and a $7 million trust trap case.

Name

Hackard Law

Legal name

Hackard Law

Website

https://hackardlaw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hackard Law is a California boutique law firm that represents individual heirs, beneficiaries, and elderly exploitation victims in trust, estate, and probate litigation, operating on contingency and hourly fees from its Mather, Sacramento headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trust & Estate Litigation Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK)

Keywords

• Estate litigation services
• Trust litigation
• Elder financial abuse law
• Probate law services
• Will contest representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Mather

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Contingency Fee Litigation: Primary revenue model for estate, trust, and inheritance theft cases. Clients pay no upfront fees; attorney receives percentage (typically 33-50%) of recovered funds only if case is won. Provides access to justice for heirs and beneficiaries who cannot afford hourly legal fees.
2. Hourly Billing: Traditional hourly rate billing ranging from $400-$800/hour for experienced estate litigators. Used for cases not taken on contingency basis.
3. Free Consultations: Initial case evaluation offered at no charge to assess client needs and case merits before formal engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hackard Law is a California-based law firm that provides litigation and advisory legal services focused on trusts, estates, and probate disputes. The firm represents individual heirs, beneficiaries, and elderly clients in inheritance disputes, will contests, trust litigation, and elder financial abuse matters, and also handles personal injury cases including traumatic brain injury and wrongful death claims. The firm offers contingency fee arrangements for qualifying cases alongside traditional hourly billing.

Product overview

Hackard Law is a law firm offering legal services across multiple practice areas. The firm provides estate, trust, and probate litigation services including Estate Litigation, Trust Litigation, Elder Financial Abuse Legal Services, Abused Beneficiaries Legal Services, Life Insurance Beneficiary Litigation, Probate Legal Services, and Will & Trust Contests. Additionally, the firm handles Personal Injury matters including Traumatic Brain Injury cases. The firm is led by Michael A. Hackard and serves clients throughout Sacramento and Northern California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Estate Litigation Legal representation for disputes involving wills and estate plans during the probate process, including challenges based on failure to meet execution requirements, duress, undue influence, mistake, or fraud. For heirs, beneficiaries, and individuals contesting or defending estate claims.
• Trust Litigation Legal representation for trust disputes including breach of fiduciary duty, trustee misconduct, undue influence, lack of mental capacity, and failure to provide accounting. For trust beneficiaries and parties contesting trustee actions.
• Elder Financial Abuse Legal Services Legal representation for victims of elder financial exploitation, including prosecution of wrongdoers who have taken or hidden assets of elderly persons through scams, family members, caretakers, or financial advisors. For elderly clients and their families.
• Abused Beneficiaries Legal Services Legal protection for beneficiaries of estates, trusts, and insurance policies who are being cheated out of their inheritance by other beneficiaries or unscrupulous estate fiduciaries. For trust and estate beneficiaries experiencing misconduct.
• Life Insurance Beneficiary Litigation Legal representation in disputes over life insurance beneficiary designations, including challenges based on undue influence, elder financial abuse, and divorce-related beneficiary changes. For named beneficiaries contesting policy designations.
• Probate Legal Services Legal assistance with the probate process of proving a last will and testament, including will contests, estate administration, and distribution of assets according to the deceased's wishes or California law. For executors, administrators, heirs, and beneficiaries.
• Will & Trust Contests

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $100M recovered for clients
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Rancho Cordova Area Chamber of CommerceminorOthersFirm partnership with the Rancho Cordova Area Chamber of Commerce allows attendance at local meetings and engagement with chamber members. Chamber described as forward-thinking group of community leaders focused on fostering regional prosperity.
• United Spinal AssociationminorOthersHackard Law supports United Spinal Association's mission to improve lives of wheelchair users through education, support, and advocacy. Focus on improving accessibility, promoting independence, and advocating for policy change. Firm encourages donations to support 5.5 million wheelchair users.
• KCRA 3minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Sacramento NBC affiliate KCRA 3 for community initiatives. Firm sponsored the Kids Can! Food Drive supporting Northern California families since 1987. Partnership provides visibility and community engagement opportunities.
• California Highway Patrol (CHP)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with California Highway Patrol for CHiPs for Kids Toy Drive, an annual event to brighten holidays for hospitalized and disadvantaged children. Firm co-sponsors event with KCRA, providing community visibility and charitable impact.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wilshire Law Firm: Large California plaintiff-side personal injury firm with a content-driven marketing engine and contingency fee model. Comparable on personal injury practice, branding approach, and California focus.
• Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin: Sacramento-headquartered full-service firm with a dedicated Trust and Estate Litigation group serving clients throughout California. Larger incumbent with comparable practice area and geographic overlap.
• Downey Brand LLP: Sacramento-based full-service law firm with a significant Trust & Estate practice serving Northern California. A direct local incumbent with overlapping estate litigation capabilities but a much broader practice portfolio.
• Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (Private Client Practice): National AmLaw firm with a substantial private client and trust/estate controversy practice. Represents the large-firm incumbent side of the market for high-net-worth estate disputes.

Direct peers

• Kavesh, Minor & Otis: California estate planning and trust administration firm, often engaged in related trust disputes. Adjacent specialty with overlapping client base and California footprint.
• Whitney Largent & Associates: California trust and estate litigation boutique focused on beneficiary disputes, trustee misconduct, and elder financial abuse. Direct niche competitor with similar plaintiff-side estate litigation model.
• The Wolf Firm: California trust and estate litigation boutique founded by a recognized authority on inheritance disputes. Closely comparable specialty focus, contingency orientation, and California footprint.
• Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys: California personal injury firm with a similar contingency-fee model, content-driven marketing, and founder-led brand. Comparable on the personal injury arm of Hackard Law's practice.

Emerging players

• Estate & Elder Law Center: California boutique focused on elder financial abuse, estate protection, and trust litigation. Smaller niche competitor in the same plaintiff-side elder abuse space Hackard Law leads.

Regional players

• Allred Jacksonuko & Foran LLP: California plaintiff-side firm with practices in personal injury and elder abuse. Comparable contingency model and California geography, though broader practice mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/michaelhackard
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJvBKa4-nqsRa8BnXPbEycw
• Facebookfacebook.com/hackardlawcorp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hackard-law-corporation
• Instagraminstagram.com/hackard_law

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hackard Law