I became an estate planning attorney because I want to help families. The legal system can be confusing and intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. I speak in plain English and truly want you to understand your options and help you make wise decisions. With good planning, not only can future headache and expense be avoided, but you can leave a legacy for your family, taking care of them even after you are gone.

I take pride in providing each of my clients with one-on-one counseling, responsive, clear communication, and excellent service. I work closely with you to make sure your goals are realized. Estate planning is a lifelong process, and I strive to build relationships that last long after we first meet.

Background

Marc Mackenzie received his J.D. with honors from The George Washington University Law School. During law school, he was a member of The George Washington Law Review and served as a Dean’s Fellow. He earned his B.A. from University of California Santa Cruz. Prior to founding Acorn Law, he worked as an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of the international law firm Hogan Lovells in their corporate mergers and acquisitions group.

He is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.

Marc is a member of the Ventura County Bar Association, ProVisors, and WealthCounsel. He was selected by SuperLawyers as a Rising Star for 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Marc is an Eagle Scout and is active in his community. He lives in Camarillo with his wife Emily and daughters Lucy and Sophie.

I became an attorney because I wanted to help people. I want to serve my community, and I want to build lasting, meaningful relationships with my clients.

I pride myself in helping people create legacies for their loved ones. We want to leave our loved ones in good hands after we are gone. As the father of two beautiful little girls, I do everything I can to provide for their care and well-being, to teach them to find happiness in life, and to prepare them for life as adults. While I hope my daughters never need to grow up without me or my wife, I can create a plan for my family that gives me the peace of mind of knowing that I have done everything I could to make sure that they have as much support and guidance from us as possible.

I understand that other people feel the same way, and I strive to treat others how I want to be treated.

As an attorney, I always listen to my clients and help them design an estate plan that addresses their specific desires because no two estate plans are the same. My desire is to ensure that my clients appreciate the value of carefully crafted estate plans that will address their needs and concerns.

Background

Andy is a graduate of Duke University and the Wake Forest University School of Law. A proud Southern California native, Andy was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2011. He was also admitted to practice in the Central District of California by the United States District Court in 2012.

Prior to joining Acorn Law, he founded the Law Offices of Andy S. Yun, where he has helped hundreds of clients create lasting legacies for their loved ones.

Andy is a member of Wealth Counsel, the Orange County Bar Association, and the Orange County Korean American Bar Association. He proudly serves as the Treasurer of the Jefferson Elementary School PTA in Anaheim. He currently serves as a Director of the Orange County Korean American Bar Association. In his spare time, he enjoys sports, photography, camping, fly fishing, and traveling with his family.

As a mother of two young children, I can relate to the exhaustion that comes with the daily grind of parenthood. As an estate planning attorney, however, I feel that it’s my mission to encourage every parent, regardless of financial status, to have an effective estate plan in place.

I enjoy meeting with families from all walks of life and assisting them in having the difficult conversations that ultimately turn into a solidification of their wishes. Especially when minor children are involved, I do my best to guide parents toward a mindful selection of guardians, trustees, and personal representatives.  Also, having witnessed preventable yet heartbreaking conflict upon the passing of my own family members, I am also dedicated to assisting grieving families with the administration of a decedent’s trust.

I strive to be an approachable, humble, yet resolute estate planning lawyer and pride myself in holding each and every client’s hand throughout their legal journey.

Background

Nikki received her B.A. from the University of British Columbia with a Major in Political Science and an Honors Degree in Germanic Studies. She obtained her Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles, where she was also invited to join the Moot Court. Nikki was admitted to the California Bar in 2005 and has since represented hundreds of clients in the United States Bankruptcy Courts for the Central and Southern District. She is admitted to all Courts within the State of California.

In addition to Estate Planning and Trust Administration, Nikki is experienced in representing individuals in Bankruptcy proceedings as well.

In an effort to serve her community, Nikki is a volunteer legal counsel at the Conejo Free Clinic, serves on the Board of Directors of the Women Lawyers of Ventura County and Bridges Charter School, and is a bankruptcy consultant at the Financial Abuse Specialist Team of Ventura County (FAST).

She is also an active member of WealthCounsel, Ventura County Bar Association, Central District of California Bankruptcy Attorneys Association, ProVisors, and Interactive Legal Academy.

While homeschooling her children for five years, Nikki also obtained her Life Coaching Certification.  Her most exciting and life-changing events include sky-diving with her brother, meeting her amazing husband, and the birth of her two lovely daughters.

I truly believe that in order to achieve your estate planning goals, you need a customized estate plan. An estate plan is not a one-size fits all. Each individual or family has different needs, goals, and wishes.  Each and every estate plan that I prepare includes a detailed review, design, and implementation to achieve these goals and wishes. I also assist and represent my clients in trust and probate administrations as well as trust and estate issues and court proceedings with the utmost consideration and care.

Background

Ellie Shafa received her Juris Doctorate degree from Southwestern University School of Law in 2004, where she graduated magna cum laude. During law school, she served as a Law Extern to the Honorable Dean D. Pregerson at the United States District Court.  She also served as the Lead Articles Editor of Law Review, authored and published a Law Review Article titled Reverse Piercing of the Corporate Veil: The Implications of Bypassing “Ownership” Interest.

She is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.

Ellie lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two daughters, and son, along with their German Shepard.

I am often the first person you will speak to when you first begin working with our firm.  I work hard to make sure our clients have all of their needs not only met, but exceeded. Whether it is helping a client with transferring assets to their trust, to greeting people with a smile at our workshops, I am constantly doing everything I can to make sure our clients are well taken care of.

Background

Darlene is a graduate of the University of Phoenix with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management. She is also a 2010 graduate of the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class – “Meet the Elite” and former Board of Directors member of the Women Information Network (W.I.N.S.).  Darlene is also a Notary Public.

Darlene has been married for 39 years and has lived in Simi Valley, CA for 34 years with her husband Shedd, daughter Desiree and son Durell. She is also the proud grandmother to two beautiful granddaughters.

Darlene loves to spend as much time as possible at R-Ranch in the Sequoias enjoying the beauty and peace of the Sequoia National Forest with her family and friends.  Cooking and trying new recipes is also an enjoyable past-time for Darlene.

I believe in the power of human connection and have seen firsthand how resilient we have been as a people to overcome the disruption in social relationships of the past few years. I am here to warmly welcome you into our office and offer you a space to be yourself so we can learn about what truly matters to you. Estate Planning is an all-encompassing, unique experience specifically tailored for you and your loved ones. It is my pleasure to be the first person you interact with and your point of contact throughout the estate planning journey. I love being a part of Acorn Law and I’m looking forward to working with you.

Background

Genesis is the Client Care Coordinator at Acorn Law; her focus is to create a harmonious experience for our clients. Genesis has an extensive history in building client relationships. She graduated with honors in Business Administration from Moorpark College before continuing her education in health science.

Genesis has been married to her husband Jeff for 5 years, they spend a lot of their time working on home renovations, trying new recipes, and traveling to Santa Barbara County for weekend getaways.

Genesis loves listening to podcasts and audiobooks while driving, watching a good comedy movie, and spending time with her girlfriends.