OC Trusts Lawyer
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Meet Our Legal Team

Meet Our Legal Team

At our firm, we are proud of our team of talented, client-oriented attorneys and associates dedicated to providing the highest legal representation. 

​Max M. Alavi

An experienced estate planning, probate and trust dispute litigation attorney in Orange county and Los Angeles county.

Max M. Alavi
Max Alavi

Angela Zeng

Ms. Angela Zeng is an associate attorney at Max Alavi, Attorney at Law, APC. Her focus is Probate, Trust Administration, and Litigation.

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Angela Zeng

Kathleen Hateley

Mrs. Kathleen Hateley is Of Counsel to Max Alavi, Attorney at Law, APC and her sole focus is litigation.

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Kathleen Hateley

Matthew P. Hytrek

Matthew Hytrek is an Associate Attorney at Max Alavi, Attorney at Law APC. He is from a small rural community in Nebraska.

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Matthew P. Hytrek

Meet Our Associates

​Diana Arreola

Diana Arreola is the Office Manager at Max Alavi, Attorney at Law, APC.

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Diana Arreola

Bella Mendoza

Bella is the Receptionist at Max Alavi, Attorney at Law, APC.

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Bella Mendoza

Thao Nguyen

Mrs. Kathleen Hateley is Of Counsel to Max Alavi, Attorney at Law, APC and her sole focus is litigation.

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Thao "Nikki" Nguyen

Satisfied Client Stories

"MAX ALAVI MADE THE PROCESS OF CREATING A FAMILY TRUST VERY EASY. HE WAS ORGANIZED AND WAS ABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS I HAD QUICKLY. HE TREATED ME WITH RESPECT AND ASKED THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT I WANTED. IF YOU NEED A FAMILY TRUST I RECOMMEND MAX ALAVI HIGHLY WITHOUT ANY RESERVATIONS."
DAVID W.
"VERY PROFESSIONAL SERVICE. MAX WAS WONDERFUL! HE ANSWERED ALL OF OUR RIDICULOUS QUESTIONS AS MY HUSBAND AND I HADN'T EVER THOUGHT OF HAVING A TRUST AND HAD NO IDEA WHAT WE WERE DOING. IT WAS A VERY SIMPLE PROCESS, AND HIS OFFICE WORKED WITH US TO SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS WITH OUR CRAZY SCHEDULE. WITH OUR GROWING FAMILY IT'S GREAT TO KNOW THAT OUR CHILDREN WILL BE PROTECTED IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO ME AND MY HUSBAND, AND WE CAN THANK MAX FOR THAT FEELING OF PROTECTION!"​
ERIN B.
I FOUND MAX TO BE PATIENT AND RESPONSIVE TO OUR REQUESTS. IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET EVERYTHING IN ORDER SINCE WE LIVE OF-OF-STATE AND COULD NOT SIGN EVERYTHING IN LESS TIME. I WILL RECOMMEND MR. ALAVI TO MY CO-WORKERS WHEN THE SUBJECT OF LIVING TRUSTS COME UP.
VICENTE
MAX CAME TO MY WORK TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ON HIS SERVICES. HE WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL AND TOOK AS LONG AS WE NEEDED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS WE HAD ABOUT HIS SERVICES. HE PUT THINGS IN A VERY EASY TO UNDERSTAND LANGUAGE AND MADE SURE HE DID NOT TALK ABOVE HIS AUDIENCE. I HIRED MR. ALAVI TO EXECUTE A LIVING TRUST FOR MY WIFE AND I. THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS HE WAS VERY PATIENT AND MADE SURE WE UNDERSTOOD EVERYTHING WE WERE INCORPORATING INTO THE TRUST. DEALING WITH MAX WAS A BREEZE AND I WOULD RECOMMEND HIM TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND COWORKERS.
MARCEL

Mr. Max Alavi, licensed in 1992, is recognized as a Super Lawyer in the areas of estate planning, probate and trust and probate litigation. Mr. Alavi is passionate about his personal involvement with clients and making sure that their wishes for their family or those of the loved one who has passed be realized fully, quickly and efficiently.

Mr. Alavi started his law practice with the law firm of Odom, Schmerin and Thomason in Houston, Texas as a litigator. Upon moving to California, He has focused his practice on Trust and Probate litigation, Estate Planning and Probate, leading a capable and driven team of legal professionals who strive everyday to achieve extraordinary results.

Max Alavi

Max M Alavi

Ms. Angela Zeng is an associate attorney at Max Alavi, Attorney at Law, APC. Her focus is
Probate, Trust Administration, and Litigation concerning Probate and Trust Estates. Ms. Zeng
received her Juris Doctorate from Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law in 2023, and
graduated Cum Laude from University of California, Berkeley in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts
double major degree in English and Sociology. During her legal education, Ms. Zeng developed
a strong interest in estate planning and earned one of the highest grades in Pepperdine Law’s specialized course on inheritance law, Advanced Wills and Trusts. In her spare time, Ms. Zeng enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She also speaks Mandarin fluently.

Angela Zeng

Mrs. Kathleen Hateley is Of Counsel to Max Alavi, Attorney at Law, APC and her sole focus is litigation. Mrs. Hateley has over 35 years of trial experience and is licensed to practice law in all state courts for the State of California as well as all U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Central and Northern districts of California. Mrs. Hateley started her legal career at a law firm in downtown Los Angeles where she was trained in litigation strategy. During the course of her practice, she has gained experience as a trial attorney, mentor and mediator. Mrs. Hateley served as Of Counsel to Max Alavi, Attorney at Law, APC from 2010 to 2017. From 2017 to 2022 she served as Chief Legal Officer to two corporations located in Los Angeles, and most recently, as West Coast Regional Counsel to a global engineering firm. We are thrilled to have her back with us to train our associates and assist our clients. Mrs. Hateley serves as Of Counsel with Max Alavi, Attorney at Law, APC where she is involved in litigation related to trustee representation in contested trust matters, breach of fiduciary duties, fraud and elder abuse causes of action. Mrs. Hateley received her Juris Doctorate degree in law from the McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific in 1987 with honors; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from UCLA in 1984. *According to California Rule of Professional Conduct 1-400(E)(8), an attorney is “Of Counsel” if there is a “close, personal, continuous and regular relationship” with a named firm. The “Of Counsel” can maintain a separate source of work, so long as conflicts and other ethical implications do not arise.

Kathleen Hateley

Matthew Hytrek is an Associate Attorney at Max Alavi, Attorney at Law APC. He is from a small rural community in Nebraska. Growing up on a small dairy farm he developed a strong work ethic, an understanding of developing relationships, and a persevering mentality. These are the values he carries with him in his legal career.

He attended and graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University with a degree in Business Administration. After moving to California, he obtained his Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School and graduated magna cum laude. Immediately following law school, his career focused on litigation including insurance defense of catastrophic injuries and employment defense. He then transitioned to estate planning and now uses his litigation background in the Probate, Trust Litigation, and Trust Administration arena.

Matthew is barred in the State of California and the United States District Courts for the Northern, Central, Eastern, and Southern Districts of California.

Matthew P. Hytrek

Diana Arreola is the Office Manager at Max Alavi, Attorney at Law, APC. She specializes in ensuring the seamless operation of the firm and delivering outstanding client experiences.

Diana holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from California State University, Long Beach and is a Certified Notary Public. She has cultivated over five years of client communication management experience in the legal realm. Her innovative mindset allows her to identify growth opportunities while seamlessly managing operational efficiency, all contributing to a strong foundation for client trust and business expansion.

Diana finds joy in exploring new coffee shops, spending time outdoors with her Fiance and puppy Luna, planning family gatherings, and reading personal-development books.

Diana Arreola

Bella is the Receptionist at Max Alavi, Attorney at Law, APC. She oversees Mr. Alavi’s calendar and is often the welcoming voice on the other end of the phone providing exceptional customer service.

She is a Los Angeles County local who attended and graduated from Artesia High School. She joined the firm in 2022 providing basic administrative assistance but has since become an invaluable resource for clients navigating their estate planning needs.

In her spare time, Bella enjoys spending time with her son and family. She also spends her free-time visiting the happiest place on earth.

Bella Mendoza

Thao N. Nguyen, known by her friends, family, and peers as “Nikki” is a paralegal at Max Alavi, Attorney at Law, APC. She started her legal career as a legal assistant for a law firm that specializes in Conservatorships, Trust Administration, Probate Administration, and Trust Litigation. She expanded her career in the legal field to become a Litigation Paralegal focusing on litigated matters concerning Trusts, Probate, and Elder Abuse. Nikki received her Bachelor of Science in Legal Support and Services, with a concentration in Paralegal from Purdue Global University in 2023, and graduated Summa Cum Laude.

Nikki joined our team as a paralegal to support our attorneys with Probate, Trust Administration, and Trust Litigation matters. She also uses her skills to assist with our intake process and ensures potential clients are provided with the same level of attentiveness as our current clients.

Nikki enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading, roller blading, and hiking.

Thao "Nikki" Nguyen