About Me, Jake T. Howell, Esq.
I’m Jake Howell, the founder of Howell Estate Planning, PC, and a dedicated estate planning attorney based in San Diego, California. My goal is simple: to help individuals, families, and business owners protect their assets, avoid probate, pay less in taxes, and plan for the future with confidence.
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I earned my law degree from the University of Southern California (USC) and began my legal career as a corporate M&A attorney in the New York City office of the international law firm McDermott Will & Emery. After moving to California to litigate at a regional firm, I developed a deeper understanding of how lawsuits arise when proper planning is neglected—and more importantly, how to prevent and protect people from them with proper planning.
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With a background in accounting, I bring a well-rounded strategic and financial perspective to estate planning. Whether you need a simple will or a complex trust and tax-efficient succession plan, I offer clear, straightforward legal solutions tailored to your needs. I believe estate planning shouldn’t be confusing or intimidating. I make the process efficient, transparent, and personalized, so you can move forward knowing your family and assets are secure.
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Let’s start planning for your future.
Education
Juris Doctor
University of Southern California (USC)
Jake earned his J.D. from The University of Southern California, where he also earned a Business Law Certificate and the USC Law Tax Institute Scholarship. Jake excels in his understanding of complex legal structures, having earned high honors in Business Organizations and the American Jurisprudence Award in Mergers and Acquisitions (an award given to the student earning the highest grade and rank in the class). During law school, Jake was also a teacher’s assistant for an undergraduate law course and a member of USC Gould’s Hale Moot Court Honors Program.
B.S., summa cum laude
Business Administration, Accounting
Monmouth University, Honors School
Jake graduated summa cum laude from Monmouth University, and earned his B.S. in Business Administration, with a concentration in accounting. While at Monmouth, Jake ran Division I cross-country and track & field, earning all east honors in his senior year. Not only did he excel on the track, but he also excelled in the classroom. Jake earned the two most prestigious college scholarships from the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants, which were given to New Jersey students showing the most promise in the field of accounting. Jake also earned a full-time audit position at the number one ranked audit firm in the world, Pricewaterhousecoopers (PwC), but turned it down to pursue his law degree.