Attorney David G. Knitter
Attorney David G. Knitter practices in the field of financial elder abuse, contested conservatorships and trusts and estates litigation throughout California. He is a past member and advisor of the Executive Committee for the Trusts and Estates Section of the State Bar of California (TEXCOM) and former Chair of the State Bar of California Educating Seniors Project. He is Past President of the Solano County Bar Association (SCBA) and was honored as Attorney of the Year in 2006.
Mr. Knitter is a Fellow of the American Bar Association and has been honored by the State of California and other political bodies for his contributions to the field of elder abuse. He was featured as one of “NAELA’s litigators,” appearing on the cover on the NAELA News and is a member of the NAELA Advocacy and Litigation Subcommittee.
Mr. Knitter has written extensively on financial elder abuse, undue influence and probate and trust litigation issues. He has presented locally and nationally for organizations including the State Bar of California, California Lawyers Association, California Continuing Education of the Bar, the California Administrative Office of the Courts, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), LAS, Elder Financial Protection Network, several county bar associations, estate planning councils, civic and professional groups. Topics have included undue influence, financial elder abuse, probate and trust, and conservatorship litigation and related subject matter.
Mr. Knitter’s over 30 years of litigation expertise includes trust and probate litigation, claims and defense of undue influence and financial elder abuse, and contested conservatorships. He also has decades of experience in business and real estate disputes and litigation which makes him uniquely qualified to handle most fiduciary litigation. He also serves as an expert witness, consultant, mediator and arbitrator in these areas of practice.
Presentations/Classes/Seminars
- Tools of Litigation, NAELA Webinar on January 8, 2020
- Strategies in Litigating Pre-Death and Post Death Contests, Presented at Sacramento County Bar Association Probate and Estate Planning Bootcamp on September 17, 2019
- Undue Influence, Presented at California Lawyers Association (CLA) Summer Trust and Estates Education Conference on June 28, 2019
- Identifying Financial Elder Abuse and Advising Your Client in Pursuit of Legal and Nonlegal Remedies, ClearLaw Institute Webinar on November 15, 2017
- Standing Issues in Trusts, Estates and Elder Abuse Litigation, Presented at San Luis Obispo Estate Planning Council September 27, 2017
- Standing Issues in Trust, Estates and Elder Abuse Litigation, California State Bar Webinar on September 13, 2017
- Identifying Financial Elder Abuse and Legal Remedies, Presented at the Diablo Valley Estate Planning Council on September 20, 2017
- Aider & Abettor Liability of Trust and Estate Attorney for Elder Abuse, NAELA Webinar on August 9, 2017
- How to Protect Against Financial Elder Abuse, Presented at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on November 2, 2016
- Litigating Pre-Death Trust Contests, 89th Annual Convention of the State Bar of California in San Diego on September 30, 2016
- Establishing a Conservatorship Based Upon Undue Influence, 2016 Summer Education Conference for the State Bar of California’s Trusts and Estates Section on June 24, 2016
- Understanding the Remedies Available for Financial Elder Abuse, 88th Annual Meeting of the State Bar of California The Thirty-Ninth Annual Fall Program, Trust and Estates Law Section, State Bar of California November 20, 2015
- Protect Yourself When It Comes To Trusts & Estates, Yolo County Senior Resource & Crime Prevention Fair, October 14, 2015
- Understanding the Remedies Available for Financial Elder Abuse, 88th Annual Meeting of the State Bar of California October 9, 2015
- Conduct A Better Deposition in Trust and Estates Litigation, 87th Annual Meeting of the State Bar of California, San Diego California, October 2014
- Conduct a Better Deposition in Trusts and Estates Litigation, California Young Lawyers Association, Filmed at the 87th Annual Meeting of The State Bar of California in San Diego on September 13, 2014
- Financial Elder Abuse & Legal Remedies, Estate Planning Council, Stockton, California, November 2013
- Identifying Financial Elder Abuse and Advising Your Client in Pursuit of Legal Remedies, 86th Annual Meeting of the State Bar of California, San Jose California, October 2013
- Analyzing the Numbers in Probate Litigation, What Is Really at Stake, 86th Annual Meeting of the State Bar of California, San Jose California, October 2013
Partial List of Relevant Published Articles and Educational Materials:
- Tools of Trust, Estate, and Elder Abuse Pretrial Litigation, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. NAELA Journal Volume 17, Fall 2021
- Capacity of Elder Checklist, Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) 2020
- Financial Abuse Cause of Action Checklist, Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) 2020
- Elder Abuse claims in Trust and Estate Litigation Checklist, Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) 2020
- Update Editor for multiple Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) Practice Guide Chapters. 2016-present
- Co-Author Action Guide “Capacity and Undue Influence: Assessing, Challenging, and Defending” (Continuing Education of the Bar, April 2018, 2020)
- Assessing and Litigating Pre-Death Trust Contests: Perils, Pitfalls, Strategies (California Trusts and Estates Quarterly, Volume 23, Issue 3, 2017)
- Remedies for Financial Elder Abuse (California Trusts and Estates Quarterly, Volume 22, Issue 2, 2016)
- Understanding the Remedies Available for Financial Elder Abuse (88th Annual Meeting of the State Bar of California Presentation Materials October 9, 2015
- Establishing a Conservatorship Based Upon Undue Influence: A Practitioner’s Guide (California Trust and Estates Quarterly Volume 21, Issue 2, 2015)
- Conduct a Better Deposition in Trusts and Estates Litigation, (California Young Lawyers Association, Filmed at the 87th Annual Meeting of The State Bar of California in San Diego on September 13, 2014)
- What Every Trust and Estates Practitioner Needs to Know About Elder Financial Abuse, (California Trust and Estates Quarterly Volume 20, Issue 1 2014)
- Identifying Financial Elder Abuse and Advising Your Client in Pursuit of Legal Remedies, (86th Annual Meeting of the State Bar of California, Presentation Materials October 2013)
- Analyzing the Numbers in Probate Litigation, What Is Really at Stake, (86th Annual Meeting of the State Bar of California, Presentation Materials October 2013)
- Raising the Bar- Identifying the Perpetrators of Financial Elder Abuse (NAELA News, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys December 2011 Issue)
- The Elder Abuser, a 21st Century Predator (NAELA Institute 2010 Presentation Materials)
- FAST, A Model MDT (NAELA Institute 2010 Presentation Materials)
- Undue Influence and Elder Abuse, A practical Guide to Understanding and Proof (NAELA Institute 2010 Presentation Materials)
- “Investigation Outline” (AOC Statewide Court Investigator Conference Training Material, Statewide Training Fall 2009)
- “Undue Influence and Elder Abuse” (AOC Statewide Court Investigator Conference Training Material, Statewide Training Fall 2009)
- Civil Remedies For Elder Abuse (Solano FAST Training Materials)
- “Stop Elder Abuse FAST” (NAELA News, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys 2008)
- Should Marrying for Money be Stopped-Drawing the Line Between Elder Rights and Prevention of Elder Abuse (“The Advocate”-National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys-Fall 2007 Issue)
- Evaluation and Strategies in Estate Litigation Cases-multiple (Alameda County Bar Symposium, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys National Symposium)
- Issue Arising in Selling Property After Death (Several Realtor groups including Senior Real Estate Specialist Training, National Association of Realtors)
- Prime Time Seniors Magazine-Staff writer Sampling of Relevant Articles
“Simplifying the Maze of How Assets Pass After Death”
“What is Financial Elder Abuse”
“Trust Basics”
“Advance Health Care Directives”
“Beware – Powers of Attorneys Can Be Abused”
“What is Philanthropy and Where Has It Gone”
“End of Life Planning is More Than Creating Legal Documents Part I & II”
“How to Identify Undue Influence Likely to result in Elder Abuse”