Interview with Attorney, Brian Ramsey!
Brian is a Long Beach Attorney specializing in estates and trusts litigation.
What sort of purpose do you feel in your job and/or why do you believe your line of work is important and meaningful?
In my line of work I assist individuals through one of the most difficult times in their lives – the passing of a loved one, often a parent. The normal grieving issues are at times compounded by discoveries that estate planning documents have been altered at a late stage in life, or that trustees/administrators have been mismanaging and/or outright stealing assets. That's where I come in.
What is the most exciting part of your day-to-day work?
The most exciting part of my work is the very interesting fact patterns with which I am confronted on a nearly daily basis. The things that people do with their assets, and do to one another, would boggle your mind.
What do you think the future of your industry looks like, let's say in 15 years? What impact will it be making? How will it be different from what you do now?
The biggest change I see coming in the next 15 years is the further integration of technology into the industry. Due in large part to the COVID pandemic, we are already well on our way. For example, the majority of my hearings are now conducted via phone or videoconferencing technology. In fact, I have already done several trials 100% remotely.
When did you decide you wanted to enter this field? What steps did you take to make that decision a reality?
I decided to become an attorney because I wanted a career with upward mobility so that I could support the family I had already started and intended to grow larger. I decided to enter law school a bit later than most, so I went to night school for 4 years while working 30+ hours per week to support my growing family.
For any students, age 12-18 who thinks your job sounds interesting, what advice would you give them to help them learn/train/explore your field?
The most important thing you can do from the ages of 12-18 to prepare for a career in the law is to study hard and get good grades. To become a lawyer, you first need an undergraduate degree, which of course means you have to get accepted into, and graduate from, a college. Then three (or four) more years of law school await. Becoming an attorney takes a lot of hard work, studying and reading. So, it is good to develop good study habits and language skills early in life.
Are there any organizations, communities, or movements that create synergy between you and others in your field, here in the city of Long Beach?
Absolutely, there are tons. There are many great networking groups in Long Beach, as well as many businesses with which we cross-refer clients and cases. Those include financial planners and CPAs. Additionally, almost any community group is a potential source for clients. For example, I have been heavily involved in the baseball community for the past 10 years or so, at ELB, Whaley Pony Baseball and now at Millikan High School. I have gotten several referrals from these sources.
What make Long Beach a great place to live and work as it relates to your industry?
Long Beach is the best! I have lived in about 8-10 different cities and Long Beach is by far my favorite. Its diversity of population, and its variety of businesses, makes it an ideal place to work in my industry.
