Janet L. Dobrovolny

Janet L. Dobrovolny is an Emeryville estate planning and nonprofit organizations lawyer with decades of experience advising clients on trusts, estates, and charitable entity matters. Her practice emphasizes careful planning, asset protection, trust administration, and practical legal guidance for individuals, families, and organizations seeking sound long-term solutions through informed decisions.

Janet earned her Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University and her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Admitted to the California Bar in 1979, she began her legal career after internships with the Federal Public Defender in San Francisco and the Public Defender in Alameda County. Since establishing her firm in 1979, she has provided comprehensive estate planning services, including document preparation, trust creation, and planning strategies designed to preserve assets. Her work helps clients organize estate plans, protect beneficiaries, and make confident decisions about future responsibilities.

Janet’s practice also includes nonprofit organizations law, where she advises charitable and mission-driven institutions on legal structure, governance, and compliance. She has provided counsel to V-Day, a nonprofit supporting programs that address violence against women and girls, helping organizations pursue public service goals through legally responsible operations. She has testified as an expert witness in matters involving trusts and conservatorships, reflecting her depth of knowledge in complex planning issues. She has shared estate planning insights through seminars, publications, and professional education programs.

Through Janet L. Dobrovolny’s leadership of the Professional Advisory Committee at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, she contributes to legacy and planned giving initiatives. This work reflects her ability to connect charitable planning, donor intent, and nonprofit stewardship in ways that support cultural institutions, community values, and philanthropic commitments. Clients turn to her for steady counsel, organized planning, and clear explanations of sensitive legal decisions. Her career reflects a commitment to protecting assets, supporting families, and strengthening charitable missions through practical trust, estate, and nonprofit counsel.

Law Office Affiliations

• Founder, Law Offices of Janet L. Dobrovolny
• Member, California State Bar

Licensed State

• California

Education

• University of California, Hastings College of the Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Stanford University
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Awards & Badges