John Erik Fraker

John Erik Fraker is an Oakland estate planning attorney who chairs a family philanthropy practice and advises high-net-worth individuals on wealth transfer and asset protection. His work covers advanced estate planning, charitable giving strategies, family philanthropy, and tax planning for individuals and businesses. He focuses on helping clients establish plans that address assets, family relationships, and long-term charitable goals. His background in financial services is relevant to estate plans involving investment interests, insurance, and complex family wealth.

John received bachelor’s degrees in History and Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. He later earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law and a Master of Laws in Taxation from Golden Gate University School of Law. He was admitted to the California Bar in 1999. His combined legal and tax education supports planning involving inheritance, tax exposure, business interests, and philanthropic transfers.

John co-founded his estate planning practice in 2002. Before then, he worked as a fee-only financial planner for affluent families and as a business development officer in a regional bank’s trust department. He also helped create a family-centered estate planning method intended to reduce conflict among heirs. His matters include asset protection, strategic tax planning, exit planning for business owners, and advanced charitable techniques. This experience combines investment and insurance knowledge with legal estate planning tools. He has also worked with family offices and clients evaluating how charitable goals fit estate plans.

John Erik Fraker has also taught Introduction to American Government at West Valley College and served as treasurer of a Rotary International chapter. His work in estate planning emphasizes more than the transfer of assets alone. He considers how a family’s goals, charitable intentions, and financial structure influence the design of an estate plan. By bringing tax, legal, and financial considerations together, he helps clients make long-term decisions about wealth and family legacies.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Ainer & Fraker, LLP
• Member, The State Bar of California
• Former Treasurer, Rotary International, Saratoga Chapter
• Co-Leader, Casa Viata Noua (House of New Life)

Licensed State

• California

Education

• Golden Gate University School of Law
  Master of Laws (LLM) in Taxation
• University of Southern California, Gould School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of California at Berkeley
  Bachelor of Arts (BA) in History and Political Science

Awards & Badges