John ("J.D.") Rees is Special Counsel in the Business Trial Practice Group of Sheppard's Century City office. He is also a member of the firm's Private Wealth & Fiduciary Litigation team.
J.D.'s practice focuses primarily on trusts and estates litigation and administration. He litigates all manner of probate-court disputes, including trust and will contests, heirship disputes, fiduciary-removal and surcharge actions, elder-abuse actions, contested conservatorships and guardianships, creditor claims and actions, and more. J.D. also appears regularly in civil court, both on probate and on general commercial matters. In addition to litigating matters through mediation and trial, J.D. advises his individual, institutional, and nonprofit clients on adverse administrations of trusts and estates with assets that span the globe. J.D. also helps clients with drafting and revising estate plans (including wills and trusts).
J.D. is an active member of the Los Angeles legal community. He is the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) Trusts & Estates Section. He also dedicates significant time annually towards pro bono matters, including pro bono representations of unaccompanied minors in Special Immigrant Juvenile Status cases and of victims of financial elder abuse in partnership with various nonprofit legal-aid organizations.
In his spare time, J.D. writes articles and presents to clients and various prominent professional groups about cutting-edge issues, including issues relating to digital assets and cryptocurrencies, modern standards for mental capacity of testators and would-be conservatees, and ethical use of artificial intelligence in the practice of law. Before having his first daughter in 2022, J.D. also enjoyed spending free time working as one of the alumni coaches and tournament directors for the award-winning UCLA School of Law Mock Trial Program, which he proudly did since his graduation from UCLA Law in 2014.
Through his work and various professional involvements, J.D. has built a reputation as a tenacious but fair advocate for his clients with a relentless urge to solve problems and, above all, as someone who is a dependable, honest broker.