LAW OFFICES OF
BESSON & YARBROUGH
ELDER LAW ATTORNEYS SERVING SAN JOSE & THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
Jessica L. Borland, Paralegal
Jessica L. Borland is a certified paralegal and notary public who joined Besson & Yarbrough in September 2005. After obtaining her paralegal certificate in 1998, Jessica began her legal career with the Law Offices of James Evertts, specializing in Family Law, Probate and Trust Administration. In 1999, Jessica joined the Moreno Family Law Firm, where she spent more than six years working exclusively with former deputy district attorney and trial/litigation attorney, J. Hector Moreno, Jr. She gained extensive experience in all aspects of trial preparation, discovery and research. While specializing in litigation and trial preparation, Jessica also obtained significant experience in the division and valuation of assets, calculation and determination of support, as well as child custody and visitation issues. She also provided assistance in juvenile law and criminal defense cases.
Since joining The Law Offices of Besson & Yarbrough, Jessica primarily has focused on the administration of trusts and trust litigation cases. Her responsibilities include research, collecting and analyzing data regarding estate property and values, preparation of Federa
l Estate Tax form 706, and drafting of various notices, declarations, affidavits, petitions, and motions submitted to the IRS, Department of Health Care Services and the Superior Court. Jessica also assists with the firm’s trial and litigation cases. Her responsibilities include the preparation and response to discovery requests, performance of legal research, preparation of required statements, briefs and exhibits, compliance with statutory deadlines and other related trial preparation.
Jessica continues her legal education by attending numerous seminars and events involving trust administration, estate planning, conservatorships, discovery and litigation issues. Jessica is in compliance with the continuing education requirements for a paralegal pursuant to the Business and Professions code section 6450 which requires that every two years, any person that is working as a paralegal is required to certify completion of four hours of mandatory continuing legal education in legal ethics and four hours of mandatory continuing legal education in either general law or in an area of specialized law.
Bridgitt D. Fleming, Paralegal
Bridgitt D. Fleming is a paralegal and a Notary Public. She has been employed at this office since September 2005. Bridgitt provides assistance with probate document production and prepares filings for the Court and Recorders office as well as trust administration. She also drafts petitions and supplemental documents for both temporary and probate conservatorships, probate, and trust administration and litigation matters. Bridgitt came to this office with significant amount of experience working with client’s financial records because of her six year employment as a real estate agent in Nevada prior to her return to California. She has a bachelor’s degree in Health Science with a concentration in Gerontology.
Bridgitt is a member of the National Notary Association, the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, the California Alliance of Paralegal Associations, and the Paralegal Association of Santa Clara County. She continues to further her education by attending numerou
s seminars and events involving estate planning, trust administration, conservatorships, discovery and litigation issues. The following are the most recent seminars Bridgitt has attended: Medi-Cal Opportunities Amid Brooding Hesitancy at Department of Health Care Services; The Judge’s Perspective; Conservatorship Hot Topics; The Changing Legal Landscape of Conservatorships; Probate Trials and Tribulations; You are Attending Your First Deposition ?Now What?; 3:10 to Discoveryville with Judge Socrates Manoukian; Elimination of Bias; View From the Lower Bench; and Estate Planning in a Brave New World. Bridgitt is in compliance with the continuing education requirements for a paralegal pursuant to the Business and Professions code section 6450 which requires that every two years, any person that is working as a paralegal is required to certify completion of four hours of mandatory continuing legal education in legal ethics and four hours of mandatory continuing legal education in either general law or in an area of specialized law.
Cathy B. Varsamis, Office Manager
Cathy B. Varsamis is an office manager who joined The Law Offices of Besson and Yarbrough in January 2009. She is a graduate from the University of Pittsburgh where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. Cathy also is a graduate of Duquesne University where she obtained her MBA. As office manager Cathy is responsible for managing the business component of the law firm and deals regularly with vendors, contractors, and other firms and companies that provide the firm with the necessities of running a business. She manages banking, accounts receivable invoicing, generates reports of receivables, manages business contracts, including equipment leases,
health insurance and advertising contracts. In short, Cathy handles all financial aspects of the practice.
In addition, Cathy is the voice of the firm. She frequently is the first person clients speak with when they contact the Law Offices of Besson & Yarbrough. Her patience, her ability to handle confidential client information and her work with the attorneys on client projects are indispensable. Among her client-related tasks, Cathy is responsible for maintaining the law firm’s database, setting up client files and preparing them for attorney review, managing the calendar of the firm and organizing and preparing staff meetings. On individual client matters, Cathy handles client correspondence, prepares accountings and other tasks of conservatorship and trust administration.
