Of Counsel
Senior trust and estate litigator with four decades of experience representing trustees, beneficiaries, and high-net-worth individuals in complex, high-stakes disputes.
Practice Focus
John Deily is a senior trust and estate litigator with more than four decades of experience handling complex, high-stakes disputes. He represents trustees, beneficiaries, and high-net-worth individuals in sophisticated litigation involving trusts, estates, conservatorships, and fiduciary obligations.
He is regularly involved in matters where significant wealth, control of assets, and family dynamics are in dispute, including many high-profile and high-net-worth trust cases throughout Southern California. His practice focuses on contested trust administrations, breach of fiduciary duty claims, undue influence and capacity disputes, and litigation involving substantial real estate holdings and closely held business interests.
John is the founder and former owner of the Deily Law Firm. In 2017, he combined his practice with Murtaugh, contributing to the development of a leading trust and estate litigation team in Orange County and across Southern California. He now serves in an Of Counsel capacity, working on select matters that call for his experience and judgment. His involvement is typically sought in complex or high-exposure disputes where strategic clarity and trial experience are central to the outcome. He also works closely with the firm’s attorneys to develop and train the next generation of trust and estate practitioners.
John’s advocacy is informed by a practical approach to dispute resolution. He is known for maintaining focus on the issues that drive value in a case while managing risk and positioning matters for effective resolution or trial.
In addition to his litigation practice, John is frequently retained as an expert witness in high-value matters involving fiduciary duties, trust administration, and litigation standards of care. Over the course of his career, he has also served as court-appointed counsel and guardian ad litem in conservatorship and probate proceedings, and as a temporary judge in the probate court where he regularly handled mandatory settlement conferences.
He has received Martindale-Hubbell’s highest possible AV Preeminent rating for ethics and competence.
John has lectured extensively on trust and estate litigation, fiduciary liability, and conservatorship practice for the following organizations:
J.D., UC Law San Francisco
Undergraduate studies, University of Notre Dame, UC Santa Barbara, and California State University Long Beach
State Bar of California
Outside the office, John has a longstanding interest in sustainable ranching and farming and is deeply involved in environmental advocacy. He has been a board member of the Coastal Ranches Conservancy for nearly two decades and is actively engaged with public agencies and nonprofit organizations dedicated to protecting California’s wildlife and wilderness habitat, with a particular focus on the Gaviota Coast in Santa Barbara County. He also enjoys growing protea flowers and agave, surfing, alpine skiing, flying, traveling, and playing music.
If you have questions or want to explore potential opportunities, we’d be glad to hear from you. Connect with our team to start the conversation, or learn more about what we offer and how we can support your goals.
