Exploring Life & Business with Michael Pevney of Pevney Estate Planning, PC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Pevney.

Michael, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I actually started my career as a prosecutor—I was in the courtroom every day right after law school. It was high-intensity work, but along the way I realized something surprising: most people, even many lawyers, don’t have any plan in place for what happens to their family or their property if they pass away or become medically incapacitated.

That realization stuck with me, especially once I became a parent. I thought, if even lawyers aren’t doing this, how is the average person supposed to know where to start? That’s what pulled me into estate planning—it felt like a way to really help people protect what matters most to them.

I started sharing short videos online—on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube—just breaking down these complicated legal concepts into plain language. People kept telling me they appreciated how I explained things simply, without the legal jargon. One video turned into a few hundred, and before long I had an audience of over 100,000 people engaging with this content.

That feedback gave me the push to fully focus on estate planning law. Now I get to combine both sides of what I love: the legal expertise I’ve built into my practice, and the ability to reach people where they are—whether that’s in my office or on their phones—so they can finally get some peace of mind for themselves and their families.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not a perfectly smooth road. One thing people don’t really realize is that running a small law firm is a lot like running any other small business. Law school teaches you how to practice law and think critically about issues, but it doesn’t teach you how to actually run a business—how to attract clients, keep things running smoothly, and, frankly, get people comfortable with paying for your services.

I was lucky to have built a bit of a social media following early on, so people were already reaching out when they needed estate planning help. But it’s still a constant balancing act. You’ve got to leverage technology, streamline your systems, and most importantly, communicate well with people. If the process isn’t smooth, clients get frustrated—and if you’re not clear in your communication, things can grind to a halt quickly.

One of the biggest struggles, though, is convincing people that estate planning is actually worth their time and energy. Estate planning isn’t especially competitive—if someone decides not to hire me, they usually don’t go on to hire another lawyer who’s cheaper or easier to work with. More often, they do nothing at all. They push the decision down the road for a few more years, or sometimes for the rest of their lives. But the hardest part of my job is when I get the call too late—when someone is already in hospice, already incapacitated, or literally on their deathbed. At that point, our options shrink dramatically, and it becomes stressful not just for me as their lawyer, but far more so for the family that’s left scrambling.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I’m a lawyer, and my work is focused on creating estate plans for California families through my firm. At its core, an estate plan is a set of documents that controls what happens to your property and your body—both while you’re alive and after you pass away.

The main pieces of an estate plan usually revolve around either a will or a living trust, but a complete plan also includes a financial power of attorney, an advance health care directive, final wishes, and instructions that make sure property, real estate, or even businesses are handled the way you want. In short, it’s about making sure your loved ones are protected and not left scrambling during already difficult times.

What sets me apart—and what clients often say in reviews or in person—is that I explain things in a way that’s easy to understand. Estate planning can sound intimidating or overly complicated, and I take pride in breaking it down into plain language so families feel informed and confident every step of the way.

From a brand perspective, I’m proud that Pevney Estate Planning has built a reputation for clarity, compassion, and making the process approachable. My goal is simple: to give people peace of mind knowing that their family and their legacy are secure.

What makes you happy?
What makes me happy is twofold. On a personal level, it’s having the freedom to spend real time with my family and to run my practice on my own terms. That flexibility is something I value every day.

On a professional level, it’s the satisfaction of knowing I’ve helped take a weight off of people’s shoulders. So many clients tell me they’ve been talking about getting an estate plan for years—sometimes three, five, even ten years. It often starts after a big life milestone, like having a child, buying a home, starting a business, or committing to a partner. But they put it off, and it hangs over them as this “someday” task.

Seeing the relief on their faces when the plan is finally complete—that they no longer have to worry about what will happen to their loved ones or their property when they’re gone—that’s what makes me happy. It’s giving people peace of mind and helping them move forward with more confidence.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ocestateplanlawyer.com/
• Instagram: @estateplanlawyer
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ocestateplanlawyer
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Estateplanlawyer