Howard Gold
Conservatorship attorney Howard Gold founded Gold Law in Camarillo in 1998. He built the firm around serving local families and continues to practice there today. Marissa Garcia, who joined in 2009, is the firm's owner and Managing Attorney.
Howard's practice centers on conservatorships and guardianships, along with estate planning. He serves as court appointed counsel for conservatees in the Los Angeles and Ventura Superior Courts. Howard describes that work as the most rewarding part of his practice.
Howard has served as appointed counsel, as a temporary judge, as a college instructor and as a community volunteer. Those roles have given him experience both on the bench and as an advocate. Each one shapes how he explains a court process to a family.
Howard approaches his work with integrity, clear communication and a sense of humor. Clients meet him at the Gold Law office at 484 Mobil Avenue, Suite 26, in Camarillo. You can reach the office at (805) 388-8800.
What Conservatorship Attorney Howard Gold Does in the Los Angeles and Ventura Superior Courts
A conservatorship in Camarillo begins when someone asks a court to appoint a decision maker for an adult. Howard Gold has spent much of his career working on these cases. For many years, he represented conservators. Today, his practice focuses on representing conservatees, the adults whose rights, independence, and future are directly affected by the proceeding.
Judge Pro Tem Service and Teaching
Some of Howard Gold's experience comes from the bench. A Judge Pro Tem is an experienced attorney who is appointed to hear cases and perform judicial duties on a temporary basis when the court requires additional judicial officers. Howard served as a Judge Pro Tem in three Los Angeles County courthouses, giving him firsthand experience with how courts evaluate evidence, review filings, and make decisions.
Howard has also taught as a credentialed instructor for the Los Angeles Community College District, reflecting a longstanding commitment to legal education and public service.
Time on the bench changes how a lawyer prepares a case. Howard understands the practical realities of a busy courtroom and the importance of presenting facts clearly and efficiently. He brings that perspective to every petition, report, and filing he prepares, focusing on organization, clarity, and the information a court needs to reach a decision. That experience helps clients present their cases in a way that is both thorough and easy for the court to follow.
Judge Pro Tem in Van Nuys, Los Angeles and Santa Monica
Howard's Judge Pro Tem assignments were at the Van Nuys, Los Angeles and Santa Monica courthouses, and his service in that role lasted 12 years. Each assignment placed him in the judge's seat rather than at counsel table. That experience still shapes how he explains a court process to a nervous family. He knows which questions a judge tends to ask first.
Credentialed Instructor for the Los Angeles Community Colleges
Howard holds credentials as an instructor for the Los Angeles Community Colleges. Teaching adults requires many of the same skills clients look for in a lawyer. Complex rules and unfamiliar procedures must be explained in a way that makes sense to someone encountering them for the first time. Howard developed that approach in the classroom and carries it into his legal practice.
That perspective is especially valuable in conservatorship and guardianship matters, where families are often facing a court process they never expected to navigate. Howard focuses on breaking complicated issues into understandable steps, helping clients make informed decisions without unnecessary legal jargon. The same emphasis on clarity and organization also carries into the petitions and reports he prepares for the court. Clear explanations help families understand the process, and clear pleadings help courts understand the facts.
Education and State Bar Admission
Howard earned a B.A. in political science from UCLA. He then received his J.D. from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. The State Bar of California admitted him on July 5, 1978. By the time he opened Gold Law in 1998, he had practiced for 20 years.
Howard attended the same law school as Marissa Garcia, the owner and Managing Attorney of the firm. Marissa earned her J.D. at Southwestern in 2009 and joined him at Gold Law that same year.
Pro Bono and Community Service in Camarillo
Howard believes pro bono work is an important professional responsibility. Providing free legal services helps expand access to justice for people who might otherwise be unable to obtain legal assistance. He carries that same commitment into the community where he lives and works. Friends, family members, neighbors, and sometimes complete strangers know him as someone who is willing to step forward and help when help is needed.
Howard's community involvement extends well beyond his law practice. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Camarillo Family YMCA and has supported Camarillo Hospice. He has also served as president of both mutual water boards and homeowners association boards, experiences that gave him firsthand insight into the challenges facing local organizations and the people they serve.
Howard also led a Ventura County fundraising team for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, helping support research, education, and patient services. These leadership and volunteer roles reflect a longstanding commitment to community service and have kept him actively involved in Camarillo far beyond the courtroom.
Talk With a Conservatorship Attorney in Camarillo
If a parent, spouse or adult child may need a conservator, Gold Law can walk you through the options. Call (805) 388-8800 to book a free consultation. That consultation is available by phone or video as well as in person. Families who would rather write can use the Gold Law contact form to describe the situation.
A short list of notes can help the first conversation. Write down who the person is, where they live, and which decisions they can no longer make. Also note any power of attorney or advance health care directive the person signed, because those documents may make a court case unnecessary.
Gold Law's office is located at 484 Mobil Avenue, Suite 26, in Camarillo. It keeps hours Monday through Thursday until 5pm and Friday until 1pm.
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