My journey from a Business Executive and Entrepreneur to a Licensed Professional Fiduciary was an unanticipated and jolting change in priorities, mindset and orientation…
 
I became a “non-professional” Conservator and Trustee as the result of a need and a desire to assist my Mother and my Aunt.  My Mother’s deteriorating physical condition along with her fierce determination to remain independently in her home meant that she gradually felt the need to rely on friends and family. Unfortunately, along with increasing evidence of the disappearance of items of value, it was apparent some were taking advantage of her financially. My Aunt’s condition required re-housing. A move from her home to an assisted care facility that had been attempted and rejected twice.
 
As I began the journey of assisting my two senior loved ones, I entered the world of elder law, senior health care, social security, insurance claims, Court orders, and strongly held family beliefs about financial and mental competence issues with senior relatives. I eventually found myself in the often daunting turf of Probate Court.
 
Through this journey, as a seasoned corporate businesses professional, I found that trust and estate attorneys, medical/health personnel, and specialists in elder care all have a particular perspective on senior issues.  A competent fiduciary, however, has a comprehensive perspective and the ability to provide oversight and coordinate the services of all of the aforementioned professionals while working with the family for optimum outcomes.
 
As I became a resource for friends, colleagues I came to the realization that to be truly effective and perhaps to make the change I felt so strongly was needed required the status of being licensed.  I would then be able to build forward on my knowledge, experience, and expertise.
 
After successfully passing both the California and National parts of the licensing exam and undergoing the financial and criminal background checks in 2010 I achieved the status of California Licensed Professional Fiduciary (CLPF) and Nationally Certified Guardian. Because of my successful crisis management and turnaround ventures as well as the ability to strategically utilize a myriad of financial and business skills I set out to develop strategic and functional models for optimal solutions in this emerging field of Licensed Professional Fiduciary.   Most importantly, I fiercely committed to identifying compassionate solutions for those who through choice or circumstance become a part of the Fiduciary and Probate world.
 
Over the ensuing ten plus years my team and I have handled the routine, the difficult, the high net worth cases, the cases where adult siblings have been engaged in internecine warfare, the breach of fiduciary duty cases where Trustee were involved in self-enrichment, fraud, or malfeasance, and cases where the previous Conservator or Trustee had been replaced. The firm’s litigation support and Expert Witness team has been extraordinarily successful in complex litigation cases.
 
Though I never thought at this stage in my career compassion, humanity, and humility would be prime descriptors of the work that my firm engages, I am pleased that there is a continuance of our hard-earned reputation as cost-effective, efficient, and technology competent professionals.
 
​With Integrity and Sincerity,
 
Dr. BJ Hawkins, PhD CLPF
Testifying & Consultant Expert Witness
Licensed Professional Fiduciary
Founder & CEO
One Source Fiduciary Solutions
bj@onesourcefiduciary.com   
 
 
Certifications and Affiliations:

• California Licensed Professional Fiduciary 

• Nationally Certified Guardian (Former)

• Expert Witness Certification

• State of California Fiduciary Subject Matter Expert

• Professional Fiduciary Association of California (PFAC): General Member

• Greater Los Angeles Forensic Expert Witness Association: Past President 

• Former member of the Board of Directors, National Forensic Expert Witness Association

• Diverse Elder Coalition, part of the American Society on Aging