Alison V. Youssef

Alison Victoria Youssef is an associate attorney at McDowall Cotter, where she primarily practices estate planning, trust administration and probate administration. Prior to joining McDowall Cotter, Alison practiced at the Law Office of Marisa Nelson, where she developed her passion for guiding clients through the estate planning process. Alison is an active member of the San Mateo County Bar Association and the San Mateo Legal Aid Society.

Alison began her life and legal career in Melbourne, Australia. She studied law at Melbourne Law School, which is consistently ranked among the top 12 law schools worldwide, and was awarded the Melbourne Graduate Scholarship and the Melbourne Global Languages Scholarship for her academic performance. During her studies, Alison also worked as a research assistant at the Center for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society (CILIS), where her research included the development of Myanmar’s legal system and the criminal code of Brunei Darussalam. Alison’s international background has made her particularly passionate about estate planning for cross-border and expatriate families.

Alison is committed to providing her clients with excellent service, support and work product throughout their legal matter. Outside of work, she enjoys connecting with nature, learning foreign languages and spending quality time with her loved ones.

Admissions

– California (2021)

– Victoria, Australia (2017)

Education

– J.D., Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne (Australia)

– B.A., University of Melbourne (Australia), Psychology Major, Political Science Minor

– D.L., University of Melbourne (Australia), Indonesian Language