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Practice Area Overview
How Can a Trusts and Estates Attorney Help You?
Trust and estate attorneys help clients plan for the efficient and effective transfer of assets to spouses, to younger generation family members, to other persons clients wish to benefit, and to charities. The practice involves the preparation of trust agreements, wills, powers of attorney, medical directives, and closely held business structures, including partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations.
What are the Trusts and Estates Practices Focal Points?
Wealth Planning
When attorneys begin the planning process, they consider your objectives, your family relationships, charitable inclinations, and the relationship of federal and state estate tax, gift tax, and generation skipping transfer tax laws to these objectives. Attorneys then work with you and, in some cases, with other advisers to design the appropriate plan to meet your goals and objectives, prepare the necessary documents to carry out the desired plan, and assist with the implementation of your plan. In connection with family wealth planning, attorneys plan and draft trust agreements and wills, create various business entities, and carry out business reorganizations.
Estate Administration
Trust and estate attorneys also handle the administration of estates. Attorneys confer with members of a decedent’s family on the various issues, including:
• Assistance to the executor with the preparation of the required probate documents and assist in valuation of estate assets
• Making insurance claims
• Preparation of final income tax returns and the estate’s income and federal and state estate tax returns
• Monitoring of the investment of the estate’s assets
• Arranging for the distribution of the estate’s net assets
• Throughout the administration of an estate, consideration is given to income tax savings through the timing of distributions and the timing and claiming of appropriate deductions.
Trust Administration
In the trust administration area, attorneys advise and consult with corporate and individual trustees concerning the discharge of the trust’s terms and consult with beneficiaries concerning trust administration matters including the preparation of trust accounts.
Trust and Estate attorneys also assist clients in all phases of probate and trust litigation. This may involve construing or reforming the terms of a will or trust, prosecuting or defending a will contest action or surcharge actions against trustees.
What is a Trusts and Estates attorneys goal for its clients?
The goal of an trust and estate attorney is to assist clients to achieve their personal goals while obtaining the significant tax savings which may be available to them through proper planning. Attorneys in the practice spend a significant amount of time dealing with the federal estate, gift, and generation skipping tax issues involved in transfer planning.
Family Law Legal Guide 2024
View Legal GuideElizabeth is a partner in the private client and tax team at Withers Bergman LLP. She focuses her efforts on estate planning, planned giving and tax-exempt organizations. Elizabeth represents clients in matters related to family wealth transfers for large estates, sophisticated estate and gift tax saving techniques, charitable planned giving, and complex probate and trust administrations. She also regularly represents tax-exempt organizations in formation, organizational and operational issue...
Leah Bishop focuses her practice on tax planning for high net worth individuals and closely held businesses and in the administration of estates and trusts. Her areas of focus cover a wide range of industries, including real estate, manufacturing, entertainment and professional services. Passionate about philanthropy, Leah also has extensive experience in the areas of charitable giving and tax-exempt organizations. Leah’s estate planning experience includes all matters pertaining to hig...
Linda Deitch's practice focuses on estate and tax planning for individual clients, the representation of fiduciaries, and the administration of estates and trusts. Her experience includes various aspects pertaining to such clients, including drafting revocable and irrevocable trusts, estate administration and probate proceedings, and diverse transfer tax techniques. Ms. Deitch also has experience in the area of charitable gift planning and exempt organizations.
For high-net-worth individuals with interests on both coasts and around the globe, Abby Feinman acts as a trusted counsel for all their estate, trust and tax-planning needs. She puts advanced creative strategies to use in advising clients on wealth transfer, administering trusts and estates after death and resolving disputes over trusts and estates. She has extensive experience with philanthropic and charitable giving. Abby's clients include family offices, owners of closely held businesses, ...
Paul Frimmer focuses on estate planning, wills and trusts, probate and trust administration, postmortem tax planning, probate litigation, art law, charitable giving, and tax issues relating to these matters. Widely regarded as one of the top estate planning attorneys in the country, Paul has received numerous accolades for his work. He’s known for taking a collaborative approach with his clients and guiding them toward the best decisions tailored to meet their individual needs. Paul has...
Elizabeth R. Glasgow focuses her practice on multigenerational wealth preservation and tax minimization, including the creation and implementation of dynasty trusts, business succession plans, asset protection strategies and charitable giving structures for business owners, real estate investors, entrepreneurs, and families managing inherited wealth. She provides comprehensive advice on a wide range of issues facing mobile high net worth individuals and geographically dispersed families, incl...
Rachel Harris counsels clients in connection with all aspects of domestic and international estate planning for individuals and families, pre-immigration planning prior to arrival in the U.S., trust and estate administration, trust and estate income taxation, charitable giving, and operation of tax-exempt organizations. Her practice extends to all facets of estate and gift tax planning and encompasses multijurisdictional and international matters. Highly regarded for her breadth of experience...
Lawrence H. Heller focuses his practice on counseling individuals and members of their families on matters relating to domestic and international estate and income tax planning. Many of his clients are high net worth individuals. Lawrence writes and lectures extensively on subjects relating to domestic and international wealth transfer techniques and has testified before the House Ways and Means Committee Subcommittee on Oversight in 1995 on proposed legislation to tax U.S. citizens who renou...
Carol Johnston works with individual clients to develop sophisticated planning techniques for the preservation and protection of family wealth. Her advice covers an array of estate and tax planning issues, and she represents fiduciaries and handles administration of estates and trusts. Widely recognized in legal industry publications as a leading lawyer for trusts and estates, Carol is praised by peers as "knowledgeable" and someone who "works well with others." Carol is recognized as a leadi...
Shawn S. Kerendian is the founder and Managing Partner of Keystone Law Group, P.C., and is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law (State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization). Shawn founded Keystone to provide clients with specialized, focused and efficient legal services in probate, trust and estate matters. Shawn supervises and manages a team of probate attorneys in the administration and litigation of estates, trusts, conservatorships, and guardiansh...
Tom Lawson focuses his practice on income tax planning for individuals and their businesses. He also has significant experience handling sophisticated tax planning for business transactions. Tom takes pride in finding creative solutions to his clients’ issues in the most efficient manner that the tax law allows. A fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel, Tom is a frequent author and lecturer on tax-related subjects, speaking numerous times at the University of Southern California ...
Rodney Lee is a seasoned trial attorney focusing on private wealth and general business disputes for clients ranging from high net worth individuals, including professional athletes and entertainers, to entrepreneurs and startup companies. With more than 15 years of experience in general business and trust and estate matters, he navigates his clients through complex business and interpersonal issues obtaining favorable results in state, federal, and alternative dispute resolution forums. Rodn...
Stefanie J. Lipson's practice focuses on providing families with counsel in all aspects of their personal legacy planning, including operation and succession planning for family owned businesses, tax efficient long term wealth transfer solutions, and funding and ongoing administration of family foundations. Stefanie specializes in providing tax counsel for multi-generational family owned businesses, real estate entrepreneurs and high profile entertainment industry figures. Her close relations...
Jeffrey Loeb practices in the areas of estate planning and trust and estate administration. He represents many high net worth individuals and families, including a large number in the film, television, and music industries. For those clients who own intellectual property, including copyrighted works, Jeffrey advises as to the approaches needed to ensure that his client’s post-mortem wishes will be carried into effect. Jeffrey also represents individuals and financial institutions servin...
Jeff Marvan is the lead attorney at MarvanLaw, A.P.C. MarvanLaw, A.P.C. is a boutique firm focused on probate litigation, trust litigation, estate planning, guardianships, and conservatorships. After graduating from UC Davis’ King Hall School of Law, Jeff began his legal career a public defender in Yolo County. Over the four years at the public defender office Jeff handled misdemeanors, felonies, juvenile delinquencies, dependencies, and LPS Conservatorships. This time period allowed Je...
Few appellate specialists have successfully tried a jury case. Robin Meadow tried jury cases for over 20 years at a major commercial firm, while also handling appeals, in many fields of law. Over time, he realized that it’s nearly impossible to excel at both trials and appeals, because the skill sets and practice rhythms differ completely and often clash. Concluding that his greatest strengths lay in appellate work, Robin joined GMSR in 1994, handling his last trial late that year. Robi...
Danielle Miller focuses her practice in the areas of estate planning; probate and trust administration; related income, gift, estate and property tax matters; and entity formation. Her clients include high net worth individuals and families, fiduciaries, and closely held businesses. She advises clients on the drafting of revocable and irrevocable trusts, business succession planning, charitable gift planning, and all aspects of estate administration and probate procedures. Recently, Danielle ...
Lindsey F. Munyer, a Partner at Keystone Law Group, P.C., is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law (State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization), and has an LL.M. in Taxation. Lindsey has experience litigating trust and estate matters, and is adept at handling all stages of litigation, including discovery, mediation, law and motion and trials, as well as representing fiduciaries in the administration of estates and trusts. Lindsey has represented client...
David Nelson is co-chair of Loeb & Loeb’s Trust and Estate Litigation Practice. Previously, he served as chair of the firm’s Los Angeles Trusts and Estates Practice. He concentrates on trust, probate and conservatorship litigation including: litigation and disputes involving trusts, decedents’ estates and conservatorships; will and trust contests; breach of fiduciary duty claims; and interpretation of testamentary instruments. David also has an appellate practice. His pr...
Nicole M. Pearl advises clients on estate planning, wealth transfer planning, marital property agreements, business succession planning and post-death administration. Her clients include family offices, entrepreneurs and business owners, real property investors, private equity fund managers, and entertainment industry figures. Read full biography: https://www.mwe.com/people/pearl-nicole-m/
Ron Pearson focuses his practice on estate planning for high net worth individuals, owners of closely held businesses and in the administration of estates and trusts. His clients include prominent individuals in the entertainment industry and commerce. Ron's areas of practice include sophisticated tax planning techniques relating to high net worth individuals. His estate planning services include living trusts, gift and insurance trusts, continuing trusts for children and other beneficiaries ...
Alyse Pelavin focuses her practice on estate and gift tax planning for high net worth individuals and closely held businesses and in the administration of estates and trusts. She also has extensive experience in the areas of charitable giving and tax-exempt organizations. Her clients range from young entrepreneurs and corporate executives to multigenerational family groups. Alyse works closely with clients at every stage to implement tax-efficient wealth transfer and preservation strategies t...
Scott Rahn is regarded as a top probate trial attorney, focusing on high-stakes private wealth disputes, fiduciary litigation, and contentious trust, probate estate and conservatorship cases. Mr. Rahn deftly helps guide clients - heirs, beneficiaries, trustees, executors, administrators, charities, creditors and conservators - through the emotional, legal and financial issues that arise when a loved one becomes compromised, is taken advantage of, and after they pass, whenever the theft, manip...
I help litigators and clients keep their trial court victories, and reverse their losses, on appeal. That involves handling appeals and writ petitions in California and federal appellate courts, and partnering with litigators on significant trial court motions and record preservation. My practice spans a wide range of subjects including trusts and estates; profit participation disputes between talent and studios; breaches of contract; employment; federal civil rights; anti-SLAPP; and appellat...
Paul is of counsel in the private client and tax team at Withers Bergman LLP. He has over 35 years’ experience focused on global planning matters. Paul is widely recognized for his practice in cross-border and entertainment tax planning. His clients have ranged broadly from high-net-worth individuals; foreign investors in U.S. real estate and other U.S.-situated assets; Americans with offshore investments, acquisitions and business activities; and actors, musicians, writers, producers, ...
Over 40 years serving as a trusted advisor to high net worth individuals, family offices and private investors. Unmatched business, tax and estate planning knowledge. After four decades serving as tax, business and estate planning counsel to some of the nation’s most successful individuals and private businesses, few can rival the diverse matters George Short has handled throughout his career. He is the legal counsel ultra-high net worth individuals and families go to for tax and busine...
Vivian Lee Thoreen chairs the firm's California Private Wealth Services Group. She is a litigator and experienced trial attorney whose practice – both in Superior Court and in the California Courts of Appeal – focuses on complex trust, estate, conservatorship and guardianship matters. She represents individuals, families, charities and financial institutions in cases including will and trust disputes, contested conservatorships and guardianships, breach of fiduciary duty matters, ...
Stu Tobisman focuses his practice on estate and tax planning for individual clients and on the administration of estates and trusts. His clients include prominent individuals in industry, commerce and entertainment, as well as individuals, banks, and trust companies acting in fiduciary capacities. He also advises owners of closely held businesses in connection with estate and tax-planning matters. Known for his technical abilities and personable approach, Stu enjoys helping his clients identi...
Gabrielle Vidal is co-chair of Loeb & Loeb’s Trust and Estate Litigation Practice. She concentrates on high-net-worth trust, probate, conservatorship, and guardianship litigation, and is known for her success at trial in high profile private wealth disputes. Most recently, she served as lead trial counsel to Sumner Redstone, controlling shareholder of Viacom Inc. and CBS Corp., securing complete dismissal of the matter after the first day of trial. Cited by The Wall Street Journal a...
Katie C. Gose’s practice focuses on estates, trusts and tax planning for high net worth clients. She has experience drafting and administering dynasty trusts, supervising trust administrations, preparing federal estate and gift tax returns and working with private foundations. Read full biography: https://www.mwe.com/people/gose-kathryn/
Dominic Nunneri's practice focuses on civil litigation in state and federal courts. He has experience in all stages of litigation, including taking depositions, motion practice, alternative dispute resolution, and general case management. Dominic has experience representing defendants and plaintiffs in high-profile disputes, including product liability, business litigation, healthcare litigation, and trust and estates litigation. Dominic earned his J.D. from USC Gould School of Law. During la...
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