About the Authors
ALEX R. BORDEN established the Borden Law Office in Torrance and specializes in conservatorship, estate and trust administration, and litigation. Mr. Borden received his B.A. in Economics with a business emphasis (cum laude) in 1991 from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and his J.D. in 1995 from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. Mr. Borden serves on and actively participates in the Los Angeles Superior Court Probate Volunteer Panel and Pro Per Guardianship Program of the South Bay Bar Association Estates and Trusts Section and regularly serves as court-appointed personal representative in decedent estate proceedings.
JANICE CROSETTI-TITMUS practices with the Law Offices of Crosetti & Titmus in Lafayette. She received a B.A., with honors, in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and her J.D. in 1981 from John F. Kennedy University School of Law. She is a member of the Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and Los Angeles County bar associations and is the former chair and founding and current board member of the Conservatorship/Guardianship/Probate/Trust Section of the Contra Costa County Bar Association. She has served as Pro Tem Judge, Probate Department, Contra Costa County Superior Court. She is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Diablo Valley, Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. Her practice focuses on the estate planning areas of wills, trusts, decedent estates, and conservatorship. She is Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated.
PAIGE T. ELDREDGE is the principal of Estate Minders, Inc., with locations in San Rafael and Sebastopol. She has specialized in preparing fiduciary accountings since 1995. Ms. Eldredge teaches ongoing courses in “Accounting and Record Keeping for Positions of Trust” through California State University Fullerton Extended Education and is a member of both the Professional Fiduciary Association of California and the San Francisco Paralegal Association. She received her B.A. from Humboldt State University in 1985.
DAVID J. ELEFANT practices in Walnut Creek. His practice emphasizes estate planning and trust and probate administration. He received his B.A. in 1974 from the University of California, Berkeley, and his J.D. in 1977 from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Following graduation, he served as a law clerk to Judge William East, Senior U.S. District Judge, District of Oregon. Mr. Elefant served as an instructor in the School of Extended Education at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, teaching estate planning and probate administration from 1996 to 2006, and currently serves as an instructor at JFK University in the School of Management, Paralegal and Legal Studies Program. He was also a visiting professor in the School of Law at the University of Debrecen, Hungary, in the fall of 2008. He serves as a California Probate Referee in Contra Costa County and served as President of the California Probate Referees Association in 1998 and 2008. Mr. Elefant also serves as Judge Pro Tem for the Contra Costa County Superior Court probate department and has served as an editor for various CEB publications in this field. Mr. Elefant is active in the Contra Costa County Bar Association and is one of the co-chairs of its Probate and Trusts Section.
FATIMA BRUNSON EVANS is a partner in the law firm of Fitzgerald Abbott & Beardsley LLP and is a member of its Estates & Trusts Practice Group. Ms. Evans handles a variety of probate, trust, conservatorship, and estate planning matters and advises fiduciaries regarding their duties with respect to those matters. She also has extensive experience in preparing special needs trusts in the estate planning context as well as for the purpose of protecting litigation proceeds. She graduated cum laude with a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles, and received her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Ms. Evans is a former Chair of the Elder Law Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Alameda County Bar Association. She is currently a member of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Alameda County Bar Association, the Estate Planning Council of Diablo Valley, the Charles Houston Bar Association, and Black Women Lawyers of Northern California.
MARIE E. GALANTI was a sole practitioner in Santa Rosa. In addition to estate planning, probate, and trust administration, she specialized in international private transactions, including estate planning with foreign assets, and settling estates for Americans with assets in foreign countries and for nonresident aliens in the United States. A former journalist and publisher of a French-language newspaper in San Francisco, Ms. Galanti received her Ph.D. in French Civilization from the University of Kansas and her J.D. from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. She served as a Director and Attorney Representative of the Redwood Empire Estate Planning Council in Santa Rosa and was a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at Golden Gate University. Ms. Galanti passed away in 2013.
ANDREA GEE is a partner in Ashworth & Ashworth, LLP, Santa Ana, emphasizing estate planning, probate, and trust law. Ms. Gee received her B.Journ. in 1983 from the University of Texas, Austin, and her J.D. in 1992 from Western State University School of Law.
MICHAEL C. GERSON is Senior Counsel at Procopio in San Diego. His practice focuses on tax, estate planning, probate, and trust administration. Mr. Gerson received his LL.M. in Estate Planning from the University of Miami, Florida, in 1999 and his J.D. from the University of California, Davis, School of Law in 1995. Mr. Gerson is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and is certified as a specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law and in Taxation Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.
MARY F. GILLICK is of counsel with Withers Bergman LLP, San Diego, where she focuses on trust and estate litigation. She has experience in handling elder abuse cases, conservatorships and other protective proceedings. Ms. Gillick received her B.S. in Nursing from the University of Maryland in 1972 and her J.D. (magna cum laude) from the University of San Diego in 1984. She has served on the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the California State Bar, where she served as Chair of the Litigation Committee, and has spoken frequently at State Bar meetings, authored legislation, and contributed regularly to the California Trusts and Estates Quarterly. Additionally, Ms. Gillick is a coauthor of West Publishing’s California Civil Practice—Probate and Trust Proceedings and has authored many other publications in this area of the law. Currently, she is on the Fiduciary Litigation Committee of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
RICHARD A. GORINI is a principal in the San Jose law firm of Boskovich, Gorini & Vanasse, LLP. He graduated from Creighton University in 1977 summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting. He received his J.D. from Santa Clara University in 1980. He has been a certified specialist in the area of estate planning, trust, and probate law of the State Bar of California since 1990; a former member and advisor (1994–2000) to the Executive Committee of the Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Section (now Trusts and Estates Section) of the State Bar of California; a past chairman of the Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Section of the Santa Clara County Bar Association; a former Trustee of the Silicon Valley Bar Association; and a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) since 1996. He has served as a court-appointed referee for the superior courts of Santa Clara and Monterey counties in cases involving trust and estate litigation. He taught courses on probate administration, conservatorship law, and fiduciary tax law and procedure for the Santa Clara University Paralegal Institute from 1984 to 1992. He has authored numerous articles for the California Trusts and Estates Quarterly (and its predecessor publication) and is a frequent lecturer for the CEB, Silicon Valley Bar Association, Santa Clara County Bar Association, Bar Association of San Francisco, and other professional associations on matters of estate planning, probate and trust law, and related ethical and legal malpractice issues. He was a consultant to CEB for the 2007 Action Guide Handling a Probate.
MARGARET M. HAND is a principal at Hartog, Baer & Hand, APC, where she crafts practical estate planning solutions for both simple and complicated families. For 22 years, she devoted half of her practice to trust and estate litigation and for the past 14 years, she has mediated all manner of disputes arising under the Probate Code. She is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Since 2005, she has been a Top 100 Super Lawyer® or Top 50 Female Super Lawyer, or both. She teaches continuing education programs to attorneys and CPAs throughout California and has published a variety of chapters, workbooks and articles on estate planning, probate and trust law; she also is a coauthor of CEB’s California Fiduciary Accounting (CEB 2015). She is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley, School of Law.
ANN C. HARRIS received her J.D. in 1980 from the University of San Diego and her LL.M. in Taxation in 1981 from Boston University. She is a former Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of San Diego and has taught Federal Income Taxation of Trusts and Estates and Federal Gift, Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Taxation. She has authored various articles for the American Bar Association, the Practicing Law Institute, and Estate Planning magazine and is a contributing author to Drafting California Irrevocable Trusts (3d ed Cal CEB) and the West Group’s California Transaction Forms, Estate Planning set. Ms. Harris received the Spirit of CEB award in 2013. Ms. Harris currently practices in Carlsbad.
CRAIG L. JUDSON is a partner with the Walnut Creek firm of Bold, Polisner, Maddow, Nelson & Judson, a professional corporation. He received his B.A. in 1981 from the University of California, Davis (political science/public service major and graduation with summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa honors), and his J.D. in 1984 from the University of California, Davis, School of Law. His practice focuses on probate, estate, and trust planning and litigation, as well as real estate, construction defect, personal injury, and civil litigation, including representation of numerous local public agencies. In addition, he regularly serves as a Judge Pro Tem for the Superior Court of Contra Costa County Probate Department and three branch traffic departments. Mr. Judson is a member of the American, California, and Contra Costa County bar associations and serves as a private arbitrator and mediator.
JANET KAHN is a licensed professional fiduciary and sole proprietor of Janet Kahn Professional Fiduciary Services. Her practice focuses on conservatorships, guardianships, probate administration, and trust administration. Ms. Kahn received a B.A. from Douglass College of Rutgers University, an M.B.A. from Golden Gate University, and a J.D. from San Francisco Law School. She is a member of the East Bay Estate Planning Council, the Trusts and Estates Section of the Alameda County Bar Association, and the Elder Law and the Conservatorship/Guardianship, Probate and Trust sections of the Contra Costa County Bar Association. Ms. Kahn is coauthor of Handling a Fiduciary Accounting (Cal CEB Action Guide).
SANDY KASTEN is a sole practitioner in Berkeley. Her practice focuses on fiduciary and estate taxation, with an emphasis on tax return preparation and planning for trusts, estates, and individuals. Ms. Kasten is a 1976 graduate of the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and received her M.B.A. in Taxation from Golden Gate University in 1981. She studied accounting at California State University East Bay (formerly CSU Hayward). She is a member of the Alameda County Bar Association and currently serves as treasurer of the Calaveras County Bar Association. She is a past board member of Women Lawyers of Alameda County.
SEAN R. KENNEY is an associate at The Myers Law Firm, P.C., a San Francisco estate planning law firm. He received his B.A. from the University of Vermont and his J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law. He was named top tax student in his class, receiving the academic excellence award from the faculty of Golden Gate University School of Law’s tax department. His practice consists of advising high-net-worth individuals in the areas of tax and estate planning, in addition to closely held business succession.
DAVID A. LEVIN is Senior Trust Officer at Union Bank. Mr. Levin was formerly in private practice with a primary emphasis on estate planning, administration, and mediation and litigation of trust and estate matters. He received his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, his J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law, and his LL.M. in Taxation from Golden Gate University School of Law. Mr. Levin has served as President of the East Bay Estate Planning Council, as Chair of the Trust and Estate Administration subcommittee of the Alameda County Bar Association, and as an adjunct professor of law at John F. Kennedy University School of Law, where he taught courses on Wills and Trusts. He is a member of the East Bay Trusts and Estates Lawyers and serves on the Board of Directors for the Cerebral Palsy Center for the Bay Area (in Oakland).
DEANNA D. LYON is a partner with the firm of Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP in Oakland. Her practice focuses on estate planning, probate, and trust administration. Ms. Lyon received her B.A., with honors, in 1969 from California State University, Fullerton, and her J.D. in 1972 from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Ms. Lyon is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. She is a member of the Trusts and Estates sections of the State Bar of California and a member of the East Bay Estate Planning Council. Ms. Lyon is a former Director of the Alameda County Bar Association, a former member of the Executive Committee of the Probate Section of the Alameda County Bar Association, and a former chair of the Community Service Committee of the Alameda County Bar Association.
PATINA A. MADISON graduated from California State University, Long Beach, in 1973 with a degree in Psychology. While working toward a master’s degree in special education, she joined the California Probate Referee’s office in Long Beach. She received a certification as a paralegal in 1982, having completed the paralegal studies program at the University of California, Irvine. Ms. Madison graduated from Western State University College of Law in 1991 with an emphasis in Taxation. Since her admission to the bar, she has been a sole practitioner, limiting her practice to probate, conservatorship, and estate planning matters. She has served as a Judge Pro Tem in the Probate Department of the Orange County Superior Court, lectured for CEB, and acted as an expert witness.
AMY L. McEVOY is an associate with the firm of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in Los Angeles. Her practice focuses on estate planning, trust administration, and probate. Ms. McEvoy received her B.A. in 1999 from the University of Southern California and her J.D. with Distinction in 2003 from McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific. Ms. McEvoy is a member of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
ANNE BRUNER NASH is of counsel to the firm of Roisman Henel + Adams LLP in Oakland. Her practice focuses on estate planning, probate, and trust administration. Ms. Nash received her B.A. with Distinction in 1984 from Stanford University and her J.D. in 1987 from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Ms. Nash is certified as a specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. She is a member of the Estate Planning Council of the East Bay, East Bay Tax Club, and the Trusts and Estates Section of the California State Bar.
GENEVIEVE S. ORTA is a partner with Osterloh & Orta, LLP, Oakland. Her practice focuses on estate planning, probate, and trust administration. Ms. Orta received a B.S. from Syracuse University in 1990, a J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law (magna cum laude) in 1996, and an LL.M. in Taxation with honors from Golden Gate University in 2008. Ms. Orta is a founding member of East Bay Trusts & Estates Lawyers and belongs to the East Bay Estate Planning Council, the San Francisco Estate Planning Council, the Asian American Bar Association, and the California Bar Association Trusts and Estates Section. She is also an adjunct professor of law at John F. Kennedy University School of Law, where she teaches Wills & Trusts, Estate Planning, and Community Property. Ms. Orta has been a Northern California “Super Lawyer” in the area of estate planning and probate from 2007 to the present.
MELINDA MacDONALD OSTERLOH is a partner with Osterloh & Orta, LLP, specializing in estate planning, probate, and trust administration. In 1993, Ms. Osterloh received dual undergraduate degrees in English Literature and Psychology from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. She graduated from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 1996 and was a clerk for Justice Carl W. Anderson, Ret., California Court of Appeal, Second District, and the Honorable Marshall Whitley, Alameda County Superior Court. Ms. Osterloh is a member of East Bay Trusts & Estates Lawyers, the California Bar Association, and American Bar Association.
RUTH A. PHELPS is with the Phelps Law Group in Pasadena. Ms. Phelps received her undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles. She received her J.D. and her LL.M. (Taxation) from Loyola Law School. Mrs. Phelps is a Certified Elder Law attorney and a Certified Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Specialist. She has been named a Southern California Super Lawyer for 2005 to 2016. She is the past-President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, a national organization of over 4300 elder law attorneys. She is a former member of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the State Bar of California, former President of the Southern California Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Mrs. Phelps is a 2007 Spirit of CEB recipient, and has contributed as an author and coauthor to numerous CEB estate planning publications, including California Trust Administration, California Powers of Attorney, and Drafting California Irrevocable Trusts. She was an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School, teaching Elder Law from 2005 to 2014.
LEONARD W. POLLARD II is a Senior Deputy in the Office of the San Diego County Counsel. He is a former executive committee member and current reporter of the State Bar Trusts and Estates Section. Mr. Pollard’s practice focuses both on probate and conservatorship administration, including related litigation. He received a B.A. in 1968 from the University of Kentucky and a J.D. in 1971 from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
NANCY BALDWIN REIMANN is a partner in the Tax and Estate Planning Practice Group in the Los Angeles office of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP. Ms. Reimann received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Santa Clara (magna cum laude) and her J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law. Ms. Reimann’s areas of specialization include estate planning, the administration of trusts and probate estates, creditors’ rights analysis, loan documentation, and work-outs. She has lectured on various estate planning topics for the clinical department of the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law and is a frequent speaker on the topic of creditors’ rights against trusts and probate estates. She served on the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Trust and Estates Section for 9 years, including a term as Committee Chair. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the California State Bar Trust and Estate Section. Ms. Reimann is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
PATRICK Z. RILEY is a sole practitioner in Oakland specializing in estate planning, probate and trust administration, and estate and gift taxation. Since 1997, Mr. Riley has been certified as a specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. He received his B.A. cum laude in 1967 from Santa Clara University and his J.D. in 1970 from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. He is a member of the East Bay Estate Planning Council, the Southern Alameda County Estate Planning Council, and the Trusts and Estates sections of the Alameda County Bar Association and the State Bar of California.
CYNTHIA V. ROEHL is a shareholder in Roehl & Glowacki, P.C. in Laguna Hills. Her practice focuses on probate and trust administration, estate planning, probate and trust litigation, and conservatorships. Ms. Roehl received her B.A. cum laude in 1985 from the University of California, Irvine, and her J.D. magna cum laude in 1996 from the University of Houston. She was a research editor for the Houston Journal of International Law. Ms. Roehl is a member of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Orange County Bar Association and the State Bar of California. She is a past chair of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Orange County Bar Association.
JONATHAN L. ROSENBLOOM is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and Northwestern University School of Law, where he was Articles Editor of the Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business. He is a partner in the law firm of Rosenbloom & Rosenbloom, LLP, where his practice focuses on estate planning and administration, conservatorship, and real estate and business law. He is the Vice-Chair of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and has coordinated the Los Angeles Superior Court Probate Department’s training programs for court-appointed counsel since 2003.
MARY M. RUDSER is a partner in Donahue Gallagher Woods LLP, where she specializes in estate planning, trust administration, and probate law. Ms. Rudser is a past Chair of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Alameda County Bar Association and a former Chair of its Trust Committee. She has also served two terms on the board of directors of the Alameda County Bar Association. In addition, she has served on multiple occasions as a court-appointed guardian ad litem for minors and conservatees. Before joining Donahue Gallagher Woods LLP, Ms. Rudser formed Stein, Rudser, Cohen & Magid LLP, and before that she was a partner in Brody & Satz and an associate at Miller, Starr & Regalia, all in Oakland. Ms. Rudser was admitted to the bar in 1981 in New York and in 1985 in California. She received her B.A. in English from Carleton College and an M.L.S. from the University of Maryland. She received her J.D. magna cum laude from Boston College Law School and an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University. She is a member of the California and New York state bars and the Alameda County Bar Association. She is also a member of the East Bay Tax Club and the East Bay Women’s Forum.
MARC L. SALLUS is a partner in Oldman, Cooley, Sallus, Birnberg, Coleman & Gold LLP, in Encino. He went to the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. His undergraduate school was Claremont Men’s College. He was Chair of the Conference of Delegates of the Conference of California Bar Associations. He was the former chair of the Beverly Hills Bar Probate, Trust and Estate Planning Section. He served as President of the Beverly Hills Bar Association. He also served on the Executive Committee of the State Bar of California’s Trust and Estate Section and Los Angeles County Bar’s Trust and Estate Section and is the incoming chair. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He is a coauthor of the will contest chapters in CEB’s California Decedent Estate Practice, Vol. III and California Trust and Probate Litigation (Cal CEB). He has lectured on trust, estate, probate, and conservatorship matters to numerous bars and on behalf of CEB.
BART J. SCHENONE practices with Temmerman Cilley & Kohlmann, LLP, Danville, in the areas of estate planning, trust, and probate law, as well as in the related areas of real property and business law. He received his B.A. from Stanford University in 1971 and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1974. Mr. Schenone is a certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law and a fellow with the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
MAY LEE TONG practices in Oakland. Her practice emphasizes estate planning, probate, and trust administration. She is certified as a specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the California Board of Legal Specialization. Ms. Tong graduated from Pomona College in 1970 and from Golden Gate University School of Law in 1983. She is admitted to practice in California and Hawaii. She is the current chair of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the State Bar of California and has served as chair of two of its subcommittees: Educating Seniors and Incapacity.
JON R. VAUGHT is a partner in the firm of Vaught & Boutris, LLP, in Oakland. His practice is focused on counseling and litigation in tax, estate planning, probate and trust administration, and asset protection. Mr. Vaught received a B.A. with honors from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1981; a J.D. from the University of California, Davis, School of Law in 1984; and an LL.M. in Tax Law from Golden Gate University School of Law in 1994. Mr. Vaught is certified as a specialist in both Taxation Law and Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and is currently serving a -year term as an Advisory Commissioner to the California Board of Legal Specialization Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Mr. Vaught is an adjunct professor at Golden Gate University School of Law’s LL.M. Tax Program and an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco law School’s LL.M. Taxation Program. Mr. Vaught is currently serving as a judge pro-tem with the Alameda County Superior Court, Probate Department and often serves as a court appointed referee, estate administrator, trustee, guardian at litem, and expert witness. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Legal Assistance for Seniors.
MARC WAHRHAFTIG, with the Law Offices of Marc Wahrhaftig in Oakland, specializes in estate planning, probate, trust law, and related areas. He received his B.A. in 1986 from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his J.D. in 1992 from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He chairs the Administration Committee of the Alameda County Bar Association Trusts and Estates Section and is also a member of the East Bay Estate Planning Council and the State Bar of California Trusts and Estates Section. He is a regular volunteer for the Lawyers in the Library program and has served as a Judge Pro Tem in small claims court. He is also an active classical musician. In addition to his work on this book, he has assisted with editing California Trust Administration (2d ed Cal CEB) and California Durable Powers of Attorney (Cal CEB).
CHARLES P. WOLFF is a member of Evans, Latham & Campisi in San Francisco. He specializes in probate and trust litigation. He received his B.A. from Wesleyan University in 1974 and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1977. He is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and a former member of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the State Bar of California and former chair of the section’s Ethics Committee.
ERIC R. YAMAMOTO, of the Law Offices of Eric R. Yamamoto in West Los Angeles, focuses his practice on probate, conservatorship, and trust matters. Mr. Yamamoto received his B.S. from the University of Southern California School of Business in 1971 and his J.D. from Loyola University School of Law in 1974. He belongs to the Trusts and Estates sections of the Santa Monica Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the State Bar of California. He is a co-chair of the Santa Monica Bar Association Probate, Trust and Estate Planning Section. Mr. Yamamoto has taught at the University of West Los Angeles School of Law and at UCLA Extension and has been a speaker at numerous seminars sponsored by the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He periodically acts as an interviewer for the California State Controller’s Advisory Probate Referee.
About the 2020 Update Authors
NICHOLAU ADAMS, update author of chapter 14, is an associate with the law firm of Hartog, Baer, Hand, APC in Orinda. He specializes in estate planning, probate, and trust administration. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and his J.D. and LL.M. in Taxation from Golden Gate University, School of Law. Mr. Adams is a member of East Bay Trusts & Estates Lawyers, the Contra Costa and Alameda County Bar Associations, the American Bar Association, and the California Bar Association Trust and Estates Section.
ALEX R. BORDEN is the update author of chapters 10, 21, and 22. See bio in About the Authors.
SARAH S. BROOMER, update author of chapter 15, is a partner with the law firm of Ruttenberg Cutler Broomer, LLP in Los Angeles. Her practice emphasizes estate planning, conservatorships, and trust and estate litigation. She received her B.A. degree in Political Science in 2004 from the University of California, Berkeley, and her J.D. in 2008 from Southwestern University School of Law. Mrs. Broomer was a judicial extern for the Honorable Aviva K. Bobb (Ret.), the supervising probate judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court. She is on the executive committee of the Beverly Hills Bar Association Trusts and Estates section.
LEIGHTON A. BURREY, update author of chapter 32, is the principal at Burrey Estate & Tax Attorneys, Orinda, and focuses his practice on domestic and international estate, gift, and income tax planning. He assists clients with estate, income, and gift tax mitigation strategies, including domestic and offshore tax compliance, business succession planning, estate and trust administration, and multigenerational wealth preservation. Mr. Burrey has also advised high-net-worth individuals with sophisticated tax and wealth transfer planning and implementation. Mr. Burrey received his B.A. in 2001 from the University of California, Davis, and his J.D. in 2010 from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. He earned an LL.M. in Taxation with honors in 2013 from Golden Gate University School of Law.
STEFANIE S. CUTLER, update author of chapter 9, is a partner at Ruttenberg Cutler Broomer, LLP in Los Angeles. Her practice focuses on trust and estate and fiduciary litigation as well as trust and estate administration. She also handles contested and noncontested conservatorship and guardianship matters. She earned two B.A. degrees from the University of Southern California in 2004 in Political Science and Environmental Studies. She is the current Chair of the Executive Committee of the Trust & Estate Committee of the Beverly Hills Bar Association. In addition, she serves as a coeditor of the Trusts & Estates Bulletin and is a member of the executive committee for the Trusts and Estates Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
RACHEL A. DODSON, update coauthor of chapter 31, is an associate at Roisman Henel + Adams LLP in Oakland. Her practice focuses on estate planning, trust administration, and probate. She often advises trustees and beneficiaries involved in contentious administrations regarding their rights and duties. Ms. Dodson earned her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and earned her J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law. She earned her Master of Public Administration from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington. Ms. Dodson has been selected by her peers as one of Northern California’s “Rising Stars” from 2015.
DAVID J. ELEFANT is the update author of chapter 13. See bio in About the Authors.
LINDA ESHOE, update coauthor of chapter 6, is a Senior Deputy County Counsel with the Office of the Los Angeles County Counsel and currently practices in probate. She previously specialized in litigation and employment matters. Ms. Eshoe received her B.S. from the University of Southern California and her J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law. She belongs to the Trusts and Estates sections of the California State Bar and the Los Angeles County Bar Association, in addition to the Litigation, Inn of Courts, and Labor and Employment sections of the State Bar of California and the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
CHRISTINA PROSPERO GABAR, the update author of chapter 11, is an associate with Oldman, Cooley, Sallus, Birnberg, Coleman & Gold, LLP, in Encino. Ms. Gabar specializes in trusts and estates administration and litigation, conservatorships, guardianships and estate planning. She received her B.A. in Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations and her J.D. from California Western School of Law where she was a Board Member of the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association and a member of the Pro Bono Program. Ms. Gabar is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the San Fernando Valley Bar Association.
MARY F. GILLICK is the update author of chapter 29. See bio in About the Authors.
PETA-GAY GORDON, update author of chapter 12, is a partner at Oldman, Cooley, Sallus, Birnberg, Coleman & Gold, LLP, in Encino. Ms. Gordon received her J.D. from the University of Southern California. Her practice focuses on trusts and estates administration and litigation, guardianships, and conservatorships.
RICHARD A. GORINI is the update coauthor of chapters 4, 27, and 28. See bio in About the Authors.
KYLA J. HALE, update coauthor of chapters 16, 17, and 28, is an attorney with the law firm of Bold, Polisner, Maddow, Nelson & Judson in Walnut Creek. She focuses on estate planning, ranging from drafting comprehensive estate plans to probate and trust administration. She received her B.A. in Philosophy with Honors from Santa Clara University and her J.D. from the University of California, Davis, School of Law. Ms. Hale is a member of the Contra Costa County Bar Association.
ANN C. HARRIS is the update author of chapter 33. See bio in About the Authors.
KELLY L. HINOJOSA, update author of chapter 20, is an attorney with the law firm of Hinojosa & Forer LLP in Los Angeles. Her practice focuses on all aspects of fiduciary, estate, trust, and conservatorship litigation, as well as appeals. Ms. Hinojosa received her B.A. from the University of Michigan in 2005 and her J.D. from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, in 2008. She is a member of the Trust and Estates sections of the Beverly Hills Bar Association and the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
CRAIG L. JUDSON is the update coauthor of chapters 16, 17, and 28. See bio in About the Authors.
SCOTT J. JUDSON, update coauthor of chapters 16, 17, and 28, is an attorney with the law firm of Bold, Polisner, Maddow, Nelson & Judson in Walnut Creek. Mr. Judson specializes in trusts and estates planning, administration, and litigation. He received his B.A. in Political Science with High Honors and Communication with Honors from the University of California, Davis. Mr. Judson earned his J.D. from the University of California, Davis, School of Law, where he served as Chair as the Trial Practice Honors Board, won the Seventh Annual Williams Institute Moot Court Competition at the University of California, Los Angeles, and graduated as a member of the Order of Barristers.
AMY L. McEVOY is the update coauthor of chapter 2. See bio in About the Authors.
SHARON M. NAGLE, update coauthor of chapters 16, 17, and 28, is an attorney with the law firm of Bold, Polisner, Maddow, Nelson & Judson in Walnut Creek. Her practice involves probate and trust litigation. She received her B.A. in Literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and her J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law.
ANNE BRUNER NASH is the update author of chapter 31. See bio in About the Authors.
GENEVIEVE S. ORTA is the update author of chapter 8. See bio in About the Authors.
RUTH A. PHELPS is the update author of chapters 24 and 25. See bio in About the Authors.
NANCY BALDWIN REIMANN is the update coauthor of chapter 2. See bio in About the Authors.
CYNTHIA V. ROEHL is the update author of chapter 30. See bio in About the Authors.
MARC L. SALLUS is the update author of chapter 26. Mr. Sallus now practices with the firm of Oldman, Cooley, Sallus, Birnberg, Coleman & Gold, LLP, in Encino. See bio in About the Authors.
ADAM L. STRELTZER, update author of chapters 5 and 23, practices in the Century City area of Los Angeles. He received his B.A. from San Diego State University and his J.D. from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Mr. Streltzer is a member of the Trust and Estates Sections of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and California Lawyers Association, a member of the Commercial Law League of America, and is a participant in the appointed counsel program with the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Mr. Streltzer’s practice focuses on litigation concerning the rights, duties, responsibilities, money, and property of the deceased, incompetent, spendthrift, and bankrupt.
CATHERINE SWAFFORD, update coauthor of chapter 29, is an associate at Withers Bergman LLP in San Diego. She practices exclusively in trust, estate, and fiduciary litigation. Ms. Swafford graduated cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a B.S. and obtained her J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law. She has experience litigating cases from the initial stage of filing a petition through trial and post-judgment.
NATHAN TALEI, update author of chapter 18, is an associate at Oldman, Cooley, Sallus, Birnberg, Coleman & Gold, LLP, in Encino. Mr. Talei received his B.A. degree in Psychology in 2007 from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his J.D. degree from the Pepperdine University School of Law in 2011. Mr. Talei specializes in probate litigation, estate planning, trusts, conservatorships, and guardianship matters and has extensive experience with Intellectual Property litigation and prosecution.
SARAH TALEI, update author of chapter 3, is an associate at Oldman, Cooley, Sallus, Birnberg, Coleman & Gold, LLP, in Encino. Ms. Talei graduated from the University of Southern California with a B.S. in Business Administration and obtained her J.D. from Whittier Law School, where she specialized in children’s rights. She was an extern at the Children’s Law Center and the Probate Department of the Los Angeles Superior Court. She has served as the Secretary and Treasurer on the Barrister Board of the Beverly Hills Bar Association and is a 2005 recipient of the Barristers Lawrence J. Blake Award for dedicated service. She is also a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the San Fernando Valley Bar Association, and the Iranian Bar Association.
VICKI THORBURN, update coauthor of chapters 4, 27, and 28, is a freelance paralegal specializing in the areas of probate, estate planning, trust administration, fiduciary accounting, fiduciary tax, and conservatorships. She is also with the firm of Boskovich, Gorini & Vanasse, LLP, in San Jose. She has worked for attorneys specializing in these areas for more than 30 years, and she taught classes for the Santa Clara University Paralegal Institute for approximately 20 years. She has also taught classes for Santa Clara University School of Law and for the Santa Clara County Legal Secretaries Association. Ms. Thorburn is an author for Handling a Probate (Cal CEB Action Guide). Ms. Thorburn has been a guest speaker, panelist, and lecturer for CEB; the Santa Clara University School of Law; Santa Clara County Bar Association; Professional Fiduciary Association of California; Bay Area Legal Secretaries Forum; Paralegal Association of Santa Clara County; and the National Association for Women in Banking.
MAY LEE TONG is the update author of chapter 19. See bio in About the Authors.
JON R. VAUGHT is the update author of chapter 34. See bio in About the Authors.
MARC WAHRHAFTIG is the update author of chapter 7. See bio in About the Authors.
ERIC R. YAMAMOTO is the update author of chapters 6 and 9. See bio in About the Authors.
