Private Client Services

High Net Worth Families

Tax and Trusts and Estates Lawyers for Successful Individuals, Businesses, and Families.

Our Private Client Services Group serves some of the most discerning ultra-high net-worth individuals and families in California and beyond, as well as family offices, corporate and individual professional fiduciaries, and public and private non-profit organizations.

Representative Experience

  • Represented one of the top executives of a major Hollywood studio in connection with his ongoing employment agreements.
  • Represented the principal owner of a professional services firm who was an absentee owner who did not work for the firm in connection with the sale of the personal services firm to a foreign, publicly owned company for a sales price in excess of $40 million.
  • Represented an heir to a 50 % interest in a very valuable, privately held manufacturing business and advised on how to strategically position the company for an eventual sale.
  • Coordinated planning by Portuguese, British and Dutch advisors for client acquiring real property in Portugal through a Dutch limited liability company and foundation.
  • Counseled high net worth families regarding the creation of estate planning structures that not only minimize transfer taxes but that also reflect the values of the family with respect to education, charitable giving and community involvement.
  • Provided United States transfer tax planning for multinational families, including lifetime planning with domestic securities, life insurance and real property, and planning, preparation and establishment of offshore trust and corporate structures.
  • Provided counseling under new regulations regarding the proper structuring of corporate and private split-dollar insurance transactions.
  • Provided counseling to families with closely-held business interests regarding business succession planning, estate tax planning and tax planning prior to the sale or public offering of the closely-held business.
  • Successfully defended several trustees who were alleged to have failed to follow the terms of the trusts that they were administering.
  • Successfully represented beneficiary against trustee who had committed multiple breaches of trust and obtained $1 million judgment against trustee.
  • Obtained numerous favorable valuation settlements, including discounts for lack of control and marketability, with the Internal Revenue Service in connection with estate and gift tax return audits.
  • Established investment vehicles for families to diversify investments and centralize management.
  • Advised clients regarding economics and advisability of various sophisticated transfer tax plans. These include Qualified Personal Residence Trusts, Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts, Charitable Remainder Trusts, Charitable Lead Trusts, Private Annuity Trusts and other Irrevocable Trusts, assisting clients in implementing these plans.
  • Developed and implemented management succession plan for real estate assets owned in partnership by sibling families.