Richard J. Albrecht, J.D., LLM, TEP
Founding Partner, Albrecht & Barney, Irvine, California
General Session #13 - Saving Taxes for Heirs
Founding partner of Albrecht & Barney, Rick Albrecht is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. He received his law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School and his LL.M. (in Taxation) from the New York University Law School. Rick has been selected to the Southern California Super Lawyers list, which designates the top 5 percent of the lawyers in Southern California in each area of specialty. Rick has also been rated as an AV Preeminent Lawyer by Martindale Hubbell, the highest ranking available.
Jonathan Blattmachr, J.D.
Principal, Pioneer Wealth Partners, New York, New York
General Session #7 - How to Secure a Stretch Payout for Qualified Plans and IRAs Notwithstanding the SECURE Act
Master Class #5 - Private Placement Life and Annuity Products
Jonathan G. Blattmachr is Director of Estate Planning for Peak Trust Company (formerly Alaska Trust Company) and a Director of Pioneer Wealth Partners, LLC in a boutique wealth advisory firm in Manhattan. He is a Principal at Interactive Legal Services Management, LLC, serving as its Editor-in-Chief and Co-Author of its cornerstone products, Wealth Transfer Planning™ and Elder Law Planning™ and a retired member of Milbank (formerly Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP) and of the New York, Alaska and in California bars. He is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and recognized as one of the most creative trusts and estates lawyers in the country and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in. He graduated from Columbia University School of Law, cum laude, where he was recognized as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He has written and lectured extensively on estate and trust taxation and charitable giving and is author or co-author of nine books and more than 500 articles on estate planning and tax topics. Jonathan was on active duty in the US Army from 1970 to 1972, rising to the rank of Captain and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal. He is an instrument rated land and seaplane pilot and a licensed hunting and fishing guide in the Town of Southampton, New York.
Jere Doyle, J.D., LL.M.
Senior Vice-President, BNY Melon, Boston, Massachusetts
Master Class #3 – GRAT Sale to IDGT
Jere Doyle is an estate planning strategist for BNY Mellon Wealth Management and a senior vice president of BNY Mellon. He has been with the firm since 1981. Jere is admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and before the United States District Court, United States Court of Appeals (First Circuit) and the United States Tax Court. He formerly served as a member of the Massachusetts Joint Bar Committee on Judicial Appointments. He is the editor and co-author of many texts published by Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education. Jere is a lecturer in law in the Graduate Tax Program at Boston University School of Law. Jere received a LL.M. in banking law from Boston University Law School, a LL.M in taxation from Boston University Law School, a juris doctor from Hamline University Law School and a bachelor’s degree from Providence College. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Massachusetts Bar Association, Boston Estate Planning Council and the Essex County Bar Association. He served as president of the Boston Estate Planning Council and currently serves as a member of its Executive Committee and was a 20-year member of the Executive Committee of the Essex County Bar Association. He was named as the 2009 Estate Planner of the Year by the Boston Estate Planning Council. Jere has spoken at numerous professional education programs throughout the country on various topics, been quoted in numerous business publications and has appeared on CNBC, MSNBC and CNN.
Hon. Michael A. Ferguson, M.P.P.
Senior Advisor, BakerHostetler, Washington, D.C.
General Session #5 - Luncheon Presentation – Inside Washington: Policy and Politics
Leader of BakerHostetler’s Federal Policy team, the Honorable Michael Ferguson served for nearly a decade in Congress and held leadership roles on key policy initiatives, from healthcare to financial services, with an eye toward advocating for legislative solutions that removed regulatory roadblocks to innovation. As vice chairman of the House’s principal healthcare subcommittee, he led key policy reforms, including the creation of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit and pharmaceutical and medical device user fee reauthorizations. He also participated in several financial services investigations and helped lead passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and other financial industry reforms following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. After retiring from Congress, Mike founded Ferguson Strategies, a government affairs and public policy consulting firm that served a range of clients, including Fortune 500 companies and start-up firms. Appointed by Governor Chris Christie and unanimously confirmed by the New Jersey State Senate, Mike was Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the New Jersey Sports and Exhibition Authority from 2011 until 2018. Mr. Ferguson received a B.A. in Government from the University of Notre Dame, and a M.P.P. from Georgetown University.
David A. Handler, J.D.
Partner, Kirkland & Ellis, LLP, Chicago, Illinois
Master Class #1 – Planning Around Basis and Vertical Slices
David A. Handler is a partner in the Trusts and Estates Practice Group of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Mr. Handler is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), a member of the NAEPC Estate Planning Hall of Fame as an Accredited Estate Planner (Distinguished), and a member of the professional advisory committees of several non-profit organizations, including the Chicago Community Trust, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Goodman Theatre, WTTW11/98.7WFMT (Chicago public broadcasting stations) and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. He is one of only 16 U.S. lawyers (as of 2015) ranked in “Band 1” by Chambers USA in the Wealth Management category, is listed in The Best Lawyers in America©, (Trusts and Estates) and its 2015 and 2019 Trusts and Estates “Chicago Lawyer of the Year”, in the Guide to the World’s Leading Trusts and Estates Practitioners, in Who’s Who Legal: Private Client, received the Austin Fleming Distinguished Service Award from the Chicago Estate Planning Council in 2015, was the 2016 Bloomberg BNA Estates, Gifts and Trusts Contributor of the Year, received the Trusts & Estates Magazine 2017 Distinguished Author award in the Thought Leadership category and identified as one of the top 100 lawyers in Illinois in the 2006 list of “Illinois Super Lawyers.” Leading Lawyers Magazine has listed David as one of the “Top Ten Trust, Will & Estate” lawyers in Illinois as well as a “Top 100 Consumer” lawyer in Illinois. David was named a Trusts & Estates Trailblazer by The National Law Journal in 2016. He is an Editorial Advisory Board Member of Trusts & Estates Magazine for which he has written the monthly “tax update” column for more than 15 years. Mr. Handler is a co-author of The Complete Estate Planning Sourcebook (published by Wolters Kluwer). Mr. Handler is a frequent lecturer at professional education seminars. Mr. Handler concentrates his practice on trust and estate planning and administration, representing owners of closely-held businesses, principals of private equity/venture capital/LBO funds, executives and families of significant wealth, and establishing and administering private foundations, public charities and other tax-exempt entities. Mr. Handler is a graduate of Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and received a B.S. Degree in Finance with highest honors from the University of Illinois Gies College of Business.
Jillyn Hess-Verdon, J.D.
Managing Partner, Hess-Verdon & Associates, PLCC, Newport Beach, California
General Session #11 - Since Trust Litigation is on the Rise
Founder of the Hess-Verdon, Jillyn Hess-Verdon has successfully advised high net-worth individuals and corporate executives with their estate tax and corporate matters since 1990. She is a noted speaker on the subjects of Trust Litigation, Business, and Real Estate Litigation, and Advanced Estate Planning matters. As the Managing Partner, Mrs. Verdon has built a team of experienced living trust lawyers focusing on Business Law and business dispute litigation, Real Estate Law and litigation, Special Needs Trusts for Disabled Family Members as well as Charitable Planning and many strategies for wealthy families who own businesses. In addition, Mrs. Verdon’s team focuses in Probate and Probate litigation, Trust Administration and Living Trusts. Mrs. Verdon has a track record of dedication and success in achieving results for her clients.
Andrew M. Katzenstein, J.D., LL.M.
Partner, Proskauer Rose, LLP, Los Angeles, California
General Session #1 - Year End and Gift Update: New Cases, Rulings and Legislation
Andrew M. Katzenstein is a partner at Proskauer Rose LLP, practicing out of the Los Angeles office. Andy’s practice involves estate, gift, and generation-skipping tax planning, income tax of trust planning, charitable tax and administrative matters, probate and post-death administration of living trust matters, and fiduciary litigation. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1979 with high honors, and received his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1982 with distinction. In 1990, Andy received his LL.M in Taxation from the University of San Diego School of Law. Andy currently teaches in the LL.M Program at UC Irvine School of law and taught Estate and Gift Tax previously at USC Law School and UCLA School of Law. He has also taught at the University of San Diego and Golden Gate University LL.M programs. Andy is a member of the California and New York State Bars and the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
Andrea Kushner, J.D., LL.M.
Senior VP and Director, Wealth Strategies Group, Bernstein Private Wealth Management, Los Angeles, California
General Session #8 - Family Governance: The Overlooked Ingredient of a Comprehensive Estate Plan
Senior Vice President and Director of the Wealth Strategies Group, Andrea Kushner is located in Bernstein’s Los Angeles office. She works with Bernstein clients and their professional advisors to develop comprehensive wealth management and wealth transfer strategies. Before joining the firm in 2015, Andi was a shareholder at Weinstock Manion, ALC, and a partner at Karlin & Peebles LLP, advising high-net-worth clients on estate, tax and charitable planning. She is a member of the State Bar of California, by which she has been certified as a specialist in both taxation law and estate planning, trust and probate law. Andi was named a Southern California Rising Star and a Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers Magazine. She currently serves on the executive committee (trusts and estates section) of the Beverly Hills Bar Association and is a member of both the taxation and trusts and estates sections of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. She has also served on the executive committee (taxation section) of the State Bar of California and was a former chair of the taxation section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association. Andi holds a BA (cum laude) in political science from the University of California at Los Angeles; a JD from the University of Southern California at Los Angeles; and an LLM in taxation law from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles.
Paul Lee, J.D., LL.M.
Chief Tax Strategist, The Northern Trust Company, New York, New York
General Session #12 - Jon Gallo Memorial Presentation – The Most Innovative Planning Ideas Today
Paul S. Lee is the Chief Tax Strategist of The Northern Trust Company, within the Global Family & Private Investment Offices Group and Wealth Management division of Northern Trust. He is also a Senior Vice President and Managing Director of the company. Prior to joining Northern Trust, he was at Bernstein Global Wealth Management as National Managing Director, and a partner in the Atlanta-based law firm of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP. Paul is a Fellow of the American College of Trusts and Estate Counsel, has been inducted into the NAEPC Estate Planning Hall of Fame®, and designated an Accredited Estate Planner® (Distinguished). He was the American Bar Association Advisor to the Uniform Law Commission Uniform Fiduciary Income and Principal Act. Paul is a member of the American Bar Association, Florida Bar, and State Bar of Georgia. Paul received a B.A., cum laude, in English and a B.A. in chemistry from Cornell University, and a J.D., with honors, from Emory University School of Law, where he was notes and comments editor of the Emory Law Journal; he also received an LL.M. in taxation from Emory University. Paul was the recipient of the Georgia Federal Tax Conference Award for Outstanding Tax Student and the Ernst & Young Award for Tax and Accounting. A frequent lecturer and panelist on investment planning, tax and estate planning, Paul has spoken at the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, ACTEC National Meeting, Southern Federal Tax Institute, USC Institute on Federal Taxation, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Southern California Tax & Estate Planning Forum, Notre Dame Tax and Estate Planning Institute, AICPA National Tax Conference, and the AICPA Advanced Estate Planning Conference. He is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, Bloomberg BNA Estates, Gifts and Trusts Advisory Board, and the University of Florida Tax Institute Advisory Board. He proudly serves as an Admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska.
Jonathan Lurie, J.D.
Partner, Venable, LLP, Los Angeles, California
General Session #9 - Where People and Property Belong (and other Existential Musings)
Jonathan Lurie focuses on U.S. and international tax and estate planning and trust administration. Jonathan is a problem solver who relies on his significant experience to develop personalized wealth management and preservation strategies tailored to achieve the individual objectives and aspirations of the clients he serves. One such example is a $350 million estate involving a complex family situation and the formation of a charitable lead trust and family office. Jonathan has been in the service of the estate for more than 20 years and takes pride in his work with the foundation and in the fact that no property has been sold to pay taxes. A native South African, Jonathan has practiced law in South Africa and the United States. He is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), and attended university and law school in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is admitted to practice law in the Republic of South Africa and Kingdom of Lesotho, in addition to California.
R. Hugh Magill, J.D.
Chief Fiduciary Officer & Global Director of Trust Service, Northern Trust, Chicago, Illinois
General Session #2 - It’s All in The Family…What’s a Family? Estate Planning and Trust Management for a Brave New World
R. Hugh Magill serves as Vice Chairman of Wealth Management for Northern Trust. Prior to joining Northern Trust in 1989 Hugh practiced law privately in Chicago and worked in the Trust Department of The First National Bank of Chicago. Hugh is licensed to practice law in Minnesota and Illinois and admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), and Academician of the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law, and a faculty member of the ABA National Trust School. He has lectured to ACTEC, the International Academy, Heckerling, Notre Dame, Kasner, Southern Federal, UCLA and other institutes, the Northwestern Center for Family Enterprise, the National Association of Estate Planning Councils, and regional bar associations on estate and charitable planning, trust management, family governance, and fiduciary risk management. He is a member of the Chicago, Minnesota and American Bar Associations. He has authored articles for the ACTEC Law Journal, Trust & Estates, Trusts & Investments and Wealth magazines. He serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of Trusts & Estates magazine. In 2017 he was inducted into the NAEPC Estate Planning Hall of Fame, where he holds the designation of Accredited Estate Planner (Distinguished). He is a trustee of the Covenant Board of Pensions and Benefits and the Chicago Sunday Evening club and serves on the board of the Block Museum of Art and several foundations.
Shaun McNaughton, J.D., M.A.
Associate, Brown & Streza LLP, Irvine, California
Master Class #2 - Trust & Taxes: Frameworks for Planning for Large Estates
Shaun solves estate planning problems for high-net-worth individuals, families, and business owners. Many of those problems relate to income tax, estate tax, and California property tax issues, and risk exposure. He implements advanced planning techniques that reduce these taxes and risks, thereby increasing amount passing to family and charity. Shaun earned undergraduate degrees (mathematics and philosophy) from the University of California, San Diego; a master’s degree in philosophy (magna cum laude) from Biola University; and his Juris Doctor, from Chapman University School of Law, where he earned an Emphasis in Taxation, completing more tax courses than any Juris Doctor candidate in the history of the law school, and receiving CALI Excellence Awards for earning the highest marks in several courses. While in law school, the Honorable Tom Campbell, Dean of Chapman University School of Law and former U.S. Congressman, chose Shaun as his research assistant for substantial work for his law review article on the severability of statutes (“Severability of Statutes,” 62 Hastings L. J. 1495 (2011)), a legal topic that was at the forefront of the debate whether the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) was constitutional. In addition, for another article with Dean Campbell, Shaun applied a branch of higher mathematics (known as “topology”) to models of competition in antitrust law. Shaun is licensed to practice law in California and is also admitted to practice before the United States Federal Court. He lives in Newport Beach where, in his spare time, frequently can be found on a paddle board on Balboa Island or reading everything he can get his hands on: technical tax treatises and journals, analytic philosophy and theology, selected areas of physics, and economics.
Tabetha M. Peavey, J.D.
Associate, Venable, LLP, Los Angeles, California
General Session #9 - Where People and Property Belong (and other Existential Musings)
Tabetha Peavey focuses her practice on advising individuals, nonprofits, cooperatives, and businesses on all aspects of income, business, and property tax planning. Tabetha has supported cases involving income taxation of nonresident aliens, nonmarital support rights, and property tax reassessment. She has advised clients on Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT), corporate governance issues, attaining and maintaining 501(c)(12) and 501(c)(3) statuses, and setting up private trust companies. Tabetha received a B.A. from Fordham University and a J.D. from University of California Berkeley School of Law. During law school, Tabetha served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Harry Pregerson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit of California and as a judicial extern to the Honorable Harold Baer, Jr. of the United States District Court in the Southern District of New York.
Mark Powell, J.D.
Partner, Private Wealth Services, Holland & Knight, Los Angeles, California
General Session #8 - Family Governance: The Overlooked Ingredient of a Comprehensive Estate Plan
Mark Powell is a Partner in Holland & Knight's Private Wealth Services practice group. He is based in the Los Angeles office and works with clients across the country to create meaningful estate plans meant to be flexible and remain relevant to beneficiaries over several generations. His work is focused on charitable planning, family philanthropy, and matters related to family governance and succession planning. Before joining Holland & Knight, Mark was a partner in the trusts and estates practice groups at both Dorsey & Whitney and Snell & Wilmer. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and his law degree from Mercer University's School of Law. He has been a member of the State Bar of California since 1996, which has certified him as a specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate law. Mark has written for a wide variety of estate planning journals, and his contributions to the advancement of the estate planning field were recognized when he was appointed by his peers as a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. In addition to his practice at Holland & Knight, Mark serves as an adjunct professor of law at Chapman University's School of Law.
John W. Prokey, J.D.
Partner, Ramsbacher, Prokey, Leonard, LLP, San Francisco, California
General Session #4 - Fiduciary Elections
Master Class #4 – Valuation Adjustment Clauses
John Prokey is a partner of Ramsbacher Prokey Leonard LLP. Mr. Prokey's law practice focuses on providing advice in wealth planning, estate and trust administration, and tax. His clients include individuals, private fiduciaries, institutions, and other business and non-profit entities. The wealth planning portion of Mr. Prokey’s law practice emphasizes advising individuals and fiduciaries in estate planning, wealth preservation, tax, and business matters. Mr. Prokey also advises fiduciaries and beneficiaries in trust and probate administration matters, with emphasis in complex administrations. Mr. Prokey’s law practice includes representing taxpayers in all levels of federal tax controversy, including IRS examination and Appeals, and before the U.S. Tax Court. Clients, their families, and other practitioners rely on Mr. Prokey for dispute resolution in these arenas, including serving as a mediator. Mr. Prokey is a Fellow of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). He is also a member of the California Lawyers Association. He served on the Trusts and Estates Section Executive Committee and the Taxation Section Executive Committee of the California State Bar; and also served as Chair (2004-2005) of the Taxation Section’s Estate and Gift Tax Sub-Committee. John is a member of the Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County, and American Bar Associations. Mr. Prokey is a frequent lecturer and guest speaker at numerous seminars and conferences throughout California and elsewhere, and is an author on various tax and estate planning topics. Speaking engagements include the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, Jerry A. Kasner Estate Planning Symposium, AICPA Advanced Estate Planning Conference, CalCPA Advanced Estate Planning Institute, Annual Estate Planning Symposium, Tax and Update Planning Conference, the San Diego Tax and Estate Planning Forum, the Hawaii Tax Institute, CEB/UCLA Estate Planning Conference, Continuing Education of the Bar Estate Planning and Administration, San Francisco, San Mateo County, and Silicon Valley Bar Associations, East Bay, Orange County, Sacramento, Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County, and Stanislaus County Estate Planning Councils, CPE Forum of the Central Coast, East Bay Trust & Estates Lawyers Seminar, and Paralegal Association of Santa Clara County. Mr. Prokey received his Baccalaureate of Science degree from Santa Clara University in 1994 and his Juris Doctor degree from Santa Clara University School of Law in 1999, graduating cum laude in both undergraduate and law school studies.
Michael Rosen-Printz, J.D.
Partner, McDermott Will & Emery, LLP, Los Angeles, California
General Session #10 - Render Unto California The Things That Are Yours: California Taxation of Trusts
Michael Rosen-Prinz works with individuals and families to solve problems and develop strategies for wealth transfer, family governance, business succession planning and estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax matters. Michael assists clients with the formation and operation of family offices and private trust companies, and the coordination of such structures with the family’s overall estate plan. Michael advises on tax, SEC and other regulatory compliance issues and has helped clients develop and implement policies and procedures for their private trust companies. Michael also has substantial experience in cross-border planning for international families. He represents entrepreneurs with global business interests, families seeking to establish trusts and other structures to benefit loved ones in the US and beyond, and multi-jurisdictional individuals looking to structure their affairs in a private, tax-efficient manner. He also advises clients on issues relating to foreign trusts, pre-immigration planning, expatriation, in-bound and out-bound transfers, compliance obligations and structuring investment vehicles in the United States and other jurisdictions. Michael regularly speaks to local and national audiences on a variety of issues related to US and international tax and estate planning. Mr. Rosen-Prinz received his Juris Doctor from the University of California Berkeley School of Law.
Tim Voorhees, J.D., MBA, AEP®
Principal Partner, Family Office Law, Costa Mesa, California
General Session #6 - Charitable Strategies to Offset Taxable Income from IRAs or Compensation Payments
Throughout his 42-year career as an estate planning lawyer and investment adviser, Tim’s planning teams have developed thousands of plans that align legal, tax, and financial strategies with the vision and values of wealth holders. These plans have helped clients redirect billions of dollars of tax savings to trusts that generate greater after-tax retirement income, bigger transfers to family members, and larger gifts to favorite charities. Tim has written 6 books on advanced planning and numerous articles. He regularly speaks at national conferences in the charitable, financial, and legal industries. As the founding partner of Family Office Law, Tim works with an experienced team of lawyers to support clients and their financial advisers throughout the country.
Laura Zwicker, J.D.
Chair, Private Client Services Group, Greenberg Glusker, Los Angeles, California
General Session #3 - Migratory Trusts and Migratory Clients
Laura Zwicker chairs Greenberg Glusker's Private Client Services Group, advising individuals and families on international and domestic tax and estate planning issues and business succession planning. Laura's practice focuses primarily on counseling high net worth individuals and their families in connection with domestic and international estate and tax planning issues and business succession planning; advising financial institutions with regard to fiduciary and custodial issues; forming, advising and dissolving non-profit organizations; and probate and post-death trust administration. Laura has received many accolades, including being ranked in Chambers and Partners USA and Chambers and Partners Global High Net Worth Guide (2016-2019) for Private Wealth Law; as a “Top Woman Lawyer” by the Daily Journal (2016); as a “Trust & Estate Trailblazers” by the National Law Journal (2016-2017); The Best Lawyers in America (2013-2021); Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Who’s Who In L.A. Law” (2009); Southern California Super Lawyers for Estate Planning & Probate (2010-2017); and she is rated "AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5," by Martindale Hubbell. She frequently provides media commentary, including "Prince Died Without A Will. What Happens Next To His $150 Million-Plus Estate?,” Forbes, April 27, 2016, and "Robin Williams Posthumously Blocks a New Aladdin Sequel Featuring His Voice," Vanity Fair, November 2015.