Gregory Broege, Ajalat, Polley, Ayoob, Matarese & Broege
Glendale, California

Born and raised at the Jersey Shore, Greg graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Florida State University before earning his J.D. as a Dean’s Merit Scholar at UCLA School of Law. He began his career at Latham & Watkins LLP and joined Ajalat, Polley, Ayoob, Matarese & Broege in 2009, where he became a partner in 2016 and specializes exclusively in California State & Local Tax matters. Admitted to practice before all California state courts, the U.S. District Court (Central District), and the Ninth Circuit, Greg has been consistently recognized as a Super Lawyer and has held leadership roles including chairing the LACBA State and Local Tax Committee and IPT planning committees. He is a published author, a frequent speaker for major bar associations and tax institutes, and teaches a quarterly continuing education course on California tax law at Cal State LA.

Renee Gabbard, Procopio
Irvine, California

Renee provides her clients—including privately held businesses, high net worth clients, and charitable organizations—a wide range of legal services including all aspects of income, capital gains, gift and estate tax planning, charitable planning, advanced wealth and business succession planning, capital gains tax deferral techniques, acquisition, sale and liquidity planning, private corporate structuring, asset freeze techniques, family office planning, insurance planning, trust tax planning, and trust administration. Her experience includes business succession and wealth planning for high net worth families and families with concentrated stock, real estate, sports teams and/or privately held businesses. Renee provides these services by combining two disciplines, the Federal Gift and Estate Tax with the formation and taxation of privately held pass through entities such as limited partnerships, LLCs, and S Corporations. Renee lectures and teaches frequently. She is a former adjunct professor at both Chapman Law School and Golden Gate University’s Masters in Taxation program.

Eric Raines, Albrecht & Barney
Irvine, California

Eric Raines received his law degree from Yale Law School and is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Eric earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Texas. His practice is focused on estate planning, business succession planning, charitable giving, trust administration, probate, and related litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Eric founded his own trust and estates law firm, worked at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP, and prosecuted cases as a Deputy District Attorney in Las Vegas. He teaches a class on Estate Planning at University of California, Irvine, and has created and run a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Eric is admitted to practice in California and Nevada.

Jon Schimmer, Procopio
San Diego, California

Jon advises corporations, partnerships, executives, and investors on a comprehensive range of international, federal, state, and local tax and business matters. His practice centers on business planning—including formations, mergers, acquisitions, liquidations, and reorganizations—as well as income, estate, and gift tax issues and tax audit controversies. Additionally, Jon specializes in the tax, business, and regulatory compliance of equity incentive plans and executive compensation structures, guiding clients through option grants, vesting, liquidity events, and valuation disputes.