8:15 am – 9:45 am
Current California Developments
S. Andrew Pharies | Duane Morris LLP

Stay up to date with this discussion of the most important changes to California’s legal landscape and how they impact your estate and trust practice.

10:00 am – 11:30 am
Spendthrift Trusts & Creditor Protection
Jay Adkisson | Adkisson Pitet LLP

This session explores the statutory and case law nuances of creditor actions against the interests of trust settlors and beneficiaries in California. Topics include self-settled and revocable trusts, mandatory versus discretionary distributions, and alter ego and nominees theories utilized by creditors.

12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
How to Avoid Litigation in the Planning Stage
John Hartog | Hartog, Baer, Zabronsky, & Verriere, APC
Mark Poochigian | Baker Manock & Jensen, PC
Hon. Reva Goetz (Ret.) | JAMS

While no estate plan is guaranteed to be litigation proof, well-crafted and carefully drafted plans can reduce the chance of litigation or otherwise speed resolution and reduce the cost of disputes between fiduciaries and beneficiaries, or between the beneficiaries themselves. Join these esteemed presenters as they discuss tools, techniques, and practice tips to help you effectively use the planning state to craft estate plans that avoid litigation.

2:15 pm – 3:45 pm
Premarital Estate Planning & Divorce Awareness Among Estate Planners
Kim Willoughby | Willoughby & Associates
Peter M. Walzer | Walzer Melcher LLP

A client’s potential divorce should be considered by the estate planner. Marital agreements should address both divorce and death. The speakers will discuss the traps estate planners can fall into when drafting agreements. The beginning, middle, and end of a divorce presents opportunities for estate planners to work with family lawyers. The planner can assist with the division of property and the payment of support when the assets are held in preexisting irrevocable trusts. The special issues in “grey divorces” are particularly suited to collaboration between divorce and estate planning counsel.

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
IRS & Audits
Kalyani Chandra | Attorney (Estate and Gift Tax), U.S. Department of the Treasury

A discussion of recent developments in estate & gift tax, including proposed regulations, digital signatures, transcript delivery, property basis, and more.

8:15 am – 9:45 am
Trusts & Estates Scouting Report: Uncovering Tax & Fiduciary Trends to Better Plan & Prepare
Bill Sanderson | McGuire Woods

For at least the last two decades, the federal wealth transfer tax has been in a state of continued–sometimes gradual, sometimes fast-paced–evolution. This session will review the landscape of federal legislation dealing with the estate and gift tax, and it will address trends in recent cases, regulatory guidance, and administrative updates that have an impact on estate planning and estate administration.

10:00 am – 11:30 pm
Multi-State Estate Planning Techniques
Laurelle M. Gutierrez | McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Dr. Gerry W. Beyer | Texas Tech University

All it takes is one carelessly drafted will provision to place you in the hot seat for months or years where you might watch your personal, professional, and financial life crumble around you. One type of drafting error is the failure to anticipate that your client’s estate plan will be in whole or in part governed by the laws of another state. This can happen for two main reasons. First, your client may die domiciled in another state. Second, your client may own real property in another state. The speakers will focus on some of the major state law differences in substantive and procedural law.  Once you recognize these differences, you may then take proper steps to plan for them as you draft your clients’ wills and trusts. The speakers then will discuss why you may purposefully elect to use the law of another state to effectuate your clients’ estate planning goals, including privacy, creditor protection and state tax minimization.

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
Trust Revocation & Modification: What is the Law These Days & Does Location Matter?
Vivian Thoreen | Holland & Knight LLP, Los Angeles, CA

There have been a number of recent opinions on trust revocations and modifications, including the fact that two of the most recent opinions are under review by the California Supreme Court.  This program will provide an overview of the current state of the law on trust revocation and modification, and will provide perspective and practice tips from an estate planner and trial lawyer.

1:45 pm – 2:45 pm
Ten Pitfalls to Avoid with International Trusts
Cynthia Brittain | Karlin Peebles

This program will provide an overview of traditional approaches in trust planning for clients with international assets, and examines how these tactics may not actually be the most tax advantageous. This illuminating discussion will identify common pitfalls and how to avoid them, as well as provide unconventional strategies that can yield maximum benefit for clients.