S. ANDREW PHARIES, DLA Piper LLP, San Diego, is a partner with DLA Piper LLP (US), San Diego, practicing in domestic and international estate planning, postdeath trust and estate administration, charitable planning, exempt organizations, family business planning, and related tax controversies. He received his B.S. from the University of California, Riverside, and his J.D. from the University of Oregon School of Law, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Oregon Law Review.

He is a Fellow of the American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel and is certified as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Mr. Pharies is a frequent speaker and author on topics relating to trusts and estates law.

BOBBI J. BIERHALS, McDermott Will & Emery, LLP, Chicago, has built her practice by developing creative and customized solutions for her clients. Her experience centers on tax and business planning for high-net-worth individuals and families. Her clients range from executives and first-generation entrepreneurs to multi-generational families, with net worth from $15 million to many billions of dollars, and include a number of individuals listed in the Forbes 400.

Leading publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Business Week, MSN Money, Private Wealth magazine and Financial Advisor magazine have quoted Bobbi frequently on various family office and estate planning topics. A member of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Bobbi has also taught legal research and writing at Harvard Law School. She received her J.D., from Harvard Law School.

KIM KAMIN, Gresham Partners, LLC, Chicago. Kim joined Gresham after spending many years as a practicing attorney who counseled families regarding the preservation and transfer of their wealth over multiple generations. In her role at Gresham, Kim leads the development and implementation of estate, wealth transfer, philanthropic, education and fiduciary planning activities, advising clients and speaking and writing on topics related to managing multi-generational wealth.

During her legal career, Kim advised clients on a wide array of entity restructuring, succession planning, trust and estate administration, asset protection and philanthropic issues. She also represented wealth owners, beneficiaries, fiduciaries and custodians in contested matters and served as counsel for the formation and operation of not-for-profit entities. Kim is a frequent speaker at national conferences and a contributor to publications that focus on preserving, growing, managing and transferring wealth. Kim received her J.D., from the University of Chicago Law School

RANDY J. CURATO, Alas, Los Angeles. Randy counsels and educates lawyers on ethics, professional responsibility, and avoiding malpractice in his role as Vice President—Senior Loss Prevention Counsel for Alas. He also speaks regularly at outside conferences and programs on ethics and professional responsibility.

Prior to joining ALAS, Randy was a partner at Bell, Boyd & Lloyd LLP in Chicago for 18 years. While at Bell Boyd, he handled litigation, arbitration, and trials of commercial, real estate, environmental, probate, product liability, professional malpractice, and contract cases. Randy started his practice with Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon LLP in Chicago, where he handled litigation matters. Randy is a member of the American and Chicago Bar Associations, and serves on the advisory board of the Working Group on Legal Opinions. Randy received his JD, from the University of Notre Dame Law School.

BRUCE STONE, Goldman Felcoski & Stone P.A., Florida, is a shareholder of the firm. His practice consists primarily of estate planning for both domestic and foreign clients. A significant portion of his practice involves disputed or complex problem situations in which he is retained to find creative planning solutions or to serve as expert witness, mediator or arbitrator. Bruce is admitted to practice in Florida.

Bruce is a Fellow and Past President of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He is a past chair of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar. Bruce is chair of the Joint Editorial Board for Uniform Trust and Estate Acts, which monitors and recommends updates to the Uniform Probate Code, the Uniform Trust Code, and all other trust and estate related uniform laws on a nationwide basis. He is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning. He is an Academician in the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law. In addition to his practice, Bruce is an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law, where he teaches in the graduate masters program in estate planning. He is a frequent lecturer for various organizations.

RYAN J. SZCZEPANIK, HARTOG, BAER & HAND, Orinda. Mr. Szczepanik is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, his practice is devoted exclusively to trust and estate litigation. He has tried numerous matters in both California and federal courts.

Mr. Szczepanik has presented on trust and estate topics at organizations throughout California and has authored numerous published articles on trust and estate topics. Mr. Szczepanik is a Member of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association (TEXCOM). He is the Vice President of the East Bay Trusts & Estates Lawyers (EBTEL). He is a delegate to the Conference of California Bar Associations (CCBA). He serves as a Court Appointed Special Master and Referee for the Alameda County Probate Court. Mr. Szczepanik received his J.D., from Emory Law School.

JONNA THOMAS is a vice president and senior fiduciary advisory specialist located in the Walnut Creek Wells Fargo Private Bank office. She is a State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Ms. Thomas works with clients to integrate fiduciary and investment knowledge into each client’s custom wealth plan. She coordinates with investment strategists to align investments with the client’s goals and values. Based on the particular situation, Ms. Thomas can coordinate a variety of Specialized Wealth Services in order to help grow and protect assets, while working toward the client’s overall wealth management goals. Prior to joining Wells Fargo, Ms. Thomas served for eight years as a senior associate attorney with Hartog, Baer and Hand APC, assisting clients to resolve conservatorship, trust and estate related disputes.

She earned her Juris Doctorate with distinction from Pacific McGeorge School of Law and was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2005, although currently not practicing. She received her Master of Laws (LL.M.) in taxation with honors from Golden Gate University in 2014.

NAZNIN BOMI CHALLA, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., is senior counsel with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., practicing in the Trust and Investment section. Prior to working at Wells Fargo, she was with the law firm of Evans, Latham and Campisi, practicing in probate/trust administration and trust litigation. Naznin received her J.D. and her L.L.M. in Taxation from Golden Gate University.

Naznin has co-authored various articles relating to trusts and estates law, including, “Heirs in the Freezer: Bronze Age Biology Confronts Biotechnology,” 36 ACTEC J. 179 (Summer 2010), California Trusts and Estate Quarterly, Vol. 23, Issue 2, 2017, “Reports of Their Death are Greatly Exaggerated: The Viability of No Contest Clauses Against Direct Contests Brought Without Probably Cause, and was co-editor of various updates to CEB’s “California Trust and Probate Litigation” practice guide.

CARLYN S. MCCAFFREY, McDermott Will & Emery, New York, focuses her practice on tax and estate planning for high net worth individuals. A partner in the firm, she is co-leader of the private client practice in the firm’s New York office. Ms. McCaffrey is a fellow and a past president of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC); a fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel; and a member of the International Academy of Trust and Estate Counsel, the New York State Bar Association’s Tax Section, and the Joint Editorial Board for Uniform Trust and Estate Act of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform Laws. In addition, she is a past member of the council of the Real Property, Trust, and Estate Law Section of the American Bar Association and the former chairperson of the section’s Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Committee. An adjunct professor of law at New York University School of Law and the Miami Law School, she serves on the advisory committee of the University of Miami’s Philip E. Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning and the board of directors of the ACTEC Foundation. Since 2006, Ms. McCaffrey has been listed in “Chambers USA” as a “Star” lawyer for business and wealth management and in each of the past 17 years in “The Best Lawyers in America” for trusts and estates. She lectures frequently and writes extensively on subjects relating to tax law, trusts and estates, foreign trusts, and matrimonial law. Ms. McCaffrey is the coauthor of “Structuring the Tax Consequences of Marriage and Divorce.”

NICOLE M. PEARL, McDermott Will & Emery, Los Angeles, advises clients on estate planning, wealth transfer planning, marital property agreements, business succession planning and post-death administration. Her clients include family offices, entrepreneurs and business owners, real property investors, private equity fund managers, and entertainment industry figures.

Nicole helps high-net-worth individuals pass wealth to the next generation, while minimizing their tax burden. To that end, she creates estate plans and charitable giving programs designed to meet her clients’ family succession and wealth management objectives. She also advises families in the creation and ongoing administration of their family offices, and works with business owners to maintain control of their companies through buy-sell agreements or to relinquish control via responsibly conducted transition of ownership to family members or employees.

Nicole primarily works with clients throughout Southern California, but also maintains a statewide practice that includes a strong Northern California client base.

CHARLES D. (“SKIP”) FOX IV, McGuire Woods, Charlottesville, VA, is a partner in the Charlottesville, Virginia office of the law firm of McGuire Woods LLP and head of its Private Wealth Services Industry Group. Prior to joining McGuire Woods in 2005, Skip practiced for 25 years with Schiff Hardin LLP in Chicago. Skip concentrates his practice in estate planning, estate administration, trust law, charitable organizations, and family business succession. He is a frequent lecturer across the country at seminars on trust and estate topics. Skip received his A.B. from Princeton, his M.A. from Yale, and his J.D. from the University of Virginia.

EMILY CAMASTRA, Swerdlow Florence Sanchez Swerdlow & Wimmer, Los Angeles, represents employers on a wide range of labor and employment law issues.  She defends employers in single-plaintiff, multi-plaintiff, and class-action lawsuits in federal courts, state courts, and private arbitrations regarding claims of wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wage-and-hour matters.  She also represents employers in administrative proceedings before the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, and the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.  Additionally, Ms. Camastra advises employers on a wide range of labor and employment matters, including, but not limited to, leaves of absence, reasonable accommodations, and terminations.  She conducts workplace investigations as well as trainings in preventing harassment and discrimination in the workplace.  Ms. Camastra drafts handbooks and other human resource policies to comply with federal, state, and local laws.  Ms. Camastra is a partner with Swerdlow, Florence, Sanchez, Swerdlow & Wimmer and is fluent in Spanish.

DAVID WIMMER, Swerdlow Florence Sanchez Swerdlow & Wimmer, Los Angeles, has extensive experience advising management on a wide range of labor and employment issues, including establishing effective human resource policies, maintaining a union-free workplace, and complying with federal, state, and local laws. Mr. Wimmer represents companies throughout the United States in labor-relations matters, such as union-avoidance strategies, election campaigns, collective bargaining, supervisory training, arbitrations, state and federal court litigation, and proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board.

Mr. Wimmer defends employers in single-plaintiff through class-action wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, and wage-and-hour matters, and in criminal investigations and prosecutions. He represents companies involved in state and federal court litigation, arbitration, and mediation matters, as well as administrative proceedings before the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, California Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board, Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, and United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Wimmer practiced labor and employment law with O’Melveny & Myers LLP in Los Angeles. He is rated A/V by Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for attorneys.

MARK POWELL, Holland & Knight, is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate law, California Board of Legal Specialization, and a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He practices in Holland & Knight’s Los Angeles and Oranges County offices. Mr. Powell’s practice includes estate planning and estate and gift taxation, with a strong emphasis on charitable planning and family philanthropy. In addition, he handles matters related to family governance and succession planning for clients wanting to provide benefits over multiple generations. Mr. Powell received his J.D., from Mercer University School of Law.

ANDREA KUSHNER is a Senior Vice President and Director of the Wealth Strategies Group and is located in Bernstein’s Los Angeles office. She is a Certified Specialist in both Taxation Law and Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, California Board of Legal Specialization. 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. 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.

STUART D. ZIMRING, The Law Offices of Stuart D. Zimring, Encino, was admitted to the Bar in 1972, and is admitted to practice in California and U.S. District Court, Central and Northern Districts of California and the U.S. Supreme Court. He received his B.A. degree in 1968 from UCLA and his J.D. degree in 1971 from the UCLA School of Law and is “AV” rated in Martindale-Hubbell. He is a member of the Los Angeles Superior Court Probate Volunteer Panel. Mr. Zimring is a Fellow of and Past President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), and a Charter Member of NAELA’s Council of Advanced Practitioners (CAP). He is a Fellow of the American College of Trusts and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), is certified as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California and is one of the 7 California members of the Special Needs Alliance.

He is a frequent speaker and writer on Elder Law, Special Needs Trusts and related issues throughout the country. He is co-author of “Tax, Estate and Financial Planning for the Elderly – California Guide” and “Fundamentals of Special Needs Trusts,” both published by Matthew Bender/Lexis-Nexis, as well as a member of Matthew Bender’s Elder Law Editorial Committee.