Hill Farrer - Litigation, transactions, employement

Have assisted numerous individuals and families in creating estate plans to meet their specific needs in an economic and efficient matter.

Successfully represented numerous individual and institutional trustees and personal representatives in the administration of trust and probate estates. 

Successfully protected the interests of numerous individual and charitable beneficiaries in the administration of trust and probate estates. 

Successfully represented Trustees in contesting bequests to caregivers procured through undue influence and fraud.

Successfully obtained favorable settlement on behalf of the trustee of a $10 million plus trust estate in recovering property of the decedent wrongfully taken.

Successfully obtained probate court approval of trust accountings covering a 12 year period and successfully defended Trustee against breach of fiduciary duty allegations made by remainder beneficiaries.

Obtained favorable monetary settlement on behalf of a beneficiary of an estate in a will contest matter.

Upon the death of Client’s mother, engaged to provide advice regarding the post-mortem trust administration of parents living trust and minimization of federal estate tax liability in excess of $2,000,000 anticipated to be incurred upon death of father.  Result:  Federal estate taxes paid upon father’s death the following year:  $59,431.

Estate of Bowles v. Cavalli 169 Cal.App.4th 684 (2008):  Represented the former trustee of a trust in a case involving the standing of a beneficiary to bring suit on behalf of the trust against the former trustee.

Obtained favorable settlement on behalf of family members in litigation against beneficiaries of a decedent's trust to modify the frust to include family members unintentionally omitted.

After auditing client’s income tax return filed for 2005, Franchise Tax Board assessed an “accuracy related penalty” and interest in excess of $40,000.  Represented Client in protest of imposition of this penalty.  Result:  Penalty fully abated.

Represented purchaser of the stock of a corporation that operates a foreign-language school.

Negotiated on behalf of the purchaser a stock purchase agreement for the purchase of a foreign language academy.

City of Los Angeles v. Venice Peninsula Properties 31 Cal.3d 288 (1982):  Represented owner of real property in defense of claims by the City of Los Angeles and the State of California to the effect that the property was subject to a public trust easement for navigation, commerce and fisheries.

Negotiated and documented the sale of all of the stock in a waterworks company to employees of the company.

Engaged to provide advice regarding transfer of majority interest in closely held business to children of founder.  Net value of client’s estate in excess of $15,000,000.  Owners of business include Client, client’s first wife, client’s second (current) wife, four adult children, two of whom are actively involved in the conduct of the business, and a number of unrelated (non-family) owners.  Result:  Implementation of combination of estate tax planning strategies anticipated to result in:  (a) stream of income to Client for life, (b) reduction of estate taxes payable upon Client’s death from in excess of $5,675,000 to under $350,000 if death occurs prior to July 2, 2013 or under $42,500 if death occurs after July 1, 2013, (c) deferral of up to $2,260,000 in estate taxes until death of current spouse which children will be able to pay with proceeds of life insurance on her death and (d) assurance that Client’s interests in business will pass to four children upon his death and the death of his current wife.

Represented Executor of Estate in successful trial in which she recovered real property and monetary damages for the Estate, which had been taken from the Decedent through the use of undue influence

Have represented, assisted and advised individuals, institutional fiduciaries, and private professional fiduciaries in conservatorship proceedings. 

Successfully represented family members in conservatorship proceedings and successfully recovering property wrongfully taken from conservatee.

Obtained favorable settlement in conservatorship dispute among family members.

Have made numerous submissions to the IRS under the "Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System"