California has a new virtual representation statute! What does this mean for your trusts and estates practice? In this episode of Trust Me!, our guests, Kelly Cooksey of Loeb and Loeb in Los Angeles, and Anna Soliman of Sheppard Mullin in Los Angeles will review the nuts and bolts of the long-awaited virtual representation statute, which became effective on January 1st, 2026. Our host will be Jeff Loew, Managing Partner of Trust Law Partners and Education Chair for TEXCOM, the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the CA Lawyers Association.

Jeff Loew is the managing partner of Trust Law Partners LLP, with offices in Silicon Valley, Pasadena and Newport Beach. Jeff’s primary areas of practice include trust and estate litigation, fiduciary litigation, and financial elder abuse actions. Jeff is certified as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Jeff is the Chair of the Education Subcommittee for TEXCOM, the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association and is also a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). He is licensed to practice in California, Nevada, and Texas.

Kelly Cooksey focuses her practice on estate and gift tax planning for high net worth individuals, as well as probate and trust administration. Her experience includes drafting living trusts and gift trusts, handling complex trust administration and probate proceedings and coordinating tax-efficient wealth transfer strategies among numerous advisors. She regularly advises clients on the wide range of sophisticated issues arising in these transactions, including income, gift, estate and property tax issues, the modification of irrevocable trusts through methods such as trust decanting as well as charitable planning issues, particularly compliance with private foundation self-dealing rules.

Anna Soliman is special counsel in the Tax, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice Group in the firm's Los Angeles office.

Anna specializes in estate planning and trust administration for high-net-worth individuals. She has broad experience in drafting and preparing complex estate plans and business succession plans for high-net-worth individuals. She also assists clients in matters ranging from trust administration and probate to IRS audits. Anna was most recently the Chief Fiduciary Officer and Trust Counsel of a prominent trust company. Earlier in her career, Anna worked as an Estate and Gift Tax Attorney for the Internal Revenue Service, where she examined high profile tax returns.

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Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios
Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

In this episode, R. Sam Price and Tanis Kluever discuss how probate and trust loans secured by real property can solve liquidity problems while preserving the family home. The conversation focuses on practical, legally compliant strategies attorneys and fiduciaries can use to cover expenses, prevent forced sales, and protect estate and trust assets during administration.

Our Host: R. Sam Price

Sam is a California Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law and the managing attorney of Price Law Firm, APC, where he focuses on probate, trust administration, and estate planning. He is the author of The 6-Stage Probate Process and Impactful Estate Planning, and the host of the Probate Notes podcast, educating professionals on practical and effective probate solutions.

sam@pricelawfirm.com

https://pricelawfirm.com/

Special Guest: Tanis Kluever

Tanis is a probate and trust loan specialist with True Estate Loans, working closely with attorneys and professional fiduciaries to secure real property–backed financing during probate and trust administration. With extensive experience closing hundreds of estate and trust loans, she is known for her integrity, clear communication, and ability to solve complex liquidity challenges while protecting estate assets.

tanis@trueestateloans.com

https://trueestateloans.com/

Thank you for listening to Trust Me!

Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios
Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

In this episode, R. Sam Price and Tanis Kluever discuss how probate and trust loans secured by real property can solve liquidity problems while preserving the family home. The conversation focuses on practical, legally compliant strategies attorneys and fiduciaries can use to cover expenses, prevent forced sales, and protect estate and trust assets during administration.

R. Sam Price is a California Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law, and the managing attorney of Price Law Firm, APC, where he focuses on probate, trust administration, and estate planning. He is the author of The 6-Stage Probate Process and Impactful Estate Planning, and the host of the Probate Notes podcast, educating professionals on practical and effective probate solutions.

sam@pricelawfirm.com

https://pricelawfirm.com/

Tanis Kluever is a probate and trust loan specialist with True Estate Loans, working closely with attorneys and professional fiduciaries to secure real property–backed financing during probate and trust administration. With extensive experience closing hundreds of estate and trust loans, she is known for her integrity, clear communication, and ability to solve complex liquidity challenges while protecting estate assets.

tanis@trueestateloans.com

https://trueestateloans.com/

Thank you for listening to Trust Me!

Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios
Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

This episode, hosted by Anna Soliman, reviews the new petition process enacted under AB 2016 for a decedent’s primary residence valued up to $750,000. We will discuss the origin of the new law, the old rules, and the mechanics of the procedures.

About our guests, Judith Tang and Lisa B. Roper:

Judith Tang is the Co-Vice Chair of the Trusts and Estates Practice group at Fennemore.

Judith is a Director and the Co-Vice Chair of the Trusts and Estates Practice group at Fennemore. She has over 25 years of experience and a breadth of knowledge, providing comprehensive personalized estate planning and trust and estate administration services.

Lisa B. Roper is a partner in the Estate and Trust Litigation Group and the Trust Administration and Probate Group at Henderson, Caverly and Pum LLP, where she advises clients in estate and trust controversies, estate and trust administrations, guardianships, and conservatorships.

Lisa and Judith are members of the Executive Committee of the Trust and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association.

About Our Host:

Anna Soliman is Special Counsel in Sheppard Mullin’s Los Angeles office, where she specializes in estate planning and trust administration for high-net-worth individuals. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Trust and Estates Section of the California Lawyers Association.

Thank you for listening to Trust Me!

Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios
Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

Thank you for listening to Trust Me!

Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios
Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

Host: Ben Schwefel

Speaker: Anthony Lai

This episode explores how community property interests are identified, asserted, and litigated in post-death trust and estate administrations. We break down the legal framework, common pressure points, and practical strategies for navigating disputes when ownership and control are anything but clear.

Speaker Bio:

Anthony Lai is a Senior Associate at Feinberg Mindel Brandt & Klein LLP in Pasadena and a Certified Family Law Specialist who represents clients in high-conflict family law matters, focusing on complex litigation with empathetic, client-centered advocacy.

Anthony represents individuals in all areas of family law, including dissolution of marriage, custody and visitation, division of assets, spousal and child support, and pre- and post-marital agreements. He serves as lead counsel in long-cause matters and trials, particularly those involving contested domestic violence restraining orders, fiduciary breach claims, and move-away hearings.

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Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios
Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

What happens when beneficiaries disagree about the family home or other inherited real estate? In this episode, guest, James Ulwelling and host, Ben Schwefel, will discuss partition actions, co-ownership conflicts, lis pendens (notice of pendency of action), and practical strategies for resolving real property disputes that arise in trust and estate administrations.

About our guest:

James Ulwelling practices in the areas of real estate litigation, real estate transactions, community association (HOA) law, business law and general civil litigation. James has served as lead trial counsel in numerous lawsuits and arbitrations over the years, where he has exhibited skills in courtroom strategy, critical analysis and sophisticated advocacy. James, who has over 25 years of legal experience, is a former partner at Morris Polich and Purdy, LLP (now Clark Hill PLC) and Ulwelling | Siddiqui LLP.

James is actively engaged with professional groups serving the real estate, community association and business communities. He is a member of the Real Property Section of the State Bar of California and the Community Associations Institute. He is a featured speaker for groups such as the Community Associations Institute, Chapman University School of Law, the Orange County Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the Employer Advisory Council of Orange County, and numerous commercial and residential real estate brokerages. He has served on the Publications Committee and Mediation Committee for the Community Associations Institute. James has been published in periodicals and trade journals such as California Law Business, The Law Journal and OC View.

Thank you for listening to Trust Me!

Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios
Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek

In this episode, guests Jonathan Blattmachr and Martin Shenkman share their thoughts on key OBBBA provisions and the Act’s impact on estate and tax planning with host Kristin Yokomoto. Planning considerations include use of non-grantor trusts for charitable planning, basis-focused income tax planning, and more. They will also discuss the benefits of reviewing existing SLATs and other irrevocable trusts, as well as the importance of preparing customized estate plans that address family dynamics to minimize the chances of litigation.

Host: Kristin Yokomoto

Guests: Jonathan G. Blattmachr and Martin M. Shenkman

Jonathan G. Blattmachr is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of Interactive Legal, and Co-Author of Wealth Transfer Planning™. He is a principal in ILS Management, LLC and a retired member of Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP in New York, NY and of the Alaska, California and New York Bars. He has written and lectured extensively on estate and trust taxation and charitable giving. Jonathan graduated from Columbia University School of Law cum laude, where he was recognized as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and received his A.B. degree from Bucknell University, majoring in mathematics. He has served as a lecturer-in-law of the Columbia University School of Law and is an Adjunct Professor of Law at New York University Law School in its Masters in Tax Program (LLM). He is a former chairperson of the Trusts & Estates Law Section of the New York State Bar Association and of several committees of the American Bar Association. Jonathan is a Fellow and a former Regent of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and past chair of its Estate and Gift Tax Committee. He is author or co-author of eight books and more than 500 articles on estate planning and tax topics.

Martin M. Shenkman, CPA, MBA, PFS, AEP (distinguished), JD, is an attorney in private practice in Fort Lee, New Jersey and New York City. He is the founder of Shenkman Law, a boutique firm focused on the legal needs of high-net-worth individuals, professionals, close business owners, and real estate owners and developers. Martin’s practice includes estate and tax planning, planning for closely held businesses, and estate administration. He is the author of 42 books and more than 1,000 articles. Martin is an Editorial Board Member of Trusts & Estates Magazine, CCH (Wolter’s Kluwer), and the Matrimonial Strategist. He has previously served on the editorial board of many other tax, estate and real estate publications. Martin earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Wharton School with concentrations in accounting and economics, MBA from the University of Michigan with concentrations in tax and finance, and law degree from Fordham University School of Law. He is admitted to the bar in New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. and is a licensed CPA in New Jersey, Michigan, and New York.

Click here to listen to Interactive Legal’s 4-Part webinar series on OBBBA - https://interactivelegal.com/big-beautiful-bill/

Thank you for listening to Trust Me!

Trust Me is Produced by Foley Marra Studios
Edited by Cat Hammons and Todd Gajdusek