Withers Bergman Continues Major U.S.

Growth with
Addition of Nine Partners and Three New Offices in
California
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SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--International law firm Withers, operating as Withers
Bergman LLP in the
U.S., continues its dramatic U.S. expansion by welcoming nine partners
and a further 17 fee-earners in California and opening new offices in
San Diego, Los Angeles and Rancho Santa Fe in the process.

The majority of the new team joins the firm

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdpUJdRZPykvEU8xkJ1ZEOuTd8Eng_yv from the Private
Client
Services Group at McKenna Long Aldridge and consists of well-respected
and highly experienced trusts and estate planning, charitable giving and
trusts and estate litigation lawyers. Withers Bergman's California
practice is also enhanced by litigation partner Michael Brophy, who
joins from Russ August Kabat, and Counsel Christine Steiner, who joins
the firm from Sheppard Mullin Richter Hampton.
The extended California team joins Withers Bergman shortly after the
arrival of five corporate, litigation and IP partners from Kelley Drye
Warren LLP, who are based in Connecticut.

"Our new California team provides a huge boost to our U.S. capabilities
and, in addition to our recent East Coast hires, grows our American
partnership size by nearly a third," said Managing Director Margaret
Robertson. "Our San Francisco office opened at the start of 2014, and an
integrated technology, estate planning and real estate practice is
winning work across the north of the state. The new team allows us to
significantly extend our footprint across California, as well as
provides real weight and strength for our clients in, and with interests
in, the state."
"We are extremely fortunate to have this large group of esteemed lawyers
join our expanding West Coast team," adds Chairman Ivan Sacks. "Their
arrival, coming shortly after our exciting growth in
http://www.ultratrust.com/estate-planning-and-trusts.html Australia and
Singapore, further enhances our international strengths and our
strategic aim to be the world's leading firm for advising owners and
investors of private capital."
New California offices
The new team will be based across California, joining Withers Bergman's
San Francisco office, as well as establishing new offices in Los
Angeles, San Diego and Rancho Santa Fe, a high net worth community
located northeast of San Diego, and will join with nine further
non-legal professionals.
The Rancho Santa Fe partners are:
Fred Vandeveer, who focuses on estate planning for large
estates, complex probate and trust matters, charitable giving and
representing tax-exempt organizations.

Jeremy Crickard, who focuses on estate planning, including

family wealth and transfer tax planning, probate matters, business
succession planning and charitable planned giving.
Michelle Graham, who focuses on international estate planning
and tax planning strategies, as well as representing family businesses
in succession planning and structuring transactions.
Steve Chidester, who focuses on estate planning, trust and
estate administration, charitable giving and representing tax-exempt
organizations.

"Withers Bergman is a natural home for our team, with its focus on
working with all aspects of private capital," said Michelle Graham. "We
are very excited at the prospect of building on the firm's California
practice, which holds a huge amount of promise, considering the scale of
the private wealth held across the state."
The San Diego partners are:
Carol Kao, who focuses on family wealth transfers, estate and
gift tax planning, trust and probate administration and charitable
giving.
Jeremy Moffit, who focuses on trust, estate and
fiduciary-related litigation, including trust and probate
administrations, will and trust contests, accountings, fiduciary
representation, creditor's claims proceedings, conservatorships, and
elder abuse matters.
Carol and Jeremy will be joined by Of Counsel Mary Gillick, who
will lead the trust and estate litigation team and has particular

experience in complex, intra-family disputes, conservatorships, and

counseling and defending fiduciaries.
The Los Angeles partners are:
Elizabeth Bawden, who focuses on family wealth transfers,
estate and gift tax planning, charitable giving, family private
foundations, succession planning, trust and probate administration and
advising tax-exempt organizations.
Michael Brophy, who focuses on trust, estate, fiduciary and
succession litigation. Mike has worked closely with Elizabeth and Mary
in the past and also has broad experience in complex business
litigation, probate litigation, IP, entertainment and employment law.
Counsel Christine Steiner also joins the Los Angeles office and
will bolster Withers' Art Law practice through her experience of
advising on intellectual property, visual arts transactions and
general arts business matters.
In San Francisco, partner Diana Hastings focuses on
domestic and cross-border estate planning, estate and trust
administration and transfer and income tax strategies.
About Withers Bergman
Withers Bergman (known as Withersworldwide collectively with its
affiliated global entities) is an international law firm dedicated to
entrepreneurs, successful people and their businesses.
With over 150 partners and more than 450 other lawyers, we have
unparalleled expertise in commercial, tax, trusts, estate planning,
financial services, litigation and arbitration, real estate, charities,
employment, family law and other legal issues facing individuals and

their families. The firm has advised 42% of the top 100 UK Sunday Times
Rich List and over 20% of the top 100 US Forbes list, as well as
numerous families in Asia.
Withers Bergman has 16 offices worldwide in London, New York, New Haven,
Greenwich (Connecticut), San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Rancho
Santa Fe, the British Virgin Islands, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney,
Geneva, Zurich, Milan and Padua.
For more, visit www.withersworldwide.com
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150601006054/en/Withers-Bergman-Continues-Major-U.
S.-Growth-Addition
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