FIRM PROFILE
Our Mission
Our goal is to assist our clients in designing personalized plans that reflect their own unique situation, while putting our knowledge and experience to work for their benefit. The result of our plan is an estate plan that works. We wish to make the process as painless and informative as we can.
Background
Mr. Myers helps individuals and families who need a reliable relationship with a caring lawyer - an experienced lawyer who will assist them in times of greatest personal opportunity, life event, or crisis. Mr. Myers will review your family's wealth structure, asset protection concerns, tax planning opportunities, business transactions and planning and assist you and your other advisors in formulating and implementing a strategy based on your unique challenges and objectives.
He is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization and was named a "Northern California Superlawyer" for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.
He writes and teaches in the areas of estate planning (as faculty at Golden Gate University), family business entities and planning, and has authored and published treatises, books and articles, regularly speaking throughout the country on topics of interest to wealthy families and their advisors, as well as at conventions of professionals.
Mr. Myers received his bachelor's degree in 1981 from The American University in Washington, D.C. and his law degree in 1984 from Hastings College of Law. He returned to Hastings as a lecturer and part-time instructor from 1988-1990. He is an adjunct faculty member at Golden Gate University (SF campus) and The Wealth Strategies Institute at Michigan State University (E.Lansing), where he teaches stock options planning. He regularly teaches for the National Business Institute, the Southern California Institute and various local and national professional groups.
Mr. Myers practiced antitrust and securities law with the San Francisco office of Pillsbury Madison & Sutro from 1987 through 1992 before starting his own firm. He has served on the boards of a number of local charitable and philanthropic organizations and has received a number of awards for his efforts, including the 2004-2007 Northern California Super Lawyer designation from San Francisco Magazine, the 2005-2006 Robb Report/Worth Magazine "Top 100 Lawyers" in the U.S., the Wiley W. Manuel Award in 1990-91 and 1991-92 (State Bar of California Board of Governors' Award for provision of legal services to the poor) and Outstanding Attorney in Public Service Award, 1991 (BASF Volunteer Legal Services Program).
Kevin Urbatsch is a principal of the boutique estate planning law firm, Myers Urbatsch P.C. located in San Francisco, California. Kevin is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. In May 2011, Kevin won the NAELA’s Presidential Recognition Award for his work in special needs planning. In 2010 and 2011, Kevin was named a Northern California Superlawyer. In 2009, Kevin was named KRON-TV’s Best of the Bay estate planning attorney for San Francisco and for Northern California.
Kevin has served as an expert witness in two matters:
· In a United Kingdom personal injury lawsuit regarding California’s treatment of settlement proceeds for individuals with disabilities on public benefits.
· In an Alameda County elder abuse lawsuit regarding options available to protect eligibility for needs-based public benefits when an elder assets were distributed to relatives contrary to terms of trust. Case was Ida McQueen v. Earline Drumgoole et al. County of Alameda (later appealed at 191 Cal.App.4th 1162 (2011)).
Kevin is the co-author of the Fourth Edition of Nolo Press’ book titled Special Needs Trusts: Protecting Your Child’s Financial Future published in 2011. He is also the Contributing-Editor and partial author of CEB’s award winning publication titled Special Needs Trusts – Planning, Drafting, and Administration which is the nation’s leading publication for attorneys on planning for persons with disabilities.
Kevin is the Co-Executive Editor of the NAELA Journal. The Journal is a compilation of scholarly articles concerning elder law and special needs law read by the over 4,000 member NAELA organization.
From 2006 to 2009, Kevin was an Attorney-Editor for CEB (the Continuing Education of the Bar) in its estate planning group. He was responsible for the quality of California’s legal reference guides to other California estate planning attorneys. He was the Attorney-Editor for several CEB titles including: California Powers of Attorney and Health Care Directives; California Guardianship Practice; Handling a Probate; Capacity and Undue Influence: Assessing, Challenging, and Defending; and Transferring Property through Probate.
Kevin is a charter member of the Academy of Special Needs Planners; a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA); the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR); WealthCounsel, the Bar Association of San Francisco, Probate & Trust Section; and the State Bar of California, Trust and Estate Section.
Kevin is also a member of the following trial lawyers associations:
- American Association of Justice
- Consumer Attorneys of California
- San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association
- Alameda/Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association
Kevin is the attorney for the California Charities Pooled Special Needs Trust. The California Pooled Special Needs Trust serves as a legally authorized 42 USC §1396p(d)(4)(C) trust and is able to hold a person with a disabilities assets and preserve eligibility for needs based public benefits like SSI and Medi-Cal.
Kevin was a Board Member for the Independent Living Resource Center of San Francisco (ILRCSF). The ILRCSF is a disability rights advocacy and support organization. Its mission is to ensure that people with disabilities are full social and economic partners, within their families and within a fully accessible community.
Kevin has been a member of the California Bar since 1993. He received his law degree from St. Louis University in 1993 and his undergraduate degree from Truman State University in 1988. He began his California law practice as a litigator where he specialized in a variety of matters, including but not limited to elder financial abuse, American with Disabilities Act public access cases, and trust and estate litigation. He has participated in several trials as lead counsel, numerous arbitrations, mediations and other formal dispute resolution forums. He also represented a plaintiff in overturning a Northern District of California opinion in the Ninth Circuit case Graham v. USA 96 F.3d 446 (1996).
For a list of Mr. Urbatsch’s articles go here
For a list of Mr. Urbatsch’s presentations go here
Mr. Urbatsch has been a member of the California Bar since 1993. He received his Law Degree from St. Louis University in 1993 and his undergraduate degree from Truman State University in 1988. He began his California law practice as a litigator where he specialized in a variety of matters, including but not limited to elder financial abuse, American with Disabilities Act public access cases, and trust and estate litigation. He has participated in several trials as lead counsel, numerous arbitrations, mediations and other formal dispute resolution forums.
Kevin Urbatsch named 2009 - Best of the Bay - San Francisco Estate Planning Attorney by KRON 4TV
See the Best of the Bay Video here.
Sean R. Kenney obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Vermont in Philosophy and Economics. He attended Golden Gate University’s School of Law, where he received a specialization certificate in taxation with distinction. He was awarded the Faculty Award in Taxation, which is presented to one student in each graduating class. Mr. Kenney received the Witkin Award in Constitutional Law II and served on the Moot Court Board. Additionally, he had the opportunity to extern for the Honorable Martin J. Jenkins, District Judge for the Northern District of California. Mr. Kenney was named a Northern California Rising Star Attorney in 2009, in the practice area of taxation. He also has written treatises appearing in the Continuing Education of the Bar (“CEB”) on business succession planning. He currently serves on the Executive Board for the California Bar’s Young Tax Lawyers Section, and is also a member of the Trusts/Estates and Taxation sections of the California Bar Association.
Mr. Kenney advises individuals and families on all aspects of estate and business planning, and realizes the uniqueness of every client’s situation. He believes the distinct structure of every family calls for personalized solutions, and takes pride in getting the best possible results for each and every client’s unique circumstances. Mr. Kenney has a specialized practice in tax controversy, on both the state and federal levels. He has successfully handled estate and income tax audits, achieving excellent results for his clients. He is currently admitted to practice in front of the United States Tax Court.
Articles:
Co-Author, CEB Treatise, “Family Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies” (Regents of the University of California, publication date expected Summer 2010)
Co-Author, CEB Treatise, “Decedent’s Business Interests”, California Decedent Estate Practice (Regents of the University of California)
Co-author, Estate Planning Strategies: Collective Wisdom, Proven Techniques (WealthCounsel® 2009) (Chapter on Intra-Family Loans)
Matthew R. Mraule received his J.D. from Pepperdine University in 2007 and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management in 2005. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Viticulture and Enology from University of California at Davis in 2002. He is currently pursuing an LL.M. in Taxation Law at Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
Prior to obtaining his license to practice, Matt was a clerk for the Honorable Nat A. Agliano, previously the Presiding Judge of the California Court of Appeals, Sixth District. During his studies at Pepperdine, Matt was a clerk with the District Attorney’s Office, County of Los Angeles in a felony trials unit and assisted in the formation of L.A. County’s Victims’ Restitution Department.
After acquiring his license, Matt started a solo-practice in his hometown of Salinas, California where he practiced primarily civil litigation. He relocated to the East Bay in 2010 with his wife, Sarah, and now lives in Pleasant Hill.
Mercy L. Hall represents clients in special needs trust, conservatorship, trust administration, probate, and estate planning matters. She enjoys being able to help clients through legal processes that are often challenging. A Bay Area native, Mercy graduated summa cum laude from Integral Program at St. Mary’s College in Moraga and earned her J.D. from U.C. Hastings School of Law in San Francisco. She is currently pursuing her LL.M. in tax at Golden Gate University. Mercy is a member of the Bar Association of San Francisco, the Marin County Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. In her spare time, Mercy enjoys volunteering with local non-profit organizations including Meals of Marin, The Hemophilia Foundation of Northern California, and her son’s Boy Scout troop.
Stefanie West is an estate planning attorney in the East Bay, and lives with her husband, Jim, in Lafayette.
Stefanie received both her B.A., summa cum laude, and her law degree from the University of California at Berkeley. Stefanie spent her last year of law school studying at Harvard Law School, and graduated at the top of her class.
Stefanie’s practice is exclusively estate planning (Wills, Trust, Medi-Cal planning). Before focusing on estate planning full-time, she served as the Director of Gift Planning for Berkeley’s Law School, where she advised the school’s most prominent donors on their trust and estate gifts.
In her spare time, Stefanie serves as one of the Commissioners on the City of Lafayette Senior Services Commission. She also volunteers with Junior Achievement as a second grade teacher at Parkmead Elementary School in Walnut Creek. Stefanie enjoys teaching financial literacy to elementary and middle school students. She also is a frequent speaker at parent groups, where she discusses ways parents can teach their children the basics about money.
