Toni Ann Kruse will present „Fundamentals of Federal Transfer Taxes“ at the ABA Real Property, Trust and Estate Section’s 2017 Fundamentals of the Modern Estate Planning Practice Series. Topics will include:

• What is a taxable gift?
• Annual exclusion
• Medical and Tuition exemption
• The lifetime gifting exemption
• Crummey Powers
• What is included in the taxable estate?
• Retained interests
• The estate tax exemption
• The marital deduction
• Charitable deductions
• Other deductions
• The impact of state estate tax
• Qualified disclaimers
• Portability
• The impact of community property on the gift and estate tax
• Gift tax returns
• Estate tax return

Michael Rosen-Prinz will present „Pick Your Poison: Important Choices for Nonresident Aliens Investing in California Real Property“ at the STEP San Diego meeting. This presentation discusses some of the common structures used by nonresident aliens to invest in California and other US real estate.

Robert (Bob) J. Cordy will participate in MCLE’s 3rd Annual Appellate Practice Conference 2017. The Supreme Judicial Court and the Supreme Court of the United States former Justices and the current Clerks of the Supreme Judicial Court and Appeals Court as well as a panel of appellate experts will discuss how to advance cases to the highest courts and how to make cases move the law forward.

Agenda Will Include:

• Differences Between Practicing in Intermediate Appellate and Highest Courts
• How to Write Successful Applications for Direct and Further Appellate Review
• Updates on Massachusetts Appellate Procedure
• Building a High-impact Litigation Case from the Ground Up
• When to Seek and How to Best Utilize Amicus Support
• How to Avoid Procedural Pitfalls while Litigating at SCOTUS
• Tips for Writing Petitions for Certiorari
• Best Argument Practices for High-impact Appellate Litigation

Andrea L. Hamilton, Gregory E. Heltzer and Mary Strimel will be panelist for „Everywhere and Everything Series: Merger Control Compliance“ as a part of the American Bar Association Section of Antitrust Law, Compliance and Ethics Committee program.

Andrew C. Liazos will present „Mergers and Acquisitions Webinar Series Part 2: The Due Diligence Process“ for the CLE Program as part of the ABA Joint Committee on Employee Benefits and the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel.

A. Marisa Chun delivered the welcoming remarks at the Public Policy Institute of California’s (PPIC) program, “A Conversation with California Attorney General Xavier Becerra,” on behalf of PPIC’s Board of Directors. The event was part of PPIC’s 2017 Speaker Series on California’s Future. PPIC is a non-profit, non-partisan institute dedicated to informing and improving public policy in California through independent, objective research on major economic, social, and political issues. The institute’s goals are to raise public awareness and to help elected representatives and other decision-makers make more informed choices when developing policies and program. Marisa has served as outside counsel to PPIC.

Elise J. McGee will present „Private Trust Companies“ at the 2017 AICPA Engage Conference.

Topics will include:

• Financial accounting and reporting
• Assurance
• IT management and assurance
• Firm practice management
• Income taxation
• Personal financial planning

Adam Sherman presented on the topic of „Advanced GST: Five Not-So-Easy Pieces.“

L. Timothy Halleron presented „Private Trust Companies.“

Sarah Chapin Columbia will present „The Most Important Intellectual Property Developments in the US and How They Impact Your Business“ as part of the lecture series organized by MIPLC and MPI. This lecture will cover recent developments in US administrative and judicial precedent, together with a discussion on possible practical impacts of these developments, including and how those developments are impacting the US intellectual property system.