Customized Strategies. Separate Accounts.
SFE Investment Counsel Takes Money Management Personally

When was the last time you met with the investment professionals who actually manage your money? If your advisor has you invested in mutual funds or ETFs, you most likely never have – and neither has he.

“The investment landscape has become somewhat impersonal for many investors,” says Ed Ternan, Vice President of Marketing at SFE Investment Counsel. “Financial advisors provide planning and asset allocation, but the real investment decisions are made 
by others somewhere on the East Coast.”

Things are different at SFE Investment Counsel, according to company President Jon Kmett.

“We take a very personal interest in understanding our clients’ objectives and customizing a portfolio to meet their goals. Because we only offer separate accounts, your money is not pooled with that of other clients, and we can execute a unique investment strategy based on your specific circumstances.”

SFE clients also enjoy ready access to and direct relationships with the Chartered Financial Analysts who manage client portfolios. Chief Investment Officer Charlie Bohlen, CFA, enjoys the collaboration. “We learn a great deal from our clients through the process of developing investment policies and interacting over the course of the relationship. It certainly helps me, as a portfolio manager, to know the client directly.”

Formal Investment Process
Founded in 1977, SFE has developed a formal, disciplined investment process that has served its clients well. “We assemble portfolios of 20-30 equities each that are tailored to meet appropriate risk levels for each client,” says Jim Moylan, CFA, Portfolio Manager at SFE. “We feel this provides enough diversification, yet the concentration allows our value-based stock selection and portfolio management expertise to have a positive impact on portfolios over time.”

SFE maintains a “buy list” of approximately 80 companies from which equity portfolios are built. These stocks are carefully selected by the firm’s investment committee, a group of eight SEC-registered investment advisors with over 150 years’ combined experience in the financial services industry. Once a new portfolio is constructed, it “goes into the rotation.” Bohlen explains, “The Investment Committee meets twice weekly to discuss macro issues and review client portfolios. Through this process, each client account is reviewed by a portfolio manager and the entire committee every six weeks, at a minimum.”

Earl Fisher, SFE’s Founder and Chairman, reemphasizes the “personal touch” his firm offers to the investor. “I suppose it seems old-fashioned these days, but we don’t rely on black boxes or algorithms to make investment decisions.” Rather, he says, “we use our brains and our experience to help our clients meet their financial goals.”

Ternan agrees. “Investing doesn’t have to be complicated, and our clients are certainly capable of doing it themselves. But they entrust us with this important role so they can focus on their own careers and families.” In that sense, he says, “it is truly a lifelong partnership.”

801 South Figueroa Street, Suite 2100 | Los Angeles, CA 90017 213.612.0220
Toll Free: 800.445.6320 | www.sfeic.com

Character. Communication. Commitment.
Core Values Guide Every Decision, Every Recommendation at the 
Valdez Wealth Management Group of UBS

There are any number of financial services firms that provide wealth management and investment services. Many that offer retirement planning, estate planning and even long-term care planning.

What sets Valdez Wealth Management Group apart is not its extensive menu of client services, as impressive as it is, or even its exceptional team of financial professionals. Rather, it is the group’s unwavering dedication to Character, Communication and Commitment. “These core values guide our every decision, our every action and our every recommendation,” says Louie A. Valdez, Senior Vice President – Wealth Management at UBS Financial Services, Inc.

Valdez Wealth Management has been serving the Southern California community for over 20 years, helping a wide range of clients achieve their short- and long-term financial objectives. “Our clients know they can count on us to provide the insights and advice they need to build, preserve and transfer their assets in a manner consistent with their goals, needs and risk tolerance,” Valdez says.

Clients benefit from the collective knowledge and talent of advisors experienced in investing, estate planning, intergenerational planning, long-term care planning and many other areas, with access to the resources of UBS, one of the largest and most respected financial firms in the world.

The group works hard to address any needs and concerns the client may have; a growing number of people are requesting help with long-term care planning. “Are you going to need it and, if so, for how long – that’s the great unknown,” says Valdez. “If one member of a couple were to have a stroke, for example, and have to move into a nursing home, that could deplete their resources very quickly.

“At Valdez Wealth Management, we never forget our clients are the most important part of our practice. We care what they think, and we’re always looking for ways to serve them better. We believe each one deserves the highest level of responsive, professional service and the ability to talk to any team member about all inquiries and concerns.”

Valdez Wealth Management
UBS Financial Services Inc.
3011 Townsgate Road, Ste. 300
Westlake Village, CA 91361
805-367-3666
 | www.ubs.com/team/valdezgroup

Important information about advisory & brokerage services:
It is important you understand the ways in which UBS Financial Services Inc. (UBS) conducts business and the applicable laws and regulations that govern the firm. As a firm providing wealth management services to clients, UBS is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as an investment adviser and a broker-dealer, offering both investment advisory and brokerage services. Though there are similarities among these services, the investment advisory programs and brokerage accounts UBS offers are separate and distinct, differ in material ways and are governed by different laws and separate contracts.
It is important you carefully read the agreements and disclosures UBS provides to you about the products or services offered. While UBS strives to ensure that these materials clearly describe the nature of the services provided, please do not hesitate to contact your Financial Advisor team if you would like clarification on the nature of your accounts or services you receive from us. For more information, please visit our website at ubs.com/workingwithus.
Insurance products are made available by UBS Financial Services Insurance Agency Inc. and by other insurance licensed subsidiaries of UBS Financial Services Inc. through third-party insurance companies unaffiliated with UBS Financial Services Inc.
UBS Financial Services Inc., its affiliates, and its employees are not in the business of providing tax or legal advice. Clients should seek advice based on their particular circumstances from an independent tax advisors.
The premiums initially listed on long-term care policies are not guaranteed and may change over the lifetime of the policy.
©UBS 2013. The key symbol and UBS are among the registered and unregistered trademarks of UBS. All rights reserved. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG. Member SIPC. 0313174 Exp3/26/15

Celebrating 20 Years of Wealth Management

Marking its 20th year in business, Southern California’s Diversified Investment Services has much to celebrate. In that time, the wealth management firm has grown to 15 employees – including five advisors – and now has in excess of $600 million under management.

Diversified Investment Services was established in 1993 to provide clients with the best possible array of wealth management strategies combined with superior personal service. The firm’s advisors are comprehensive wealth managers, focusing on everything from coordinating and managing clients’ retirement income to estate planning.

JOSEPH W. CONWAY, AIF®, a founding partner, is a Registered Securities Principal and the President of Diversified Investment Services, Inc. Since 1982, Mr. Conway has been assisting clients with the planning and implementation of their financial and investment plans. His registrations include FINRA Series 7 (General Securities Representative), Series 63 (Uniform Securities Agent State Law), and Series 24 (Registered Securities Principal) through Commonwealth Financial Network®. As part of his commitment to providing the utmost service to clients, he earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® professional designation in 2010.

Success Tied to Philosophy
“I approach each client individually, focusing on their specific needs and ensuring that both their short-term and long-term goals are taken into consideration before making any recommendation. As your wealth manager, it is my top priority to ensure you are comfortable with all aspects of your financial program and that I am available to answer any questions you may have. Many times clients are overwhelmed with trying to invest for their children’s education, save for retirement, deal with inherited wealth, and other unexpected life changes. I work closely with each client, striving to make these decisions seem less like burdens and more like achievable goals.”

Approach Stresses Listening
Building long-term relationships is a top priority at Diversified Investment Services. The firm’s advisors start the journey by taking the time to listen to and understand each of their clients personally. Together, they carefully chart a course to pursue financial success. They believe in using prudent investment strategies and are dedicated to guiding and sustaining their clients’ financial direction.

This approach allows Diversified Investment Services to forge a strong partnership with clients and assist them as they strive to turn their dreams into reality.

180 N. Riverview Dr., Suite 220 Anaheim Hills, CA 92808
800-660-8141

jconway@disinc.net
 | www.disinc.net

The financial professionals of Diversified Investment Services are Registered Representatives and Investment Adviser Representatives with/and offer securities and advisory services through Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser.

Straight Talk, Mutual Respect

Spend a few minutes talking to Christian Maeder about his wealth management practice, and a recurring theme quickly emerges.

“We talk straight to our clients,” says the president of Maeder Wealth Group.

Whether the client, or prospective client, is a recent widow inexperienced in the ways of the financial world, a physician tempted by a get-rich-quick scheme, or a retired aerospace engineer overinvested in company stock, Maeder doesn’t hesitate to express his opinion, even if it’s one the client may not wish to hear.

“Sometimes even really smart people make financial decisions that are not in their best interests, and you have to educate them,” he says.

Above and Beyond
Based in Torrance, Calif., Maeder is an independent, full service financial advisor offering estate planning, retirement planning, wealth management, asset protection and much more.

“Do you need help incorporating a new business? Maeder can refer you to an attorney or a CPA. Or help buying a new car? We want to be the ones you call,” Maeder says.

Clients enjoy the highest level of responsive personal service, with access to the resources of Raymond James, one of the world’s largest and most respected independent financial services companies. All portfolios are custom designed according to the client’s risk tolerance and goals.

In addition to serving the needs of many medical professionals, aerospace industry retirees and other high-net-worth clients, Maeder works with professional fiduciary trustees and executors, bringing to bear his background in trusts and estates to protect the financial interests of individuals who cannot look out for themselves.

“A lot of investors nod their head while they’re talking to their broker, and then walk out the door not knowing what they’ve got,” he says. “But we feel it’s important our clients understand exactly what they own.”

Maeder and his team take the time to listen to clients’ questions, address any concerns and explain complicated financial concepts in clear, understandable language. And all fees are described up front.

“If someone comes to us for a second opinion, and we think their existing portfolio is fine as it is, we’ll tell them,” Maeder says. “If a client wants to do something we think is unwise, we’ll tell them that as well. We have the highest regard for our clients, but we don’t put them on a pedestal or kowtow to them. And they respect us for it.”

2780 Skypark Drive, Suite 230 | Torrance, CA 90505 | 424.247.7350
Christian.Maeder@RaymondJames.com | maederwealthgroup.com
Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC.

Why Women Miss Out on Creating Passive Income
‘Millionaire Maker’ Loral Langemeier Says Women Investors Must Be More Aggressive

Loral Langemeier has two words for successful businesswomen looking for financial freedom: Man up! Langemeier, known as the “Millionaire Maker” and founder of the coaching and seminar company Live Out Loud, says even high-achieving women entrepreneurs miss opportunities to create passive income streams for themselves because their investing style is different than that of their male counterparts.

“Women are starting more small businesses than men, but even savvy women who have built successful enterprises tend to reinvest excess cash back into their own business or use it to make purchases for their homes and families,” says Langemeier. “Men, on the other hand, are more likely to be aggressive investors. And right now, in this business cycle, those who take advantage of opportunities stand to make significant gains.”

Unlocking the secrets to making cash and making cash work is second nature to Langemeier. Growing up on a family farm, she started her first business while in high school, despite having no financial skills. But she quickly learned. Retraining herself to believe that “money comes easily and frequently,” she amassed a multimillion-dollar portfolio of properties, businesses, energy investments and notes by the time she was 34.

Ten years ago she founded Live Out Loud so she could share her insights with others and, perhaps more importantly, help them remove the roadblocks they have placed between themselves and financial opportunities. Langemeier and the staff of Live Out Loud have served tens of thousands of individuals worldwide and created thousands of millionaires. Through one-on-one coaching, workshops, courses, and a wide range of books and DVDs, Langemeier’s advice is both intense and practical. She lavishes individuals with a combination of innovative business solutions that spur cash creation and profoundly personal advice that unlocks energy and sparks enthusiasm.

What is Langemeier’s advice for women investors now? “This is the greatest economy we’ve ever had for building wealth. The high rate of business foreclosures, devalued real estate and low interest rates make assets cheap to acquire. If your current business is making money, put the cash to work by buying and flipping distressed properties and companies,” she says. “But this climate won’t last long. Escalating interest rates and inflation are inevitable. If you have liquid assets now, why aren’t you playing?”

Live Out Loud
888.262.2402 | www.liveoutloud.com | info@liveoutloud.com

Delivering More With Less in Federal IT

Even as our elected leaders go through much hand-wringing on how to reduce the federal budget deficit, a handful of small companies such as Harmonia Holdings Group, LLC, an information technology company with offices in Virginia and California, is laser-focused on helping to facilitate this by helping to cut government spending on IT.

“There is potential to wring out significant levels of inefficiency in the delivery of IT services in the federal sector,” says Jai Saboo, COO for Harmonia. “For years, the IT budgets in almost every federal agency have spiraled upwards but today, as technologies have evolved and matured, the ability to do more with less has never been better.”

Harmonia has a simple game plan. It uses grant money from the federal Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program to seed the development of technology tools and solutions using low-cost, high-tech resources in university towns such as Blacksburg and Charlottesville. These tools in turn help the company deliver IT services to federal agencies faster and more cost-effectively. The company achieves a high “commercialization index,” a peer ranking of its success in translating SBIR funds into additional revenue.

Harmonia works directly with federal agencies and as a trusted subcontractor to large prime contractors. “Large primes work with Harmonia because the company provides differentiated tools and solutions that cut costs on federal contracts. And partnering with primes is a win for Harmonia too. We learn from them, which in turn helps us develop more targeted and innovative tools and solutions,” says Pallabi Saboo, co-founder and CEO of Harmonia, an electrical engineer with an MS in Marketing from Virginia Tech.

Examples of solutions by Harmonia include:

• NextGen Cash, a cost-effective next-generation cashless payment system aboard U.S. Navy ships.
• The LiquidAppsTM toolkit/methodology, which streamlines software development lifecycle aspects, especially across multiple devices such as tablets, smartphones, etc.
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning-based aids, to enable faster decision making for military planning and command/control.
• Conforma™, which introduces automation into independent verification and validation.
• RapidStat™ to empower Microsoft Excel users to design advanced and Big Data analytics.

Harmonia was co-founded by Dr. Marc Abrams, the company CTO, whose past experiences include a stint as a Stanford University post-doc. He says, “Harmonia is focused on how emerging and cutting-edge technologies can be used to build tools and solutions to improve IT productivity.” The technology strength of the company was propelled to a debt-free and profitable business model when Ms. Saboo joined in 2005 and took the company through a capital restructuring. The result has been an uninterrupted appearance over the last four years on Inc. magazine’s list of the 5000 fastest-growing privately held companies in the U.S.

Today, the company works across a broad base of federal departments and agencies including Defense, Transportation, Energy, Commerce, Agriculture, Health and Homeland Security. It is widely respected for its responsiveness to clients’ needs and the high quality of its work.

Harmonia Holdings Group, LLC
540.951.5915 | www.harmonia.com

Success in Suits and Soil

What is Combined Effort?
Cher:  Combined Effort is a California-based, self-performing, licensed and bonded, state and federal contractor specializing in heavy civil construction, site restoration and environmental remediation. Every employee is dedicated to performance quality: Our employees in suits have as much know ledge about clients’ needs as those in hard hats. We’re built on true teaming practices, never passing off responsibilities but webbing them together to accomplish more.

Combined Effort
1.800.517.4660 | combined-effort.com/fedready

Designer Divorces Focus on Client’s Best Interests

I thought that learning my spouse was leaving me was the worst day of my life. But I had no idea I was about to lose control over my life for the next year. I would be abandoning final decisions about children and financial issues to the courts. And at least $50,000 just for the lawyers’ fees? Life was about to get a whole lot worse.

In 2009, three of Los Angeles County’s most respected family attorneys left their positions at larger law firms to establish and offer a better alternative to the traditional divorce experience. Grace A. Jamra and Basel G. Jamra founded Jamra & Jamra, L.L.P. in Beverly Hills to create a new business model that focuses on clients. Soon thereafter, Michael B. Hanasab, who had previously worked with Grace, joined the firm and became a partner.

“Once a divorce case is initiated, the typical law firm goes into auto mode. The process is the same for each client, regardless of whether or not the circumstances warrant the strategy. The ‘conveyor belt’ approach is too restrictive and expensive and doesn’t allow for cost-effective or innovative solutions,” explains Grace Jamra, named one of the Top 50 Women Attorneys in Southern California by Super Lawyers since 2011.

Prospective clients who contact Jamra & Jamra because of the firm’s reputation for excellence are often surprised when they discover attorneys who are sympathetic listeners and people of compassion. “Our first questions are ‘What is important to you? What worries you most?’” says Hanasab. “Because we don’t operate like a divorce mill, we’re able to craft a solution designed to achieve your goals. Our custom-designed approach is tailor made to the client’s specific goals. The goal for us is to meet the client’s demands with cost-effective options.”

Named Southern California Super Lawyers for 10 consecutive years, Jamra & Jamra brings a high level of skill and expertise to each case. The firm’s record of achieving excellent outcomes, whether through mediation or litigation, is made possible in part by the lawyers’ reputation as hard-nosed litigators as well as practical resolution experts.

Grace Jamra currently chairs the Beverly Hills Bar Association Family Law Executive Committee, giving her an insider’s view of what is happening within the courts. “We know when it’s in the best interest of our clients to find alternative venues to the crowded courts,” she says.

“But we won’t shy away from a trial when necessary. We have strong litigation backgrounds and we’ll do whatever it takes to protect our client’s family and assets. At the end of the day, our job is more than helping clients simply survive an emotionally charged life transition. We want to help them successfully move into the future,” says Basel Jamra, a seasoned trial attorney. “So we connect with the clients, validate their concerns, and their cause becomes our cause.”

9465 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 460 | Beverly Hills, CA 90212 | www.jamralaw.com

Passionately Serving the Automotive Industry

If there was ever a business built on passion, Michaels Law Group is it. Located in the beautiful Newport Beach harbor, and founded by avid car enthusiast Jonathan Michaels, Michaels Law Group exudes its founder’s love of all things automotive.

“I am incredibly fortunate,” says Michael. “If I could do anything in the world, I would spend my days surrounded by cars and car enthusiasts. It has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember.”

But good fortune  only came with relentless hard work, and clever thinking. It’s what Michael calls the opposite theory: “My philosophy has always been that if you want to be successful, you need to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing.”

Newport Beach, CA
MichaelsLawGroup.com
949.581.6900

Workers’ Compensation Defense
Helping Employers Survive in California

A national hotel chain had allowed hundreds of workers’ comp claims to spiral out of control. Faced with the prospect of devastating financial losses, the company turned to the Law Offices of Robert Wheatley for help. As a result, the client’s workers’ comp program was put back on track and the company saved an estimated $5 million.

For over 20 years, the Law Offices of Robert Wheatley has been one of the leading workers’ comp defense firms in California. With over 30 attorneys and hearing representatives, it is one of the state’s largest exclusively workers’ comp firms, with clients including Fortune 100 companies, municipalities, school districts and large private employers.  By any measure, founder and Managing Partner Robert Wheatley has assembled an extraordinary team of attorneys.

“Collectively we have the most talented group of workers’ comp attorneys in California,” he says. “Our clients hire us to win and to resolve cases quickly and efficiently.”

“The California legislature is no friend to employers,” Wheatley adds. “It is extremely difficult for employers to do business in California due to unfavorable workers’ comp laws.  It is up to our legal team to figure out an approach to resolving claims that will protect the client and save money.”

Wheatley’s firm has developed two unique, specialized units for handling workers’ comp claims: the Accelerated Closing Project Unit and the Specialized Lien Removal Unit.

The Accelerated Closing Project Unit
Wheatley notes that all too often employers focus their attention on the new workers’ comp claims, when in reality their ship might be sinking because of unresolved claims of the past. His firm’s Accelerated Closing Project Unit specializes in closing old workers’ comp claims. Eliminating unnecessary reserves and the potential for future medical expenses and “aggravation” claims has saved clients an estimated $50 million since the program was put into place in 2002.

Lien Removal Unit
Medical liens are now a $2 billion a year problem in California. Approximately 75 percent of all workers’ comp expenses are for medical fees. The Lien Removal Unit focuses on combating medical abuse. This unit consists of highly trained attorneys and hearing representatives with specialized knowledge and experience in the medical field. The unit has been remarkably successful in minimizing or dismissing medical liens.

Whether fighting frivolous and fraudulent claims, or finding the best strategy to resolve legitimate claims, Wheatley’s firm has earned a reputation for its success in defending employers. “We are very passionate about our duties and loyalty to our clients,” Wheatley says. “Employers are the backbone of our economy, and they deserve and need the best in representation for their workers’ comp claims.”

14661 Franklin Avenue, Suite 100 | Tustin, CA 92780 | 714.665.4800 www.wheatleylaw.com

Health Care Reimbursement Lawyers Provide Relief Where it Hurts: In the Insurance Denial

Joy Young Stephenson set out to be a doctor, like her brother. But along the way, she realized law had a stronger pull on her than medicine did, so she became an attorney instead. She opened a practice specializing in health care and began treating patients to a brand of healing no doctor provides: She works on behalf of clients when insurance companies or government payors deny claims or dispute contract provisions. Her operating room is a courtroom.

The Law Offices of Stephenson Acquisto & Colman, or SAC, represents clients large and small – at one end, major hospitals seeking rightful reimbursements, and at the other, individuals whose insurance companies wrongfully deny their claims. Fighting these battles since 1989, SAC is recognized as a leader in health care law.

The firm stands ready to discuss client matters with the insurer, then, if necessary, to take the case to arbitration, to trial and to appeal. This is a litigation practice. “We don’t rest until we achieve our goal, and make no mistake, getting you the appropriate reimbursement is our sole pursuit,” Stephenson says. “At the same time, we take the most efficient and economical route to reach that objective.”

Stephenson has built SAC into a trailblazer in the health care law industry, and she is its driving force. The practice has grown to more than 100 staff members, including 20-plus attorneys. Many of them have been named Super Lawyers® and hold Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating. These legal minds are, of course, key in the firm’s success. And so are the medical minds. Where other attorneys must bring in outside experts, SAC has physicians and nurses on staff to evaluate the health care side of an insurer’s nonpayment decision. A common reason insurance companies give for denial of coverage is that a procedure wasn’t medically necessary. If it really was, SAC’s medical professionals arm the attorneys with facts to refute that argument.

Over the years, SAC’s attorneys have seen many changes in health care, and a growing need for strong and aggressive legal professionals to address them on behalf of providers.

“With tougher government regulations, payors’ tighter reimbursement policies and the still-recovering economy, hospitals face serious financial challenges,” says partner George Colman, who, in more than 40 years of practice, has represented more than 100 health care providers in revenue recovery and business office consulting. “We’re here to help our clients with their payor issues. Some of these are more than legal matters. They’re social imperatives. If a hospital doesn’t get paid, it can’t provide services. If a hospital can’t provide services, people suffer. We have helped 85 percent of the hospitals in California keep their doors open.”

303 North Glenoaks Blvd | Suite 700
Burbank, CA 91502
(818) 559-4477

5700 Stoneridge Mall Rd. | Suite 350
Pleasanton, CA 94588
(925) 734-6100

For more information
 email: info@sacfirm.com

www.sacfirm.com

Known for Success – and Meticulous Preparation – in Civil Cases

A man dead of cancer. Five defendants accused of seeking financial gain by withholding health care. There was something classical about the civil case. Richard J. Ryan saw it clearly. He made the jury see it, too.

When the eight-month trial ended with all defendants cleared, one of the jurors noted that the evidence had borne out what lead counsel Ryan said in his opening statement: Plaintiff was driven by a desire for vengeance against people who had nothing to do with the illness or death.

Ryan’s analogy: This was the stuff of Greek mythology – a parallel to the story of Electra, who sought vengeance against her mother for the killing of her father. “It was a long, involved trial,” he says. “And I think the results, the defense verdicts for my clients, spoke to our preparation of witnesses and experts, our marshalling of facts, and our ability to show the jury what the case was really about.”

Rick Ryan is the managing partner for Ryan, Datomi & Mosely LLP. Christopher A. Datomi and Kathryn S. “Missy” Mosely are the other partners. A solid group of associates rounds out the team.

“We’re litigation specialists known for defense of professional malpractice, with expertise in all areas of civil liability,” Ryan says. “Medical malpractice and health care-related litigation are our cornerstones, but we litigate a variety of matters, including business and real estate disputes, fraud, employment practices, product liability and personal injury, as well as writs and appeals.”

The firm applies sophisticated technology to its clients’ fullest advantage. “We use evidence-based research from cognitive, neurological and educational sciences on communication theory and practices,” says Datomi. “We understand how people process information and how to present that information to maximize comprehension and persuasion. That gives our clients a significant edge.”

Mosely turns high-profile cases into low-profile ones that don’t make the news. “We are involved in crisis management from the first notice of an event to the implementation of a corrective plan of action and, when necessary, the successful conclusion of any resulting lawsuit. This includes working closely with media, public relations and regulatory bodies from the local to the federal level,” she says. “For many clients, this is unfamiliar territory. We shoulder the stress and help them gain peace of mind.”

500 North Brand Boulevard | Suite 2250 | Glendale, CA 91203 | 818-956-3600  www.rdm-lawyers.com

Expert Solutions to Complex Estate Planning Challenges

The new estate tax law, hammered out during the fiscal cliff negotiations of late 2012, was a relief for many wealthy Americans.

“Congress made permanent, insofar as any tax law is permanent, a tax rate of 40 percent on estates and gifts of $5 million or more,” says Sussan H. Shore, shareholder/managing director of Weinstock Manion. “Some people had feared a return to much higher tax rates and lower exemptions.”

Still, Shore says, expert estate planning continues to be of paramount importance, both for the small number of Americans affected by the new law and those with smaller estates. “This is especially true in today’s society, with its many complex family arrangements,” she says. “Done properly, estate planning can help ensure your estate passes not only to whom you wish, but how you wish, with the alternatives thoroughly explored.”

Proficient and Compassionate
Widely known for excellence and expertise, Weinstock Manion and its talented attorneys have focused exclusively on estate planning, estate and trust administration, and estate and trust litigation for more than 50 years, developing many close, long-term client relationships along the way.

All of Weinstock Manion’s shareholders have been selected for inclusion in Southern California Super Lawyers® for many years. Several have been rated AV Preeminent® (5.0/5.0) on Martindale-Hubbell and been named to The Best Lawyers in America®. Many of the firm’s associates have been recognized as Southern California Rising Stars by Super Lawyers®. In addition, several shareholders are longtime instructors in the Business, Management and Legal Programs department at UCLA Extension, sharing their deep knowledge and experience in estate planning, trust and probate law with other attorneys and financial professionals.

“In our trust and estate administration practice, we deal with people at a highly vulnerable stage of their life,” Shore says. “For example, they may have just lost a loved one or are tackling the difficulties that come with incapacity. I think we bring a level of sensitivity and caring over and above our technical proficiency and experience.”

This sensitivity and caring can be especially important when conflicts arise, as they inevitably do from time to time in such a personal area of law. Whether the dispute is between family members, or between beneficiaries and fiduciaries, the firm’s expert litigation team does everything possible to settle differences without going to trial, including mediation as appropriate. “We understand that litigation can tear a family apart,” Shore says, “and we try to avoid it whenever possible.”

Clients and their trusted advisors depend on Weinstock Manion’s team of specialized attorneys and paralegals to implement creative and practical solutions to complex issues. Whether addressing wealth transfer and preservation, business succession planning, charitable planning, estate or trust administration, or litigation, the attorneys at Weinstock Manion always remain sensitive to their clients’ needs.

1875 Century Park East, Suite 2000 | Los Angeles, CA 90067 | 310-553-8844 www.weinstocklaw.com

Fee-Only Wealth Management Model Aligns Advisors’ Interests With the Clients’

A sea change in the way affluent families invest their assets began in the 1990s with the emergence of the “fee-only” advisor. “The fee-only platform eliminates biases because the advisor is not motivated by commissions or sales quotas,” explains Registered Investment Advisor George McDaniel CFP®, one of the pioneers of the fee-only business model and founder of Lighthouse Financial Services, Inc.

For individuals with significant assets to invest, Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) are increasingly sought after as alternatives to the traditional broker/dealer. Registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), RIAs have a fiduciary responsibility – that is, they are legally bound to put their clients’ interests first. The fiduciary responsibility is a more stringent standard than the “suitability” threshold broker/dealers abide by.

“Simply assessing ‘suitability’ of an investment based on factors such as risk tolerance and time lines does not take into consideration a person’s total financial picture. Because RIAs work on a fee-only basis, we have no incentive to keep a client actively trading, so we’re free to recommend long-term investments or more frequent trades if that’s what is best to help an individual meet his or her unique goals,” says McDaniel, who was recently ranked among the top 7 of Orange Coast Magazine’s Top Wealth Managers for the fourth year in a row.

Since founding Lighthouse Financial Services, Inc. in 1992, McDaniel has assembled a team of professionals to provide comprehensive services to affluent families. Today, the full-service firm is among California’s most respected and stable, with assets that meet the stringent capital level minimum of $100,000,000, clients in 10 states and one of the nation’s largest TD Ameritrade referral businesses. Its in-house staff has a reputation for integrity and the expertise to develop customized wealth management solutions for complex needs. The team includes a CFA charter-holder who scrutinizes the market and manages portfolios, professionals who have earned the Certified Financial Planner® designation, an enrolled agent to handle tax issues, and pension specialists.

“We are particularly proud of the long-term relationships we strategically develop with families. More than 90 percent of our original clients 20 years ago still partner with us,” reports McDaniel. “As the level of trust grows, clients increasingly ask us to coordinate many aspects of their financial lives. We help them organize their personal and business concerns, including giving them decision support for making major purchases. In the process, we free up their time so they can be what they enjoy being most – parents, spouses, grandparents and volunteers. In many cases, the ultimate compliment occurs when we are asked to continue managing both second- and third-generational investments.”

3000 E. Birch Street, Suite 107 | Brea, CA 92821 | 714-572-8900
www.lighthouselink.com

Income Strategies for a Secure Future

When it comes to overseeing financial assets, there are growers, and there are protectors. Anthony A. Saccaro, ChFC, president of Providence Financial & Insurance Services, Inc., has firmly established himself as a protector.

Realizing the importance of helping clients hold on to what they have, he steers clear of the stock market and its risks. But to Saccaro, minimum risk does not mean minimum growth. Through expert familiarity with alternative conservative investments, Providence Financial has been able to achieve consistent above average returns for its clients.

“Most financial advisors are stock market first, everything else second,” says Saccaro. “We’re the opposite of that. There is a universe of non-stock market alternatives that can be valuable parts of a growing portfolio. I specialize in these, and I enjoy educating clients about how these products and strategies can fit into their financial future.”

Looking at the Whole Picture
In serving clients, Saccaro is as holistic as they come. He examines all aspects of his clients’ financial holdings, making thoughtful recommendations in every area, not just the ones he gets compensated for. For instance, he uses his considerable insurance expertise to determine insurance types and amounts needed, even though he doesn’t sell it himself. In partnership with a local law firm, he also regularly establishes living trusts for his clients, charging them only his outside costs.

Living out his Christian faith and dedicated to service, Saccaro holds himself to a higher standard. Providence Financial is associated with James Rickard of Stewardship Services Foundation, a nonprofit established to support and educate churches and pastors in personal income tax and family finance. As part of this relationship, Saccaro is involved with financial planning and living trust services for members of various churches throughout California.

Saccaro has never lost a client, a testament to the value he adds and the time he takes to understand every situation and educate each client. “It’s taken most of my clients 30-plus years to save for retirement,” he says. “So I don’t expect to have all the answers after a one-hour meeting. It may take several meetings to get a handle on an effective approach.”

That is no problem for Saccaro. “I absolutely love sitting down with people, helping them solve their financial problems and strategizing about their future,” he says. “Best of all, I sleep well at night knowing that none of my clients will get hurt if the stock market takes a tumble.”

20335 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 125 | Woodland Hills, CA 91364 | 818-887-6443
www.providencefinancialinc.com

Client-Focused, Time-Tested

A widow inherits a $1 billion estate. Having no financial experience, she is concerned about how to protect herself from exorbitant taxes and predators. She turns to Orange County-based Pinnacle Consulting Group for guidance.

A husband and wife, worth $25 million, are dissatisfied with financial advisors who are investing their money in ways contrary to their wishes. Desiring a more customized strategy, they switch to Pinnacle Consulting Group.

Pinnacle Consulting Group clients are the doers, the dreamers, the movers, the shakers, fathers, mothers and business people who will organize their affairs and define their next great journey in life. The firm calls it Pinnacle-Based Planning™ and has been successful for 25 years. Pinnacle believes planning should first be about the client’s next best path.  Pinnacle clients have completed some planning. Each new family has competent advisors, yet gaps can remain. From asset protection and estate design, to issues of control, taxation and liability, small issues and large issues can prevent anyone’s best intentions from playing out.

“We start from a financial planning perspective,” says founder Don Garcia.  “We have the vision to get to the root of the missing links, and the professional patience to get the problems fixed. Our business model allows us the luxury to sort through the details without rushing to the implementation of financial products. We work diligently behind the scenes to pull together all the layers and all of the players on your behalf. The focus is on taking the plan to the next level, not only to grow but to protect and preserve the client’s estate.”

As an independent firm, Pinnacle Consulting Group offers objective advice. At the same time, Garcia is a member of The Resource Group™, a nationwide network of top financial advisors within Lincoln Financial Advisors. As such, he is able to call upon any number of experienced planners to help address his clients’ unique circumstances.

“Many financial advisors want you to believe they have all the answers, but nobody does,” Garcia says. “The key is knowing how to access the right information, when you need it.”

Having come from humble beginnings, Garcia is as passionate about serving the community as he is about helping his clients. He has served on executive boards for many youth organizations and has helped teach financial literacy to kids. He was appointed by a former U.S. president to the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, a bipartisan think tank, and he has also served a former California governor in an advisory position. A longtime Newport Beach resident, he currently serves on the board of the California State Workers Compensation Fund, helping to oversee an $18 billion portfolio.

“Whether you are talking about money or life in general, it is amazing what results can be achieved when you follow a good plan,” he says.

18400 Von Karman Ave. | Suite 400 | Irvine, CA 92612 | 949.474.6821
www.pinnacleconsultinggrp.com

Don Garcia is a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., a broker-dealer (member SIPC) and registered investment advisor.  Insurance offered through Lincoln Marketing and Insurance Agency, LLC and Lincoln Associates Insurance Agency, Inc. and other fine companies.  CA License Number 0828464. CRN2013012076233

Affluent Families Achieve Peace of Mind Through A Total Wealth Solution

Even though the volatility of today’s economic market is unprecedented, one long-proven strategy consistently places the family in the best place to reach its goals. “Take a comprehensive, disciplined approach that addresses your entire financial life,” explains Donald H. Mehlig, a nationally recognized leader in the financial services industry and founder of M Advisory Group in Torrance, Calif. “People who have been accumulating wealth over the years commonly find they have a piecemeal approach to their plan. They own products and investments that may no longer serve them well and, at the same time, important considerations have fallen through the cracks.”

Total Wealth SolutionsTM
Providing objective financial advice to affluent individuals, families and business owners is the focus of M Advisory Group. “We take clients through a systematic process to identify and document what is most important to them,” explains Executive Vice President Anne Trinh. “It starts with the Family Vision and from that, a total picture of specific goals, needs and timelines is then developed, called the Total Wealth Road MapTM, which is the centerpiece of our process. We also work with our clients’ other trusted professional advisors to design, implement and administer customized, results-driven solutions to meet targeted goals.”

The Total Wealth SolutionsTM is a time-tested process to maximize clients’ clarity and make their visions come to life, including multigenerational planning, says company President J. Daniel Vogelzang. “Our 50 years of success is evidence we are client-centric.  We explore all options for each client situation so that we can provide the most appropriate recommendations. As an ancillary service, before a client ever engages us in the Total Wealth SolutionsTM process, we offer complimentary comparative analyses and unbiased second opinions on their investment holdings and insurance portfolios.”
M Advisory Group brings clients an uncommon blend of personal attention by knowledgeable experts with the strength and resources of the larger financial services firms. It has assembled a team of like-minded, knowledgeable professionals who hold all relevant securities licenses including certifications such as CFP®, ChFC and CLU.

“We are a boutique firm committed to lifelong service,” says Mehlig. “Part of our ‘value add’ proposition is that we are a member and shareholder of M Financial Group, a consortium of 135 independent professional financial services firms in the U.S. The ‘Power of M’ is our ability to negotiate with nationally known financial institutions for product and pricing exclusivity that no one else in the industry has. That’s especially important for our clients, whose needs are often complex and involve both family and business concerns.”

Helping secure futures and safeguarding promises since 1962
21515 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 500 | Torrance, CA 90503 | 310-530-5525
www.madvisory.com

Securities and Investment Advisory Services Offered Through M Holdings Securities, Inc., a Registered Broker/Dealer and Investment Adviser, Member FINRA/SIPC. M Advisory Group is independently owned and operated.

Independence Is The Renaissance Group Advantage

The owners of financial planning and wealth management firm The Renaissance Group, LLC, a registered investment advisor, recently sat down with financial editors and writers to discuss the field of independent financial advisory. Joining the conversation were John Graves, ChFC, CLU, author of the award-winning book The 7% Solution, You CAN Afford a Comfortable Retirement, as well as the newly released Fracking, America’s Alternative Energy Revolution; the team of Michael Snowden Jr., MBA and Evan Lang, leaders in comprehensive wealth management; and Sean Patrick, a long-tenured financial planning professional.

Question: Mr. Graves, you are a 28-year veteran of the independent financial advisory field. Tell us what separates you from a crowded field of independent financial advisors.

Graves: I build portfolios around each client’s income need. Most of my clients are retired; they want to receive a steady income from their lifetime of savings. Financial planning describes what income is needed, where it will come from and when. We build customized portfolios to meet specific income objectives.
Question: Mr. Patrick, you’ve been an advisor for more than two decades. Tell us about your approach.

Patrick: My goal is to maximize the results of each person’s lifelong savings effort. I design a plan that integrates all areas of someone’s financial life to create the most effective pursuit of financial success. It is that level of financial health that I have pursued for my clients for the past 20 years.
Question: Mr. Snowden and Mr. Lang, where do you see the highest level of financial need today?

Snowden: Families need and deserve an elevated level of financial knowledge in order to reach retirement. We pride ourselves on the expertise of our in-house team and on serving our clients at a deep level. Our network of related entities allows us to provide a more profound degree of services, well beyond what is typical.

Lang: Renaissance’s network includes asset managers, CPAs, third-party administrators, estate planners, and executors of large and sophisticated trusts.* These additional competencies expand and personalize the depth of our relationship with clients.

One of the Ventura, California, region’s premier financial planning firms for individuals and families, Renaissance provides objective guidance and unbiased investment strategies.  A Registered Investment Advisor, Renaissance works with LPL Financial, one of the leading financial services companies and the largest independent broker/dealer in the nation.**

John Graves, Michael Snowden Jr., Evan Lang and Sean Patrick are independent advisors and the owners of The Renaissance Group, LLC.

805.652.6942
LPL Registered Principal
www.rengroupllc.com
*CPA, Third-Party Administration and Executor services offered through Lang, Lang and Company CPAs, not affiliated with nor endorsed by LPL Financial.
**On Wall Street’s annual broker-dealer survey and reflects performance for 2011 as reported by Financial Planning Magazine, June 1996-2012, based on total revenue.
Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC.

Customized Advice for High-Net-Worth Investors
Walt J. Hommerding Again Honored as Five-Star Wealth Manager

Despite unprecedented market volatility, one group of investors are unusually confident about their financial plans. When asked, 93 percent of Wells Fargo Advisor clients with Envision® plans said they believed they would be able to retire on their own terms, and 95 percent were living the life they planned. Almost all, 98 percent, reported they knew exactly where they stood in reaching their financial goals.1

“When you make financial decisions based on your own personal dreams, desires and risk capacity rather than focus on beating the indices or measuring up to some other benchmark, you are more likely to achieve your goals,” explains Walt J. Hommerding, a Wells Fargo Advisors Senior Vice President-Investments. “During the Envision® process, we thoughtfully listen to clients to learn what in life matters most to them. We help them define their vision and provide a strong knowledge base so they can interpret the mass of information available in the media today. After we craft individualized plans to assist in getting them where they want to be, we will continue to scrutinize the progress to help ensure their plan stays on track. This refined process allows us to help clients build, manage and distribute intergenerational wealth. The process is tremendously reassuring for clients.”

Selected again in 2013 as a Five-Star Wealth Manager by Orange Coast magazine, Hommerding is ranked among the top 2 percent of the region’s wealth managers.2 The 25-year industry veteran is also among only 10 percent of Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Advisors who have met the rigorous standards required for discretionary authority as a Private Investment Management (PIM) portfolio manager.3

PIM is a highly customized fee-based portfolio management program for individuals and institutional investors who want a high level of investment experience and personal service. Diverse choices available in the PIM program, including stocks, bonds, ETFs, cash options and mutual funds, offer diversity and flexibility. PIM fees are all inclusive, covering portfolio administration, commission costs and custody services.

Whether engaged in a discretionary relationship or using any of the numerous resources available through Wells Fargo Advisors, Hommerding provides professional investment advice characterized by dynamic asset allocation strategies with a “Core/Satellite” philosophy.  He founded Hommerding Financial Strategies Group to give investors the attention typically found only in boutique firms. His team was created to effect different perspectives of wealth management, even addressing the liability side of his clients’ balance sheets by providing access to lending through affiliates.

“A disciplined approach and sophisticated solutions are key when addressing complex financial issues for high-net-worth individuals and corporate executives responsible for retirement and pension plans,” explains Hommerding, whose clients include business owners, executives, institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals.

620 Newport Center Drive, Suite 1600 | Newport Beach, CA 92660
800-779-6955 | 949-759-4564 | walt.j.hommerding@wfadvisors.com
https://home.wellsfargoadvisors.com/wallace.j.hommerding

3 Fees for the PIM program include Advisory services, performance measurement, transaction costs, custody services and trading. Fees are based on the assets in the account and are assessed quarterly. There is a minimum fee of $250 per calendar quarter to maintain this type of account. Advisory accounts are not designed for excessively traded or inactive accounts, and may not be suitable for all investors. During periods of lower trading activity, your costs might be lower if our compensation was based on commissions. Please carefully review the Wells Fargo Advisors advisory disclosure document for a full description of our services, including fees and expenses. The minimum account size for this program is $50,000. 1Results are based on a survey conducted by Harris Interactive from June-July 2011 among 1,004 investors with financial advisor relationships. Not indicative of future performance or success. Not representative of the experience of other clients. Envision® is a registered service mark of Wells Fargo & Company and used under license. 22013 Survey conducted by Five Star Professional, an independent third-party research firm, which received nominations among all wealth managers in the Orange County area from peers or firms and evaluated the nominees based on 10 objective criteria including client retention rates, client assets administered, firm review and favorable regulatory and complaint history. Walt J. Hommerding was named one of the 2013 Five Star Wealth Managers, which represents less than 2% of the total wealth managers in the area. The Five Star award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. For more information: www.fivestarprofessional.com/2013/research.php.   
Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.
Investment and insurance products: NOT FDIC-Insured/NO Bank Guarantee/MAY Lose Value

Fee-Only Wealth Management Model Aligns Advisors’ Interests With the Clients’

“Our group is fully engaged in empowering our clients to accomplish their goals through education and a commitment to their futures. We think this is the most important process, and it makes for better clients and better results.”

The Heller Difference
Our firm’s advisors invest in a foundation of understanding and education with our clients, allowing us to create meaningful long-term programs and strategies.

The Team. HCR builds and quarterbacks a professional team that often includes a CPA, an estate planning attorney, and an insurance advisor, all working for the client.
Planning. HCR advisors guide clients pragmatically, allowing their money to grow in the context of a strategic plan. Our goal is financial empowerment and peace of mind.
A Look Ahead. Clients are busy fulfilling their own needs and responsibilities. HCR widens a client’s viewpoint to highlight the future and plan for those needs today.
Education. HCR makes wealth management understandable and transparent.

“Brokerage house advisors work for the house. As an independent, we work for you, the client.”
– Steve Weinberger, CFP, financial advisor
“We build an institutional type of feel for clients, where they have their people – their team.”
– Jeremy Drake, financial advisor

Heller Capital Resources, founded in 1988, is a boutique financial advisory and management firm dedicated to helping high-net-worth individuals identify their goals and reach their objectives. Each client receives the Heller experience: personalized independent guidance. The firm’s advisors are accomplished in investment and portfolio management; retirement, tax and insurance planning; transition planning for divorcees and widows; and business purchase or sale consultation.

“I was in a restaurant and a client entered with her friend. Smiling, she came over, hugged me and said our firm was the reason she was having such a great holiday. That’s what being a life and wealth advisor is all about.”
— Greg Heller, CFP, Founder

11835 West Olympic Blvd., Suite 360 | Los Angeles, CA 90064 | (310) 473-5445
www.hellerfunds.com

Brown & Charbonneau, LLP Orange County’s Go-to Trial Attorneys and Business Litigators

The case against the injection mold manufacturer should have been a slam dunk. “We had pretty much all the facts in our favor,” recalls Andrew Peykoff Sr., chairman of Ontario, Calif.-based Niagara Bottling, LLC, the plaintiff in the case.

Somehow, though, after a three-week trial, the jury ruled in favor of the defendant. “We lost because Greg Brown, the manufacturer’s attorney, did a better job of presenting their side of the argument to the jury,” Peykoff says. “Even Greg was a little bit surprised that he won.”

Fast forward nearly 16 years, and Gregory G. Brown, managing partner of Brown & Charbonneau, LLP, is Niagara Bottling’s go-to counsel whenever the company becomes embroiled in litigation. “Greg’s represented us in at least 10 cases, and we haven’t lost a single one,” Peykoff says. “In one case, while the jurors were out, the opposing attorney asked Greg if he would represent him in the malpractice lawsuit he thought was sure to follow.”
Wide Range of Complex Cases A Board-Certified Specialist in Trial Advocacy – one of only 20 in Orange County and 98 in California – Brown is respected throughout Orange County and Southern California for his many trial successes and exceptional ability to connect with jurors.

He and his team have prevailed against some of the world’s largest law firms in a wide range of complex cases, securing or saving clients more than $80 million in awards and settlements. The firm recently completed a hotly contested, multi-law-firm dispute regarding the ownership of a company valued at over $200 million in connection with estate litigation. Brown was lead trial counsel for the plaintiff. “Our client obtained a fantastic result,” Brown says.

Other cases have centered on shareholder and partnership disputes, contract actions, fraud claims, commercial and business litigation, derivative actions, corporate litigation, trade secret and unfair competition, construction, personal injury and products liability.

Whatever the matter at hand, Brown and his team leave no stone unturned in the courtroom. In addition to his outstanding oratory skills, Brown is highly skilled in the use of cutting-edge trial technology, including PowerPoint and video presentations, graphics and animations, to convey the client’s side of the story. “This is a value added for our clients,” he says. Brown’s experience and passion in the courtroom give his client’s an edge.

“While we’ll do our best to settle, clients – and other attorneys – know we’re the firm to choose if you’re going to go to trial,” Brown says.

Just ask Andy Peykoff. “My company and I wouldn’t think of using anybody else,” he says. “Greg’s got a real gift, an ability to present his side of a case in a very clean and understandable way, without any distortions or misrepresentations. Plus, he’s highly principled, extremely detail oriented, a very hard worker – and a really nice guy!”

Brown & Charbonneau, llp
STRATEGIC LEGAL SOLUTIONS WITH YOU IN MIND
420 Exchange Street, Suite 270 | Irvine, CA 92602
888-809-1235 | 714-505-3000 | www.bc-llp.com

Leading Law Firm Guides Clients Successfully
Through Workers’ Compensation Litigation Goldman, Magdalin & Krikes, LLP

It’s an ordinary workday. People arrive, get about their tasks. Then it happens: the injury, the ambulance, the paperwork. Ordinary was yesterday.

A workers’ compensation claim is a daunting experience. Goldman, Magdalin & Krikes, LLP specializes in defending employers and insurance companies facing this challenge. The practice also handles insurance litigation and employment law, which often overlaps workers’ compensation issues.

California statutes require defendants to pay opposing attorneys for the right to take a deposition – funding the very litigation they’re fighting. Another provision says the law must be liberally construed in the employee’s favor.

Partner Richard B. Goldman says workers’ compensation representation is as important for employers to consider as choosing their accountant, business lawyer or banker. There is a real and measurable economic impact to employers.

“This is an area where the employer must be proactive,” says Paul J. Magdalin, who, with Goldman and George A. Krikes, founded the firm 13 years ago. “You cannot be waiting for the claim to come in and then try to make it go away.”
Leading by Example Goldman, Magdalin & Krikes is both a boutique firm and a powerhouse. The practice has 16 partners and 60 attorneys. They work from offices across the state. Service to insurers, businesses and governmental clients feels local and personal.

The founders are active attorneys, and they lead the firm by example while recognizing their team’s talents and credentials. “Every partner is a Certified Specialist with the California State Bar in workers’ comp,” Magdalin says. “That expertise sets us apart. As George puts it, ‘We go to bat for our clients.’ At the same time, we treat the other side with respect. The claimant has gone through something, too.”

Most workers’ compensation cases are settled, but settlements are better when defendants are ready to go to trial. “We get the difficult cases. We are a litigation firm that believes in preparing every case as if we’re going to trial, and everybody on the other side knows it,” Goldman says.

Established GMK attorneys mentor young lawyers to take the same tack. Magdalin says, “I want them to know the other side’s case better than the other side does. That gets great trial results, and also great settlement results.”

Through preparation, skilled work and expeditious resolution, Goldman, Magdalin & Krikes minimizes clients’ losses. They remain committed to their Mission Statement to “do the right thing and take the high road” with honesty, integrity and professionalism.

Goldman Magdalin Krikes LLP
6300 Canoga Avenue, Suite 1400 | Woodland Hills, CA 91367 (818) 755-0444 | www.gmklaw.com

Girardi | Keese No Case Is Too Big, No Client Too Small, for Leading Plaintiffs’ Law Firm

Sports icon Junior Seau had just taken his own life, and the phones at Girardi | Keese wouldn’t stop ringing. More than 40 other former NFL players, distraught upon learning the news, were frantically trying to get hold of Tom Girardi. “They were worried about their own brains,” recalls firm founder Girardi, “worried about their own futures.”

The firm had filed the first concussion-related lawsuit against the NFL some 10 months earlier, in July 2011, on behalf of 75 former players who claimed the league had covered up evidence that concussions could cause long-term damage. Since then, over 2,000 players have joined the lawsuit. Eight days after Seau’s suicide, Girardi filed another suit, on behalf of former Hall-of-Fame wide receiver Art Monk. The 16-year veteran suffers from multiple traumatic brain injuries Girardi says are the result of at least three improperly diagnosed and treated concussions.

“We see it as our job to make sure they get the care they need,” Girardi says. “And we want to make sure the NFL gets serious about making this great game as safe as it can be. Not only has football caused severe brain damage to many players, but the NFL and the helmet maker knew of the injuries for decades and hid them from players while they continued to reap enormous profits.”

Moral Component
From football players to baseball fans, orthopedic patients to energy consumers, Girardi | Keese has been fighting for individuals who have suffered personal injury or financial harm, often as a result of someone else’s negligent or deliberately wrongful action, for nearly half a century. “There has been a moral component to every one of our cases from the start,” Girardi says. No case is too big and no client too small for Girardi | Keese, one of the only plaintiffs’ firms that handles antitrust work, class actions, product cases, pharmaceutical cases and malpractice cases. Girardi | Keese has 30 attorneys at offices in Los Angeles and San Bernardino, including 10 members of the American Board of Trial Advocates, more than any other firm.

The firm has obtained more than $10 billion in verdicts and settlements over the years, including a recent $240 million settlement against a pharmaceutical company that was marketing a drug it knew was unsafe. Even so, the firm continues to represent “the man who’s been hurt in a car accident or the woman who’s broken her ankle after falling on an icy sidewalk – because it’s the right thing to do,” says partner Robert Finnerty. “That’s one of the amazing things about Tom and the firm.”

Still, Girardi | Keese is best known for such victories as: $633 million for residents of Hinkley, Calif., who were poisoned by Pacific Gas & Electric in the case made famous in the movie Erin Brockovich
$2 billion for California consumers overcharged by Sempra Energy
$4.85 billion for heart attacks caused by the arthritis drug Vioxx
$891 million in a class action against Farmers Group and Zurich Financial Services

Resources and Passion
Girardi is especially passionate about the case of a young father – a Giants fan – whose neck was fractured when he was attacked at Dodger Stadium in March 2011. The lawsuit, which is pending, claims the team’s then-owners cut security at the stadium to support their lavish lifestyle. “Under Frank McCourt’s ownership, the Dodgers showed a total disregard for public safety,” he says. “We have sworn declarations from at least five other fans in attendance that day, each alleging he or she struggled to find security personnel in response to threatening incidents.” The firm is also actively involved in cases involving DePuy metal-on-metal artificial hips, recalled because they can damage nearby tissue, and Yaz and Yasmin birth control pills, which have been known to cause heart attacks and strokes in young women. “Nothing is more satisfying than helping someone who was hurt because a major pharmaceutical company was more concerned about profits than safety,” says partner Keith Griffin.

Nearly all of the firm’s cases are referred by other attorneys nationwide, who know they can count on Girardi and his team to represent their clients ably and effectively, even in the toughest cases.

“We have the resources and the passion to give a voice to those who have suffered personal injury and financial harm because of the often-deliberate actions of big companies,” Girardi says, “from pharmaceutical companies that sell drugs knowing they will do harm, to car manufacturers that don’t fix known defects because it will cost them a few dollars per car, large corporations that knowingly allow their employees to be discriminated against or harassed, and insurance companies that delay or deny rightful claims. “Nothing is more important than helping people. I’m so fortunate to be able to do that every day.”

1126 Wilshire Boulevard | Los Angeles, CA 90017 | 213-977-0211 155 West Hospitality Lane, Suite 260 | San Bernardino, CA 92408 | 909-381-1551 www.girardikeese.com

Real-Life Supporting Role
Montage Insurance Solutions Serves Businesses and Their Employees

Long before she started in the insurance business, Danone Simpson spent 10 years working for an oil company in Dallas – sort of. Actually, she was an actress on “Dallas,” the mega-popular ’80s TV series. Her character, Kendall Chapman, was the receptionist at Ewing Oil for J.R. and Bobby Ewing.

Being part of that series was a remarkable experience, but her lifelong passion was ignited by something that happened years earlier. At age 18 she was seriously injured in an accident, and her family did not have medical insurance. The difficulty she endured trying to get all the necessary care and treatment was clearly something she wanted to help others avoid.

Fast forward to the present day. Simpson is the CEO of Montage Insurance Solutions, a full-service insurance brokerage. “We offer the total package for the HR director or CFO who is looking to keep costs down on insurance,” she says. “Our focus is on managing wellness and safety for our clients. Since we broker  more than 100 different carriers, we can always find the best program for accomplishing that.”
Not Just Better, More Affordable

The intellectual capital on the Montage staff is substantial and extends from employee benefits and workers’ compensation to commercial property/liability, HR consulting, seminars, event planning and more. The agency regularly betters its clients’ insurance policies, generating considerable savings in the process. Montage’s clients represent a wide range of industries, from manufacturing to advertising agencies, including international church and missionary groups.

Simpson and her team are especially attentive to nonprofit organizations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Los Angeles. “In the past I worked as a nonprofit fundraiser. Now I work as a fund saver, helping clients and their employees save on premium costs. This allows us to support their mission and programs.”

Her innovative team prides itself in being one step ahead of the competition, which has earned it recognition in the Los Angeles Business Journal as of one of Los Angeles’ top 25 brokers.

Montage has earned numerous professional accolades in recent years, including Simpson’s Most Trusted Advisor award from the San Fernando Valley Business Journal in 2011. “That award is the most important to me,” she says, “because it’s really about our team and our clients. The relationships we’ve established with our clients and their employees are tremendous. We hold their hands – often literally – when they’re going through tough times, like the loss of a loved one, a battle with cancer or a child in the hospital. I tell my employees, ‘You’re not going to last here if you don’t have a big heart.”’

Simpson is obviously a person who loves her job. “I work with some awesome people,” she says. “There are so many different and interesting things to do here that I never get bored.” She’s even working on an Executive MBA at Pepperdine to help her better serve and advocate for her clients. “I’m having more fun now than when I was working on ‘Dallas,’” she says.

Sounds like the former actress has landed the role of a lifetime.

22110 Clarendon Street, Suite 201 | Woodland Hills, CA 91367
818-676-0044 | www.montageinsurance.com 

Earning – and Tracking –
Positive PR Results, Marketing Maven Public Relations Does Things a Little Differently

Many people can relate to the marketing executive who once said, “Half of my public relations efforts work. I just don’t know which half.” It’s an all-too-common scenario: Constant expenditures of time and money without accountability can leave marketers stumbling in the dark.

Fortunately, one PR firm has seen the light. Marketing Maven Public Relations offers a proven record of not only achieving, but tracking, results. “We give our clients accountability and transparency,” says Lindsey Carnett, CEO and President. “We set measurable goals and targets for our campaigns, so clients know what to expect. That sets us apart, along with our tendency to under promise and over deliver.”

The agency specializes in consumer and lifestyle accounts. Functioning as an extension of its clients’ marketing departments, it stays focused on the team’s stated objectives. And, like a dedicated teammate, Marketing Maven is available whenever its clients need it. Offering 24/7 accessibility, its PR professionals are always just a phone call away.

But it’s not just what this agency does that sets it apart. It’s how it does it – with the kind of insight and panache that earns notice – and results – for its clients. “The media is really in tune with our outside-the-box thinking,” says Carnett. “We’re able to give them impactful stories they can sink their teeth into.” That translates into exposure that’s nearly priceless, including coverage on national TV and radio, in newspapers and magazines, and online. The agency is also well versed in Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook and other social media outlets that help clients gain followers.

In addition to being all over the media, Marketing Maven is all over the world. The agency has clients on every continent except Antarctica, and brings a sophisticated global outlook to every project it works on. Besides speaking Spanish herself, Carnett has native Spanish speakers on staff.

“There’s nothing like the feeling we get when we help produce great numbers or get a client on national TV,” says Carnett, a former intercollegiate soccer captain. “It’s an adrenaline rush, like scoring a goal – because for us, it is a goal. We never get tired of winning, and neither do our clients.”

Los Angeles and New York | (310) 994-7380
www.MarketingMavenPR.com

A Matrimonial Law Firm Dedicated to Professional Excellence

A man seeking custody of his children accuses his ex-wife of having a mental impairment that affects her parenting abilities. The mother turns to the Southern California-based Brandon Law Group for guidance. With the help of a qualified psychologist, the firm’s lawyers prove she is of sound mind. As a result, she retains custody.

A husband and wife, in the midst of a divorce, are co-owners of a successful media company. One expert says the company is worth over $4 million. Brandon Law, with the help of its own expert, demonstrates the true value is substantially less, thereby saving the firm’s client over $2 million in a buyout.

One of Southern California’s most experienced boutique matrimonial law firms, Brandon Law leaves no stone unturned when preparing cases. From prenuptial agreements to divorces, alimony, paternity, domestic partnership issues, international custodial disputes and more, Brandon Law balances toughness with diplomacy, always seeking to minimize stress. The firm even offers mediation services as an alternative to complex, contentious litigation.

“We manage cases in a way that minimizes costs and at the same time deliver very deliberate, detail-oriented work that is of high value,” says Lisa Brandon, founder and principal.

AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell, Brandon Law practices in both Orange and Los Angeles counties. With four attorneys on staff, the firm is small enough to provide personal attention, but experienced enough to handle cases of any complexity, particularly those involving large estates, complex business valuation issues or executives with complicated compensation packages.

As a former business owner, and with an educational background in accounting, Brandon understands the unique legal challenges facing entrepreneurs and executives who are facing divorce. Most cases are settled out of court, but Brandon is prepared to go to the mat, if necessary, to defend her clients’ interests.

“I tell my clients the truth, even if it’s not what they want to hear,” she says. “If I believe what is going to happen in court is not in their best interests, I will not proceed with the hearing. My goal is to obtain the best possible result for the client, regardless of circumstances.”

200 Oceangate, Suite 1500
Long Beach, CA 90802
562.901.9800
www.brandonlaw.net

Serving Small Businesses is MyCorporation’s Single Focus

Whether starting a business was their lifelong dream or thrust on them as a creative alternative to prolonged unemployment, most small business owners are resilient, tremendously agile and confident risk takers. “What the majority of startups lack, however, are the financial resources or a great deal of time to learn the intricacies of legal organization and completing ongoing legal filings. But decisions made early in a company’s history, such as whether or not to incorporate or form an LLC, expose the business owners’ personal assets to risk,” says attorney Deborah Sweeney, CEO/President of MyCorporation® and a frequent contributor to national small business media outlets including Forbes, American Express Open, Social Media Today, Business Insider, She Takes on the World, Empower Me! and Femme-o-nomics.

As general counsel and later as owner of MyCorporation, Sweeney has had a front-row seat at the launch of more than 450,000 new businesses in 14 years. MyCorporation opened in 1998 to provide reliable, hassle-free legal business documentation services for startups without the high cost of hiring an attorney. Sweeney played a key role in MyCorporation’s early history. She managed the company after it was acquired by Intuit in 2005 and eventually purchased it from Intuit in 2009.

“Our history as a division of Intuit left us with two important assets: a long-term partnership with Intuit and an even stronger commitment to outstanding customer service,” explains Sweeney. “Small businesses are our single focus and, as a smaller independent company ourselves, we are able to be much more flexible and responsive.”

Under Sweeney’s leadership, MyCorporation is setting a new standard in the industry. Beyond the typical business model in which online document filing services sell their service to customers and quickly move on, MyCorporation’s value-added proposition includes ongoing legal filings to maintain legitimacy, tax-related notifications, registered agent services, branding, and rich web-based tools to support business growth such as a social media toolkit, free QuickBooks Simple Smart, an effective contact management program, and much more. This level of support makes MyCorporation the preferred referral source for attorneys and other trusted advisers who serve small business concerns.

“A few years ago, a company came to us needing help establishing a DBA,” says Sweeney. “Today that Mom-and-Pop business has franchise operations in 48 states. We continue to do their annual business filings and they refer all their franchisers to us. Small businesses like these have provided three-quarters of the nation’s net employment growth in recent years. It is a distinct privilege to work with them.”

23586 Calabasas Rd., Suite 102 | Calabasas, CA 91302
1-877-MY-CORP-2 (1-877-692-6772) | 818-224-7639
www.MyCorporation.com

Attorneys’ Valuable Ally:
Trial Partners, Inc.
Maps Strategies, Picks Juries,
Prepares Witnesses

J. Lee Meihls, Ph.D. has some great stories to tell. Like her jury selections for Michael Jackson’s and R. Kelly’s defense teams. But the one where you can really hear fire in her voice was a rape case where she offered her services to the prosecution after the verdict angered her. In that one, the hung jury (11-1 for acquittal) that caught Meihls’ attention led to a retrial – and conviction after Trial Partners got involved. In another high-profile retrial, Meihls helped MGA Entertainment win an unprecedented $310 million verdict against the Goliath toymaker Mattel.

Meihls is the founder, president and senior consultant of Trial Partners, Inc., which assists attorneys in civil and criminal actions, and in federal and state courts. The firm is a fully integrated component of clients’ legal teams, providing vital support in developing case themes and strategies; holding mock trials and focus groups; preparing witnesses; recommending and developing graphics with the help of its sister company, Creative Counsel; picking juries – more than a thousand juries – and many other key areas. “We really do have a lot of experience in court, in the trenches,” Meihls says. “A lot of what we do is very scientific, but a lot of it is an art.”

The firm, composed of psychologists and social scientists, is nationally known, renowned for its integrity, and highly sought-after in the legal world. Staff leaders include Mark Phillips, the vice president of the company, and Lauren Harvey, who runs the San Francisco office. “They’re so vital to the success of the firm,” Meihls says. “They bring so much to the firm that I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without them.”

Trial Partners helps counsel for Fortune 100 corporations, mom-and-pop companies and individuals. The consultancy has served clients in 44 states and the District of Columbia. In addition to traditional jury research, “We offer clinics in voir dire, opening statements and closing arguments, and more, and we bring in our staff to participate,” Meihls says. These sessions produce keen and candid insights and ideas. “Our clients benefit because they get to hear from people who haven’t been drinking the Kool-Aid.”

Knowledge of trial procedures across the country is one of the firm’s strengths. Another is a vast database of information about jurors, judges and verdicts. And yet another is an emphasis on “continuous improvement.” “Our standards,” Meihls says, “are uncompromising.”

8383 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 810 | Beverly Hills, CA 90211 | 323-653-3330
www.trial-partners.com

Now Departing: Mitch-Stuart Takes Fundraising and Corporate Rewards to Higher Levels

Mitch-Stuart’s clients are really going places. And so, literally, are those clients’ key donors and best employees.

This premium development company creates amazing travel and adventure getaways that charities can auction as fundraisers and corporations can award to top performers and valued customers. These packages blend destination with elements of the exotic and the unique into experiences rich in Wow! factor.

Imagine a fundraising ball where guests can bid on a safari, tickets to the Emmy Awards, a chance to get their hands on the controls of a real fighter plane, or a cooking class in Paris. Watch the bid cards rocket up. Imagine a corporate incentive program or customer reward where the winner goes to the Super Bowl or the Masters Tournament or any concert in the U.S. That can build loyalty, and that’s good business.

These are a few of the packages Mitch-Stuart has developed for clients. Partners Michelle “Mitch” Cohen and Stuart Paskow are always thinking about, planning and customizing the next stunning offering.

“We cut clients’ expenses. We’ve helped over 10,000 nonprofit organizations raise more than $1 billion collectively,” Cohen says. “We work on consignment, so charities risk nothing – they don’t pay us until the winning bidder pays them. And there’s an intertwining free-flow between the charity market and the business segment.”

Now, through “Perfect Places,” Mitch-Stuart is preparing to launch a loyalty-building program where companies offer their employees the chance to buy travel at deep discounts, with a portion of the purchase price going to a designated charity. Another program, “Once in a Lifetime,” will offer such singular experiences as a wedding on the beach.
Cohen and Paskow are experts in the niche travel area. They developed the nation’s first frequent-giving program for an international charity. Later, American Airlines recruited them – and they created “American Airlines AAdvantage Fund Raising,” a division they still run. Mitch-Stuart is a boutique agency, strongly customer-service oriented, boundlessly creative, helping businesses and charities look good and advance their goals through travel.

“People use it!” Cohen says. “It’s not a premium like a crystal clock. How many crystal clocks do you want? You want a lot of vacations. You want to go to the beach this time, and maybe next to New York for the theater, and then maybe Napa for that wine tour. You really can do well by doing good.”

28202 Cabot Road, Suite 525 | Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
949-276-9900 | 800-574-9991 | www.mitchstuart.com

Money-Saving Tax Strategies for Individuals and Businesses

A man invests thousands of dollars in what he believes to be a legitimate tax shelter. Years later, the IRS socks him with a $2.3 million bill. Cohesive Tax, a Southern California tax consulting firm, negotiates a settlement for a small fraction of the amount owed.

A husband and wife own a small business and pay $120,000 per year in income tax. Cohesive Tax shows them how to revise their corporate structure, leverage existing rental property and hire their own teenage and college-age children, cutting their tax bill by almost half.

Taxes are more complicated than ever. The federal tax code has grown from 400 pages in 1913 to more than 70,000 pages today.

“The biggest mistake people make is not engaging their tax professionals throughout the year,” says Karla Dennis, founder and president of Cohesive Tax. “Many people wait until April, but you can often save money by talking to a tax strategist early. The cost of strategic tax planning pales in comparison to the benefits. Taxpayers save money the year they plan and in the years to follow.”

Named Business of the Year in 2010 by the City of Cypress, California, Cohesive Tax helps individuals and business owners avoid problems and reduce the amount they owe, within the law. More than accountants, the professionals at Cohesive Tax are tax strategists, advising clients on legal tax strategies to substantially lower their tax bill. “Strategy should always be considered when buying or selling a business or home, college education, withdrawing money from an IRA and more,” Dennis says. “When necessary, we collaborate with clients’ other advisors such as financial planners and attorneys.”

Dennis wrote the book Tax Storm, which warns Americans will be swept away in a looming “tax storm” unless they plan accordingly. A Southern California native, she holds an undergraduate degree in accounting and a master’s in taxation. As an enrolled agent (EA), she is licensed in all 50 states and represents clients before the IRS. Having formerly worked with tax attorneys, Dennis launched her firm in 1991 to provide personalized service based as much on education as on crunching numbers.

“We strive to educate our clients so they understand tax laws that are relevant to them,” she says. “I love seeing that look on clients’ faces when they realize there is a less painful way to pay their taxes.”

6701 Katella Ave., Suite 110 | Cypress, CA 90630 | 714.252.5822 | 800.878.4051
www.cohesivetax.com

SunWest’s Pamela Lawrence Protects Tank Owners in Highly Regulated Environment

Pamela Lawrence wears many hats in her position of founder and president of SunWest Engineering Constructors, Inc. Perhaps the one she wears most often is that of “mediator.” Pamela negotiates solutions for some of the most highly regulated structures in the U.S. – fuel tanks. Her success is due to her exhaustive understanding of the perplexing regulatory world, and this understanding garners a wide respect in the regulatory field.

“Californians are fortunate to live in a state that makes the safety of its citizens and its natural resources a priority, but it is also one of the most heavily regulated. Our clients, who represent manufacturing, public utility, aviation, healthcare, rail industries and more, are conscientious corporate citizens. But keeping up with the variety of regulations from federal agencies, the 35 state agencies that enforce Clean Air laws, nine water boards, 58 counties, 83 CUPA agencies and other local agencies that control fuel tanks can be overwhelming when they must remain focused on their core operations,” explains Lawrence.

Lawrence’s expertise in the complexities of the regulatory environment has been 25 years in the making. In 1989, she co-founded MJK Construction, Inc., a premier provider of environmental construction work serving California and Nevada. Leveraging the experience she gained at MJK, Lawrence founded SunWest in 1994. Growing demand from clients with on-site petroleum tanks led Lawrence to change SunWest’s emphasis to petroleum tank site maintenance and compliance. Today, the company serves eight states in the Western U.S. and is among the 100 largest women-owned Los Angeles County-based businesses*. Lawrence and her staff are recognized for their ability to understand the effect of regulations from their clients’ point of view and have a great success rate bringing tank owners into compliance quickly and efficiently.

It is this reputation that brings a sigh of relief to tank owners facing hefty penalties, and confidence to existing clients that such situations are not on their horizons. It also gives regulators the confidence that problems will be addressed properly and quickly. When businesses that have been cited for violations enter regulatory hearings with SunWest as their liaison, regulators often perceive this as evidence of good-faith efforts toward compliance, making it more likely that fines will be lowered or dismissed. For example, air-related violations for one new client resulted in a $210,000 fine, which SunWest helped negotiate down to $11,000.

“We’re here to protect responsible tank owners by helping them stay in compliance, resolve issues quickly, and avoid unnecessary regulatory actions caused by a failure to fully understand or comply with the regulations,” says Lawrence. “We have attracted highly experienced professionals who share our integrity-over-profit philosophy and who can get to the core of complex, critical situations.”

2766 Pomona Blvd. | Pomona, CA 91768
909-594-9850 | 888-588-8737
SunWestEngineering.com