James Keith Leese

Certified Specialist, Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.  Instructor at UCI - Extension, Fundamental Estate Planning, Advanced Estate Planning, Personal Planning Certificate Program (1994 to present).

Mr. Leese is primarily responsible for the firm’s estate and business succession planning departments. He limits his practice to transactions involving business, estate and gift tax planning, preparation of trusts and wills, probate and trust administration for individuals and owners of businesses. He works in a team approach with trust officials, financial planners, insurance agents, accountants, and appraisers to design and implement plans that will best meet the client’s needs and objectives. Mr. Leese works with the high net worth client, using sophisticated estate planning strategies and tools, as well as with the client who has non-tax related planning goals in mind.

Since 1994, Mr. Leese has taught the fundamentals of estate planning and advanced estate planning courses in the Personal Financial Planning Certificate Program at the University of California at Irvine Extension. He also has taught a layperson course on estate planning for UCI Extension. He speaks frequently to such professional groups as the National Business Institute, the Orange County/Long Beach Chapter of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Arthritis Foundation, and the Easter Seals Society. He has contributed to the Estate Planning text Estate Planning and Taxation, Joan C. Bost, Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company; and is a co-author of the textbook used at UCI Extension entitled Advanced Estate Planning for Financial Professionals. He represents the firm in its sponsoring of the Cal State Fullerton, Family Business Counsel. Mr. Leese was named a 2007, 2008 and 2009 Southern California Super Lawyer by Los Angeles Magazine.