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John Ward Ambrecht
About John
Biography
For more than five decades, I have dedicated my professional life to helping families preserve not only their wealth, but also the values, relationships, and purpose that define their legacy.
My practice is devoted to sophisticated estate planning, estate and gift tax planning, business succession, trust administration, and family governance for families with substantial estates. Throughout my career, I have believed that exceptional planning extends far beyond the preparation of legal documents. The most successful plans prepare future generations to become responsible stewards of family wealth while reducing conflict, strengthening communication, and preserving family harmony.
This philosophy has shaped my work for more than fifty years and has led to leadership opportunities within some of the most respected organizations in the trusts and estates profession.
Today, as Co-Founding Partner of Ambrecht & Martinez, LLP, I continue to advise families, entrepreneurs, executives, trustees, and closely held businesses throughout California in designing sophisticated legal, tax, and governance strategies that preserve wealth and strengthen family legacies for generations to come.
Practice Areas
1
Practice Area
Fees and Rates
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in California for 52 years
State: California
Acquired: 1974
No misconduct found
Location
Ambrecht & Martinez, LLP
1828 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101
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John Ward Ambrecht's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
2 Client Reviews
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Practice Areas
Showing 1 - 2 of 2 reviews | Responsiveness
Posted by Edward | June 25, 2012
An unusual family trust lawyer
During the 30 years I have known John Ambrecht he has attended to my personal and family legal needs,ranging from ensuring that I had a will,to educating me in the importance of a family trust.He has always been available to advise in matters of domestic and international tax law, enabling me to feel...
Posted by Howard | June 19, 2012
A trustworthy quality attorney
I have seen this attorney's work in a number of cases and he is not only very knowledgeable but deeply committed to doing the best he can for his clients regardless of the difficulty of their situation and at the most reasonable cost. He faces some very difficult situations because he is willing to t...
John Ward Ambrecht's Lawyer Endorsements
"John is an exceptional attorney. He is knowledgeable, conscientious and effective in the most complicated of taxation and estate planning matters."
"I endorse this lawyer. John has an excellent reputation for complicated tax and estate planning matters. I have referred a number of clients to his office."
"I endorse this lawyer's work. John is an exceptional lawyer. I have referred people to John and he has handled estate planning matters for my wife's family for decades. I would not hesitate to endorse John as a premier estate planning lawyer."
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Experience
Honors
2027
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2026
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2025
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2024
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2024
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2023
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2023
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2022
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2022
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2021
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2021
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2020
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2020
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2019
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2019
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2018
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2018
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2017
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2017
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2016
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2016
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2015
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2015
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2014
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2014
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2013
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2013
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2012
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2012
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2011
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2011
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2010
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2010
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2009
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2009
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2008
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2008
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2007
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2007
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
2006
Best Lawyers - Tax Law, Best Lawyers
Work Experience
2023 - Present
Founding Partner, Ambrecht & Martinez, LLP
2021 - 2023
Parter, DT Law Partners
1980 - 2021
Founder & Principle Attorney, Ambrecht & Associates
Associations
2006 - Present
State Bar of CaliforniaCertified Specialist - Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law
Santa Barbara County Bar Association
Chairman
American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
Fellow
Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)
Member
St Vincent's
Board Member
2000 - 2010
Westmont CollegeBoard Member
Education
1974
New York University School of Law
LL.M - Master of Laws
1973
Loyola University
JD - Juris Doctor
1968
University of California - Los Angeles
MBA
1966
University of California at Los Angeles
BA - Bachelor of Arts
Speaking Engagements
2002
California Continuing Education of the Bar
Estate Planning & Administration: 17th Annual Recent Developments
2001
California Tax Bars
Estate Planning for the Family Business: The Non-Linear Approach
2001
California Continuing Education of the Bar
Estate Planning & Administration: 16th Annual Recent Developments
2000
Education Foundation
Succession Planning: What Works and What Doesn't?
2000
California Tax Bars
Use of Foreign Asset Protection Trusts in Estate Planning and Attendant Risks to Clients and Practitioners
2000
California Continuing Education of the Bar
Estate Planning & Administration: 15th Annual Recent Developments
1998
House Ways & Means Committee, Washington D.C.
Increasing Taxpayer Compliance: A Discussionof the Negligence Penalty
1995
California Education Bar
Funding and Administering Trusts after the Death of the Trustor
1994
USC Federal Tax Institute
The Value of Sustaining the Values
N/A
University of California Santa Barbara Extension
Estate Planning for Financial Planners
N/A
Golden Gate University, Masters Degree Program
Federal Tax Procedure
N/A
Education Foundation
Succesion and Multigeneration Strategic Planning for the Family Business
N/A
California State Bar Tax Section
Estate Planning and Generation Skipping Taxes
N/A
California State Bar Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Section
Funding and Administering Trusts after the Death of the Trustor
N/A
California CPA Education Foundation
The Toboo Topics in Estate Planning and What to Do About Them
Publications
2021
Santa Barbara Lawyer
Take Steps to Protect Loved Ones & Clients: Proposition 19 Could Cause Significant Real Estate Tax Hikes
2015
Santa Barbara Lawyer
The Most Expedient Way to Sabotage a Family Business
2008
2006
Montecito Journal
Mixing Business with 'Family Stuff'
2006
California Trust & Estate Quarterly
Risky Business: Family Succession and the Rules of Professional Conduct
2004
California Trust & Estate Quarterly
From Roles to Rules: A New Model for Managing Family Dynamics in the Estate Planning Process
2001
Private Wealth Advisor
Successful Estate Planning: What Works and What Doesn't
1999
California Transaction Forms: Estate Planning
Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax
1999
California Tranaction Forms: Estate Planning
Real Property Tax
1998
California Trust & Estate Quarterly
Family Enterprise Planning: The Forgotten Component in the Family Business Succession Plan
1996
California Tax Lawyer Magazine
Bad Dreams May Be Real: The Generation-Skipping Tax Inclusion Ratio after the Final Regulations
1995
California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
Handling Post Mortem Trust Administration: A checklist
1994
USC Law Center - 46th Annual Institute on Federal Taxation
The Value of Sustaining the Values
1993
California Trust & Estate Quarterly
California Real Property Tax Issues with Estate Planning Transfers to Legal Entities and Making Gifts
1993
California Trust & Estate Quarterly
Family Limited Partnerships: A Client Primer
1991
California Tax Lawyer Magazine
Selected Solutions for Coping with Generation Skipping Transfer Tax Rules
Languages
English