Estate Planning, Trust and Probate & Probate Litigation Sections Meeting (virtual)

Patrick A. Kohlmann

Temmerman, Cilley, & Kohlmann

Patrick A. Kohlmann is the managing partner at Temmerman, Cilley & Kohlmann. Patrick advises individuals and families in all aspects of wealth transfer planning, including tax-advantaged transfers of assets, multigenerational planning, the taxation of trusts and estates, and business succession counseling. Patrick is passionate about the law. He was Chair of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section (TEXCOM) of the State Bar of California (now CLA) from 2015-2016, and served on TEXCOM from 2008-2019. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estates Counsel, was formerly a member of the Judicial Council’s Probate and Mental Health Advisory Committee, and has consistently been named a Northern California “Super Lawyer,” including recognition as one of the top 100 lawyers in Northern California (2021-2022). Patrick practiced public accounting as a CPA before pursuing a legal career.

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John W. Prokey

Ramsbacher Prokey Leonard LLP

John Prokey is a partner of Ramsbacher Prokey Leonard LLP. John’s law practice focuses on providing advice in wealth planning, estate and trust administration, and tax. His clients include individuals, private fiduciaries, institutions, and other business and non-profit entities. The wealth planning portion of John’s law practice emphasizes advising individuals and fiduciaries in estate planning, wealth preservation, tax, and business matters. John also advises fiduciaries and beneficiaries in trust and probate administration matters, with emphasis in complex administrations. John’s law practice includes representing taxpayers in all levels of federal tax controversy, including IRS examination and Appeals, and before the U.S. Tax Court. Clients, their families, and other practitioners rely on John for dispute resolution in these arenas, including serving as a mediator.

John is a Fellow of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He is also a member of the California Lawyers Association. He served on the Trusts and Estates Section Executive Committee and the Taxation Section Executive Committee of the California State Bar; and also served as Chair (2004-2005) of the Taxation Section’s Estate and Gift Tax Sub-Committee. John is a member of the Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County, and American Bar Associations.

John is a frequent lecturer and guest speaker at numerous seminars and conferences throughout California and elsewhere, and is an author on various tax and estate planning topics. Speaking engagements include the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, Jerry A. Kasner Estate Planning Symposium, AICPA Advanced Estate Planning Conference, CalCPA Advanced Estate Planning Institute, Annual Estate Planning Symposium, Tax and Update Planning Conference, the San Diego Tax and Estate Planning Forum, the Hawaii Tax Institute, CEB/UCLA Estate Planning Conference, Continuing Education of the Bar Estate Planning and Administration, San Francisco, San Mateo County, and Silicon Valley Bar Associations, East Bay, Orange County, Sacramento, Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County, and Stanislaus County Estate Planning Councils, CPE Forum of the Central Coast, East Bay Trust & Estates Lawyers Seminar, and Paralegal Association of Santa Clara County.
John received his Baccalaureate of Science degree from Santa Clara University in 1994 and his Juris Doctor degree from Santa Clara University School of Law in 1999, graduating cum laude in both undergraduate and law school studies.

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Steven P. Braccini

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

Steven P. Braccini is a partner in the Business Trial Practice Group in the firm's Silicon Valley office.

Areas of Practice: Steve's practice focuses on trust, probate and conservatorship litigation including, but not limited to:

Will contests
Trust contests
Removal and surcharge actions
Contested conservatorships
Accounting disputes
Financial elder abuse actions
Reformation or modification actions
Tax controversy
Related “civil” claims

Steve also has an appellate practice and has presented numerous seminars and workshops on issues related to trust and estate litigation.

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