Charter Oak Tax Lawyers

Kevin G. Staker, the principal attorney in the firm, received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Utah College of Law, and his Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation degree from New York University School of Law. Kevin is the founder of the Planned Giving Council of Ventura County. Kevin has three times been a member of the Board of the Ventura County Bar Association, and was the chair of its annual dinner committee 14 of 15 years. Kevin Staker is a member of the Board, and was President for 2016 and the latter part of 2022, of Ventura...

Principal Owner
Jack E. Stephens J.D., LL.M. has been practicing law in San Diego since 1990, helping thousands of taxpayers reduce taxes and homeowners protect their property with Trust strategies. Jack Stephens has been designated as Top Lawyer by San Diego Magazine, Best of the Bar, and Avvo on a consistent basis. He has received annual awards including the AV Preeminent Attorney Rating by Martindell-Hubbell, representing the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards. As an active contributor to continuing education in Estate Planning, Jack Stephens has authored and edited quarterly newsletters, pamphlets, and contributed articles to the...

Tax Attorney Shawn Spaulding has dedicated his professional career to protecting the rights of taxpayers. After spending several tax seasons working in the legal department of the largest tax preparation company in the United States Shawn went on to pursue his LL.M (Master of Laws Degree) in Taxation at the University Of San Diego School Of Law. While completing the advanced tax program Shawn provided tax resolution services to the underserved community through the school’s clinic.

Shawn has accomplished high marks throughout his academic career graduating with honors in both his Bachelors (BSBA) and Juris Doctor (Law Degree) programs. He continued...

Jenny L. Doling is a Certified Bankruptcy Specialist and is the founding member of J. DOLING LAW, PC, a bankruptcy and insolvency firm serving Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada, with its main office in Palm Desert, California. Ms. Doling represents trustees, creditors and debtors in chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13 bankruptcy matters. In addition, she will be representing clients under the new SBRA - Small Business Reorganization Act (aka Sub Chapter 5) which takes effect February 2020. Ms. Doling is a serious advocate for her clients.

She is an active member of the bankruptcy bar. She...

With over six years of working in tax law under his belt, Mitchell Smith has represented clients in the U.S. Tax Court where he resolved numerous tax controversies at the audit and appellate levels of the IRS. He has also negotiated favorable settlements of high-dollar-tax deficiencies as well as secured tax-exempt status for new organizations and advised existing exempt organizations. At Zecca Ross & Smith Law Firm P.C., Mitchell Smith continues to excel in his career. His expertise extends to real estate taxation, federal and state worker classification reviews, foreign bank account disclosures and collection matters including Offers in Compromise and...

Attorney Milda Goeriz is skilled with all estate planning matters and experienced with tax audits and representation before the Internal Revenue Service and state and local tax authorities. In reaching the best results, Attorney Milda Goeriz applies modern methods and an honest approach to law. She employs creative strategies when forming revocable and irrevocable trusts and handling other estate planning matters. Ms. Goeriz has a unique ability to explain the complex planning devices in a simple fashion and is valued by her clients for effective asset protection. A multilingual tax lawyer with a background in international business transactions, Ms....

Kevan P. McLaughlin is an award-winning San Diego tax attorney whose practice focuses on civil and criminal tax litigation and controversies. Kevan defends taxpayers and resolves all types of tax disputes with the IRS, FTB, EDD, U.S. Tax Court, CUIAB, and Department of Justice. In 2009, Kevan formed a boutique law firm with special emphasis on civil and criminal tax preparation. The firm has since grown, adding estate planning, tax planning, trust administration, and tax preparer and CPA defense practice areas. The firm is dedicated to representing taxpayer in these concentrated practice areas, and today helps individuals and businesses with...

Bruce R. Durkee is licensed both as an attorney and as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Bruce is also a Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. ?Bruce graduated magna cum laude with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Whittier Law School -- finishing in the top 10% of his class. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Accounting from Vanguard University of Southern California, graduating cum laude. Prior to becoming an attorney, Bruce owned a CPA firm...

BRENT LANCE, LL.M. (Tax-NYU), has 43+ years of experience in California, Cross-border and International Tax matters. His experience includes seven years practicing international and California tax law at Baker & McKenzie, the world’s largest international law firm and five years leading an international tax consulting group as a partner of KPMG, the world’s largest international accounting and consulting firm. The balance of Mr. Lance’s 43+ years of cross-border tax and legal experience was earned by advising “snowbirds,” “expats,” international business owners, international investors and others with cross-border lifestyles in the boutique law firm he founded in Palm Desert 28 years...

My practice focuses on estate planning, trust administration, and probate and estate litigation. I have diverse experience in the areas of wills, trusts, business formation, federal and state taxation, and estate litigation. His litigation clients include individual and professional trustees, beneficiaries, surviving spouses, care givers, and omitted heirs. Prior to joining Albence and Associates, APC, I practiced at a major securities litigation firm headquartered in San Diego. I was involved in a variety of complex litigation cases, including mortgage backed securities cases and post-merger derivative suits. This diverse litigation experience in multi-party, national scale cases, blends...

A recognized leader in the field, John Andersen is a partner at Ferguson Case Orr Paterson. A Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the California State Bar since 2008, John is also an Executive Committee Board Member of the Trusts and Estates Section of the California State Bar that advises the California legislature on laws effecting estate planning and a “Top Lawyer” Super Lawyer in Estate Planning and Probate.

John guides couples, families, individuals, entrepreneurs, business owners, and public figures of all means, in all aspects of estate planning, trusts and probate and creates a custom plan...

Hi... My name is Ralph Charles Busch. Please call me Chad. I have been providing state & local (SALT) corporate income/franchise and capital tax technical consulting and controversy assistance for the past two decades.

?I obtained my Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Arizona State University in 1989 and my Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Western State University School of Law (now Thomas Jefferson School of Law) in 1993. After a short period running a sole practice, I attended University of San Diego School of Law and obtained an LL.M. in taxation in 1999.

?For the past 16 years I have provided...

See professional experience below.

John Milikowsky, a San Diego tax attorney, has been providing legal counsel to California business and individuals for more than a decade. He is the founder of Milikowsky Tax Law. Prior to establishing his firm, Attorney Milikowsky was a litigation attorney and counsel for a retail company in San Diego. Mr. Milikowsky has a LL.M. in Taxation from the University of San Diego School of Law, and received his Juris Doctor from the California Western School of Law. He is currently in the process of being admitted to the Israeli Bar to practice law in Israel.

Seasoned Professional and Entrepreneur with over 30 years of combined experience in Law; Real Estate, Leasing, Finance, Mortgage, and Property Management; Property/Casualty/Health/Life/Disability Insurance; Premium Audit; Worker's Compensation Underwriting and Risk Management; General Management; Financial Planning/Analysis; and Taxation.

Attorney Philip G. Panitz is a national tax litigator who has successfully fought the IRS on behalf of real estate investors and other clients. He has handled over 250 tax matters before the U.S. Tax Court. In 1995 he successfully challenged the IRS in the matter "Williams v. U.S." before the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Panitz holds an LL.M. in Tax from NYU, and conducts his tax litigation practice nationwide. He is a Certified Tax Specialist in accordance with the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization, with 30 years of legal experience in tax litigation and tax planning.

I have several years of legal, litigation, tax and financial experience. My practice focuses on financial distress counseling, federal agency representation and litigation. I specialize in SBA loan problem resolution, SBA Office of Hearings & Appeals, Department of Treasury/Bureau of Fiscal Service representation, commercial collection defense litigation, IRS tax controversies, FDCPA litigation and Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Throughout my years of practice, I have represented a diverse range of clients, from individuals, small businesses to Fortune 500 companies, handling complex transactions to resolving litigation cases. I have tried several cases to jury verdict and have significant experience...

I had a 27-year career with the IRS as an Estate Tax Attorney. My focus is on valuation issues relating to intellectual property (music/film copyrights, name and likeness rights) and business (partial interest discounts) assets.

David A. Esquibias is a lawyer who also has a post graduate Master of Laws in Taxation degree. Mr. Esquibias is one of few attorneys certified by the State Bar of California as a specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law. Mr. Esquibias has nearly 30 years of experience as a successful trust and estate trial litigator. Mr. Esquibias specializes in attacking or defending complex trust and estate administrations and accountings. Mr. Esquibias represents high net worth families, their trustees and executors.

Mark Lobb founded the firm on November 3, 1993, and is the current Managing Partner. His clients consist of domestic and foreign corporations and the owners of such corporations.

Bachelor's of Science Degree in Business Administration UCLA Juris Doctorate UCLA Law LLM (in taxation) NYU Served 25 years as an Arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association Admitted to: California Supreme Court United States Tax Court United States District Court for the Southern District of California Broad experience in Probate & Estate Planning, We give client's a free 1/2 hour consultation. Very competitive fees. Probate fees are statutory. For a single person we prepare a Trust, Certificate of Trust, Will, Health Care Directive with Hippa Release, Assignment of Assets to the Trust and Quick Claim deed to put the house into the Trust...