Mr. Marcus is a partner in our Los Angeles office and is Chairman of our Estate Planning and Charitable Planning Departments. He is a certified specialist in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law. Mr. Marcus lectures and writes frequently on estate planning, tax exempt organizations, and on charitable and business planning issues. His practice is split between representing individuals in their estate and philanthropic planning, trustees in their administration of significant wealth, and nonprofit organizations in connection with planned giving, organizational and operational issues.

Mr. Marcus has been named a "Southern California Super Lawyer" for 2009 & 2010, a designation bestowed on only the top 5% of lawyers in this region by Law & Politics and Los Angeles magazines.

EDUCATION

New York University School of Law (LL.M., Taxation 1984)
Loyola Law School (J.D. 1981) University of California at Berkeley, Pacific Oaks College (B.A. 1974)

ADMISSIONS/QUALIFICATIONS

State Bar of California, 1981
Certified Specialist - Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law, the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.
U.S. Tax Court, 1981
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1981
U.S. District Courts for Central, Southern, Northern and Eastern Districts of California, 1981

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS

Member, National Committee on Planned Giving
Member, Planned Giving Roundtable of Southern California, Member, American Bar Association
Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association (Taxation Section and Exempt Organizations Section)

PHILANTHROPIC ENDEAVORS

Editorial Review Board, Journal of Gift Planning (2002-present)
Editorial Review Board, Planned Giving Design Center (2002-present)
Chairman, Endowment Committee, Wise Senior Services (1992 - 2005) Outstanding Service Award, Wise Senior Services (2001)
Chairman, Leave a Legacy, Southern California (2001)
President (2000) of the Planned Giving Round Table of Southern California; Chairman, Outreach Committee (1991-1993); Legislative Affairs (1994-1996)
Chairman, Endowment Committee, Olive Crest (1995-1997)
Member, Board of Directors, International Children's School (1987-1990)
Member, Board of Directors, Pacific Oaks College (2004 - )

ARTICLES, SPEECHES AND SEMINARS

Lecturer, "Primer on Community Property", "Planning with Community Property," AICPA 29th Annual Advanced Estate Planning Conference (July 2006)

Lecturer, "Opportunities in Planned Giving," Cal State Fullerton Philanthropic Foundation (October 2005)

Lecturer, "Shams and Scams," Planned Giving Roundtable of Southern California (September 2005)

Instructor, "Charitable Gifting Part I: Assets and Entities," American Institute of Philanthropic Studies (1996 - present)

Lecturer, "Restricted Funds: How Restricted is Restricted?," California CPA Education Foundation, Not-for Profit Organization Conference (2003)

Lecturer, "Restricted Funds," Western Regional Conference on Planned Giving (May 2003)

Author, "Flipping the Switch," Journal of Gift Planning, 3rd Quarter (2001)

Co-Editor, "Estate Planning Developments," C.L.U. Journal (1985-2001)

Lecturer, "Charitable Planning for Stock Options, Rule 144 Stock and IPOs," National Committee on Planned Giving (October 1998)

Author, "Organizing and Maintaining Tax Exempt Status," Tax Exempt Organizations and Private Foundations, Federal Tax Services, published by Matthew Bender

And many other presentations for banks, attorneys, accountants, financial planners, insurance professionals and donors and prospects for nonprofit organizations on estate planning and charitable planning issues.