Mr. Stern is a partner in our Los Angeles office and is the Chairman of our Business Transactions and Tax Planning Department. His practice focuses on business transactions, taxation and estate planning. In particular, Mr. Stern has extensive expertise in buying, selling and joint venturing of businesses, creating opportunities through domestic and foreign distribution and licensing relationships, structuring executive compensation programs, designing family business and real estate succession plans, and income tax planning for businesses and real estate investors with a focus on creatively maximizing after-tax cash returns, successfully completing the transaction or plan, and protecting the client against post-closing surprises. In addition, Mr. Stern has considerable hands-on accounting and business experience, having passed the CPA examination in 1973, served as Chief Executive Officer of a real estate subsidiary of a Savings and Loan Association from 1984 to 1986, and served as Chief Executive Officer of a national distribution and publishing company from 1987 to 1994.

In 2006, 2007 and again for 2011 Mr. Stern has been named a "Southern California Super Lawyer," a designation bestowed on only the top 5% of lawyers in this region by Law & Politics and Los Angeles magazines.

EDUCATION

University of California Los Angeles (J.D. 1976) Editorial Board, UCLA Law Review
University of Illinois (B.A., Accounting 1973) summa cum laude

ADMISSIONS/QUALIFICATIONS

U.S. Tax Court, 1976
Certified Tax Specialist, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS

Member, State Bar of California (Taxation, Estate Planning and Business Law Committees)
Member, Beverly Hills Bar Association (Past Chairman, Taxation Committee)
Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association
Former Member, American Institute of CPAs and Illinois Society of CPAs (passed CPA examination in Illinois in 1973).

ARTICLES, SPEECHES AND SEMINARS

Mr. Stern has lectured before numerous groups, including the California Continuing Education of the Bar, the CPA Foundation, the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, the National Association of Accountants, and various groups and associations in the financial planning, securities and real estate industries.

TEACHING/ADJUNCT PROFESSOR

Adjunct Professor of Law, Masters in Taxation Program, Northrop University