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52nd Annual Trust and Estate Conference
Agenda
October 30, 2026 | Los Angeles, CA
Explore the Conference Agenda
View the conference sessions below to plan your Trust and Estate Conference experience.
Meet the Speakers
Sessions scheduled for the 52nd Annual Trust and Estate Conference.
Sessions will be available for viewing in the Attendee Hub. Log into the Attendee Hub below.
Annual Update: Recent Developments in Probate and Trust and their Practical Applications
- Availability:
- Oct 30, 2026 @ 08:30 AM (PDT)
- Duration:
- 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Speaker:
-
David Lane — Lecturer in Law, USC Gould School of Law | Amy L. McEvoy — Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, Sheppard | Erin L. Prouty — Partner, Lagerlof, LLP
- Short Description:
- Take advantage of the analyses of our expert panelists as they review critical recent California legislation and case law and Federal tax law. Both new and experienced practitioners will benefit from their insights on current developments in wills, trusts and estate, and gift taxation.
Practical Use Cases for California’s New Virtual Representation Statute
- Availability:
- Oct 30, 2026 @ 10:20 AM (PDT)
- Duration:
- 1 Hour
- Speaker:
-
Matthew Baker — Partner, Saul Ewing LLP | Michael Rosen-Prinz — Partner, Loeb & Loeb LLP | Anna K. Soliman — Special Counsel, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
- Short Description:
- This panel discusses California’s New Virtual Representation Statute and explores practical use cases for probate court practitioners, including statutory notice scenarios, marshaling and distributing asset applications, trust modification and termination, and more.
The Super-Agers
- Availability:
- Oct 30, 2026 @ 11:30 AM (PDT)
- Duration:
- 1 Hour
- Speaker:
-
Paul Gordon Hoffman — Partner, Withersworldwide | Stuart D. Zimring — Owner, The Law Offices of Stuart D. Zimring
- Short Description:
- This panel includes practical issues arising from clients living significantly longer than planned - resource depletion, retirement plan exhaustion, 24/7 caregiver costs, capacity concerns, co-trustee arrangements and springing power, life insurance riders, reverse mortgages, and long-term disability funding. Touches both planning and litigation (capacity disputes, conflicts of interest).
AI in Action: Live Demonstrations & Workflows for the Trust & Estate Practice.
- Availability:
- Oct 30, 2026 @ 01:05 PM (PDT)
- Duration:
- 30 Minutes
- Speaker:
-
Valerie Alter — Partner & Co-Leader, Appellate Practice Group, Sheppard | Jenny Hill Bratt — Partner, Sheppard | Shawn S. Kerendian — Managing Partner, Keystone Law Group, P.C.
- Short Description:
- Join us for a special presentation which offers a practical look at how AI is being put to work in the trust and estate field today. Through live demonstrations, the speakers will walk attendees through real AI tools and workflows. The session emphasizes practical, immediately applicable techniques that attorneys can incorporate into their day-to-day work, with additional use cases to be highlighted.
Retirement Plans - Practical Planning for Inheritance and Post-Mortem Administration
- Availability:
- Oct 30, 2026 @ 01:45 PM (PDT)
- Duration:
- 1 Hour
- Speaker:
-
Nancy Welber — Attorney, Nancy H. Welber, P.C.
- Short Description:
- Retirement plan disposition planning changed dramatically after the SECURE Act. This advanced session delivers scenario-based guidance that attorneys can apply immediately when advising clients on inherited retirement assets and beneficiary design. The session will cover when retirement assets should pass outright versus remain in trust, how to evaluate conduit and accumulation trust provisions post-SECURE Act, additional trust options for certain beneficiaries, improved flexibility under the final regulations, post-mortem administration issues, and when naming beneficiaries directly may produce better outcomes than traditional trust structures.
Advanced Property Tax Planning for Trusts & Estates
- Availability:
- Oct 30, 2026 @ 03:05 PM (PDT)
- Duration:
- 1 Hour
- Speaker:
-
Yin T. Ho — Partner, Withers | Eric M. Tokuyama — Partner, Withersworldwide
- Short Description:
- Take advantage of the analyses of our expert panelists as they review critical recent California legislation and case law and Federal tax law. Both new and experienced practitioners will benefit from their insights on current developments in wills, trusts and estate, and gift taxation.
Inside the Probate Process: Insights & Perspectives from the Front Lines
- Availability:
- Oct 30, 2026 @ 04:15 PM (PDT)
- Duration:
- 1 Hour
- Speaker:
-
Darciann Gilroy Horton — Probate Attorney, Los Angeles County Superior Court | Dean Silliman — Managing Probate Attorney, Los Angeles County Superior Court | Christina Marie Stone — Probate Attorney, Los Angeles County Superior Court
- Short Description:
- This presentation features an inside perspective on probate practice, focusing on common petition errors and the court’s review process. Join our distinguished panel of expert probate attorneys as they discuss frequent issues encountered in filings, practical considerations in petition preparation, and factors that contribute to delays and complications.
Contact Us
Continuing Legal Education
USC Gould School of Law
699 Exposition Boulevard, Suite 409
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0071
Phone: 213-821-3580
Email: cle@law.usc.edu
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699 Exposition Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90089-0071
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