Alex E. Reeves is an associate attorney for Sullivan, McGibbons, Crickard & Associates LLP.  Alex gives counsel to individuals, families and business owners in all areas of estate and succession planning.  Her practice is focused on asset protection, generational wealth transfers, and complex trust and probate administrations.

Alex is experienced in advising on and drafting revocable and irrevocable estate plans, Limited Liability Corporation formation, Heggstad petitions, and petitions to modify and construe trust terms. She is adept at advising beneficiaries of their rights and expectations under family trusts, as well as drafting supporting memoranda.  Additionally, Alex has experience advising her clients on income, estate, and gift tax, as well as preparation of estate tax returns and gift tax returns.

Education

• Juris Doctor, University of San Francisco School of Law
• Bachelor of Science, University of California at Davis

Professional Memberships

• Provisors – San Diego UTC Group
• Jewish Community Foundation – Trusted Charitable Advisor
• San Diego Jewish Academy Alumni Association
• State Bar of California

Publications 

• Co-Author, “California Proposition 19 Passed. Immediate Effect on Real Property Tax Planning” January 8, 2021

Jeremy is a partner of Sullivan, McGibbons, Crickard & Associates, LLP.  Jeremy’s practice focuses on counseling families, business owners and successful individuals in all areas of estate planning. For more than two decades Jeremy has advised his clients on sophisticated family wealth and transfer tax planning, complex trust and probate administrations, business succession planning, fiduciary representation, the resolution of Federal estate and gift tax audits, and charitable planned giving.

Jeremy is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and past Chair of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the State Bar of California. He is also a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Jeremy has been recognized by his peers for his expertise in estate planning, including being named as a Top 10 San Diego Super Lawyer in 2017, a Top 50 San Diego Super Lawyer in 2015-2019, Best Lawyers 2022 “Lawyer of the Year” for Trusts and Estates in San Diego, and as a ranked attorney in Chambers High Net Worth for Private Wealth Law – Southern California (2021-2022). Jeremy is also a speaker and author on sophisticated estate planning and trust administration topics.

Jeremy began his practice at the San Diego law firm of Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps, LLP where he started as a summer associate and became a partner.  Prior to joining Sullivan, McGibbons, Crickard & Associates, LLP, Jeremy was a partner with the global private client firm of Withers LLP and its US partnership Withers Bergman LLP where he served as the Regional Division Leader for the U.S. Private Client and Tax team.

Education

• Juris Doctorate, cum laude, University of Michigan Law School
• Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, Williams College

Professional Memberships

• Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
• Executive Committee of the State Bar of California, Trusts and Estates Section: Chair (2014-2015), Member/Advisor (2007-2018)
• State Bar of California, Trusts & Estates Section
• North County Estate Planning Council – San Diego
• San Diego County Bar Association

Accolades

• Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating
• Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the State Board of California Board Legal Specialization
• Chambers High Net Worth, Private Wealth Law – Southern California (2021-2022)
• Top 10: San Diego Super Lawyer (2017)
• Top 50: San Diego Super Lawyers (2015-2020)
• San Diego Super Lawyer (2013-2022)
• Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” – Trust and Estates, San Diego (2022)
• Best Lawyers in Trusts and Estates (2016-2022)
• San Diego Magazine: Top Lawyers in San Diego (2013-2022)
• San Diego Metropolitan Magazine ’40 Under 40’ (2012)

Community Involvement

• Make-A-Wish Foundation of America Planned Giving Advisory Council- Member
• Make-A-Wish Foundation of San Diego Planned Giving Advisory Council- Current Chair
• Make-A-Wish Foundation of San Diego – Past Treasurer and member of the Board of Directors
• San Diego Bowl Game Association Committee

Publications

• Author, ‘Formula Clauses After Wandry’ Trusts and Estate Quarterly, Volume 18, Issue 4, 2011
• Co-Author, ‘Issues on Death of Spouse or Registered Domestic Partner’ (Chapter 5), Crossover Issues in Estate Planning and Family Law (CEB 2011)
• Co-Author, ‘Preparing For an Exit – Succession Planning’ Transworld Business, January 2011
• Co-Author, ‘Estate Planning for the Business Owner’ San Diego Business Journal, Wealth Management & Succession Planning Supplement: ‘Restoring the Legacy’ March 29, 2010
• Author, ‘Heggstad Petitions – A Practitioner’s Guide’ Trusts and Estates Quarterly-Vol. 14, Issue 3 – Fall 2008

Laurel J. Carothers is an associate for Sullivan, McGibbons, Crickard & Associates, LLP.  Laurel provides clients advice in the areas of estate planning, and estate and trust administration.

Work Experience:

• Prior to joining Sullivan McGibbons & Associates LLP, Laurel was an attorney at a large plaintiffs’ law firm in San Diego.
• During law school, Laurel was a judicial extern for the Honorable Thomas J. Whelan of the Unites States District Court for the Southern District of California and the Honorable Ana L. España of the Superior Court of San Diego County

Education:

• Juris Doctorate, University of San Diego School of Law (2019)
• Bachelor of Arts in English, cum laude, The Ohio State University (2012)

Professional Memberships:

• State Bar of California
• California Lawyers Association (Section: Trusts and Estates)
• San Diego County Bar Association
• Lawyers Club of San Diego

Community Involvement:

• President, University of San Diego Law School, Women’s Law Caucus (2018-2019)
• Wiley W. Manuel Award for Legal Services, The State Bar of California (2017)

Robert Mardian is a partner of Sullivan, McGibbons, Crickard & Associates, LLP.  Robert provides the firm’s clients with advice in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration and litigation, and probate.  Prior to joining Sullivan, McGibbons, Crickard & Associates, LLP, he was a senior counsel and associate at Henderson, Caverly, Pum & Charney LLP for nine years practicing in the area of estate and trust administration and litigation, and probate. He began his career as a litigation attorney with Neil, Dymott, Frank, McCabe & Hudson APC.

Education:

• 2002 – Juris Doctor, University of San Diego School of Law
• 1999 – Master of Arts, National Security Studies, Georgetown University
• 1997 – Bachelor of Arts, History, University of San Diego

Professional Designations:

• Admitted to Practice Law before all Courts of the State of California, all Federal District Courts in California, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law by California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization

Professional Organizations:

• State Bar of California
• California Lawyers Association (Sections: Trusts and Estates; Tax)
• San Diego County Bar Association
• Probate Attorneys of San Diego

Community Involvement:

• Board of Directors for San Diego Defense Lawyers 2011-2015 (Secretary 2014-2015)
• Editor of The Update 2013-2015 (Quarterly Publication by the San Diego Defense Lawyers)
• Lecturer on estate, trust and probate topics for the National Business Institute (NBI)
• Red Boudreau Trial Lawyers’ Dinner Committee 2014-2023 (Program Coordinator 2015-2023)

Phil is a founding partner of Sullivan, McGibbons, Crickard & Associates, LLP in San Diego, California.  Phil’s practice is focused in the areas of estate planning, trust and estate administration, and probate.  He has extensive experience in estate planning for individuals and families, including trust formation, charitable giving, transfer tax planning, incapacity planning, intra-family transactions, trust and probate administrations and IRS estate tax audits.

Prior to forming Sullivan, McGibbons, Crickard & Associates, LLP, Phil was a Partner at Henderson, Caverly, Pum & Charney LLP, in San Diego, and in the Family Wealth and Exempt Organizations Practice Group at Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps LLP, in San Diego.

Education

• Masters in Law (Taxation) L.LM.- New York University (1995)
• Juris Doctorate, Villanova University School of Law (1988)
• Bachelor of Science (Accounting), Seton Hall University (1985)

Professional Memberships

• American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel
• Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
• North County Estate Planning Council (Founding Board Member)
• State Bar of California, Trusts and Estates Section
• San Diego County Bar Association

Accolades

• AV Preeminent from the Martindale Hubbell®
• California Super Lawyer
• Top Attorney, Estate and Trust Planning, San Diego Magazine
• San Diego County Top Attorney, Estate Planning/Probate & Trust/Tax, The San Diego Daily Transcript

Community Involvement

• Scripps Health Foundation, Gift Planning Advisory Board (former member)
• La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, Gift Planning Advisory Board