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SACRAMENTO / SAN FRANCISCO / LOS ANGELES, July 6, 2012 – Weintraub Genshlea Chediak Tobin & Tobin Law Corporation and Weissmann Wolff Bergman Coleman Grodin LLP have jointly announced the merger of their respective business and entertainment law firms. The combined firm, named Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin Law Corporation, which will be known as Weintraub Tobin, will have more than 70 attorneys in offices in Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles. In addition to the expanded focus on entertainment and its convergence with technology and finance, key practice areas include corporate, banking, securities, employment, litigation and dispute resolution, intellectual property, tax, trusts and estate planning, real estate and bankruptcy.

“After our successful expansion in the San Francisco market with the merger of Tobin & Tobin late last year, we turned our eyes toward Los Angeles and found a firm that mirrors our culture and complements our specialty practice areas,” said Michael Kvarme, Weintraub Tobin’s managing shareholder. “The combination with Weissmann Wolff offers clients a fully integrated team of business attorneys that are held in high esteem by the entertainment industry. In addition, with our expanded and solid presence throughout California, we are large enough to offer superior depth and breadth of expertise but small enough to enable efficiencies and flexibility that ultimately benefit all clients.”

“The combined capabilities and expanded services of the firm benefit our clients in that we now have a larger geographical reach and further depth in meeting all of their business needs. The firm’s outstanding attorneys offer a broad range of business and litigation services that will ideally complement our entertainment focus,” said Marvin Gelfand, managing partner for Weissmann Wolff.

The Los Angeles Office will continue to advise its entertainment industry clients across film, television, animation, videogames, digital media and publishing including Scholastic, Random House, Warner Bros., NBC/Universal, Doug Liman (Director: Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Bourne Identity; Executive Producer: Covert Affairs, Suits), Jan DeBont (Director: Speed, Twister), Diane Lane, Cheech Marin and Tracey Ullman, to name a few. Via the San Francisco Office, entertainment clients will have access to the legal expertise and relationships established with leading technology groups.

With offices in Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles, Weintraub Tobin pledges to be an innovative provider of sophisticated legal services to dynamic businesses and business owners, as well as non-profits and individuals with litigation, business and entertainment needs. The firm will continue its long-time and strong support of the communities in which its attorneys live and work.

This week, Sacramento estate planning attorney Kay Brooks answers readers questions in the Sacramento Bee column “Ask the Experts.”

Q: I have a common situation, but with an interesting twist. I am 87, have enough money to live on but am not rich (about $300,000 or so), and get Social Security. I live in California with my granddaughter, but I also have a house in Croatia where I visit part of each year. I have a Totten trust on most of my funds and so if not for the house in Croatia I don’t think I’d even need a probate. How do I pass on my house in Croatia? Do I need a will here or a will in Croatia? Can I set up a trust in California? Is this something that I need a lawyer for in California, in Croatia, or both? Thanks for your help. – Tom; Sacramento, CA

To read Kay Brooks answer, visit the Ask the Expert column here on the Sacbee.com.

Q: My wife and I have a safe-deposit box. After we are gone, will our kids have any problem getting into the box? I’ve heard that banks refuse to give children (access) until certain requirements are met.

A: To read Kay Brooks’ answer, visit the Ask the Experts column here on Sacbee.com.

Download: Joe in TIME Magazine.pdf

Joe discusses life with his childhood friend Tony Kennedy, a Supreme Court Justice and Sacramento native in this TIMES Magazine article on newsstands June 11, 2012. Click above to read the full article.

Thursday, May 17, 2012
9:00 a.m. – Registration and Breakfast
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By attending this free seminar presented by our intellectual property experts, you will discover the ways employers must designate and guard proprietary information to ensure legal protection of this most critical asset.

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Download: Joe Genshlea SL.pdf

Joe Genshlea is profiled in January/February issue of Sacramento Lawyer magazine.

Weintraub Genshlea Chediak Law Corporation and Tobin & Tobin, a professional corporation, jointly announce the merger of their business law and litigation firms. The combined firm will be named Weintraub Genshlea Chediak Tobin & Tobin and will have offices in Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles. With over

60 attorneys, the new firm will continue to focus on corporate, real estate, banking, labor and employment, litigation and dispute resolution, intellectual property, tax, trusts and estate planning and bankruptcy, among other areas.

“We have long admired the work and culture of Weintraub. We share a vision of value-added, trust-based relationships and are confident that with our combined capabilities and expanded services we will be in an even better position to meet our clients’ needs” said Darrell Sooy, managing partner for Tobin & Tobin.

With headquarters in the California state capitol and offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, the new firm of Weintraub Genshlea Chediak Tobin & Tobin combines its shared vision and pledges to be an innovative provider of sophisticated legal services to dynamic businesses and business owners, as well as non-profits and individuals with litigation and business needs. The firm will continue its strong support of the communities in which its attorneys live and work.

That’s a big switch for lawyers who specialize in commercial lending deals at Weintraub Genshlea Chediak Law Corp. Until last year, most of their time was spent negotiating loan workouts.

Now lawyers across the market are refinancing agreements to take advantage of low interest rates and helping clients get new money for acquisitions and other purposes.

To read the full version of this story, please click the pdf link above.

Weintraub Genshlea Chediak is an innovative provider of sophisticated legal services to dynamic businesses and business owners, as well as non-profits and individuals with litigation and business needs. With offices in Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles, the firm focuses on corporate, real estate, labor and employment, litigation, intellectual property, tax, and trusts and estate planning, among other areas.