Scott Rahn
Scott Rahn
Founding Partner | RMO
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Estates: Contentious
Probate
Trusts: Contentious
Office Location
United States
Short Biography
Scott Rahn is the Founding Partner of U.S. based RMO LLP, a national trust and probate estate litigation law firm focused on representing trustees, executors, beneficiaries, heirs, conservators, guardians, and creditors in contentious probate and civil court matters. A frequent contributor to news media such as the BBC, Scott has been named to the Chambers and Partners “2023 High Net Worth Guide” and the “Best Lawyers in America” list by Best Lawyers. He also has been recognized as a “Top Litigator” by the Los Angeles Business Journal and a “Visionary” by the Los Angeles Times.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
Capo, Santa Monica. It’s the closest I can get to Tuscany in my backyard.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Former TrueCar CEO and serial entrepreneur Scott Painter over a glass of really nice tequila talking about how you start a business: “I don’t know. You just do it.”
What was your first job?
Farmer on my grandparents’ dairy farm in rural Wisconsin.
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
Who Not How by Dan Sullivan.
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
Rapid then sustainable growth as the baby boom generation continues to mature and the incidents of claims for breach of fiduciary duty, incapacity, undue influence and other will and trust contests, financial elder abuse, contested conservatorship and guardianships escalate.
Rodney J. Hatley
Rodney J. Hatley
Founder & Partner | Hatley Law Group, APC
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Estates: Planning
Tax Advisory
Office Location
United States
Short Biography
Rodney J. ("Rod") Hatley is the founder of Hatley Law Group APC. Rod began his journey to becoming an estate planning attorney with a devastating 7-year probate after his father passed away. Rod began his legal career working in personal injury litigation and then for the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps, first as a Criminal Defense Counsel and Legal Assistance Attorney and then as a Staff Judge Advocate and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney. During this time he twice received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. Rod is an experienced estate planning and asset protection attorney in San Diego. He has been honored in a number of listings including Leaders In Law and San Diego Super Lawyers.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
What was your first job?
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
Robin Rathmell
Robin Rathmell
Partner | Kasowitz Benson Torres
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Dispute Resolution or Arbitration
Reputation and Crisis Management
Trusts: Contentious
Office Location
United States
Short Biography
Robin Rathmell, Co-Chair of Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP’s International Disputes team, is a renowned international litigator representing high-net-worth individuals and institutions in litigation involving allegations of fraud, money laundering and other forms of misconduct. Dual-qualified as an English barrister and U.S. lawyer, Rob formulates offensive and defensive global litigation strategies for international clients, including in relation to civil and criminal asset forfeiture, trusts, commercial and insolvency litigation, INTERPOL, and international sanctions regimes. Rob's engagements always span multiple jurisdictions, legal systems and asset-holding structures. He has acted as counsel in cases involving the world’s key offshore financial centers, as well as Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas. In addition to his regular interface with U.S. regulatory and intelligence agencies, Rob has extensive experience coordinating legal strategies in matters involving actions brought by non-U.S. authorities, requiring sensitive negotiations with government agencies across multiple jurisdictions.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
HaSalon in Tel Aviv
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Follow Mark Twain’s advice: "If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything."
What was your first job?
Gardening
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
Making progress on sanctions remediation as geopolitical trends shift.
Robert Lawrence
Robert Lawrence
Senior Counsel | Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Estates: Planning
Trusts: Planning
Tax Advisory
Office Location
New York, United States
Short Biography
Bob Lawrence is a leading authority in international and domestic tax, trust, succession, and personal planning matters. He advises high net worth individuals and families for their U.S. and global holdings, with emphasis on the minimization of taxation and the governance and succession of their holdings. He also assists with negotiating disputes. Bob authored a seminal treatise, International Tax and Estate Planning (PLI, 4th ed). His articles were published by the ABA, Matthew Bender & Company, Inc., and Heckerling Institute. He is a member and past president of TIAETL, and a member of ACTEC, NYSBA, Association of the Bar of the City of NY and STEP. Bob graduated with a B.A. from Cornell University, and received his LL.B. and LL.M. in Taxation from NYU School of Law. He is admitted to practice in NY, NJ, and before local and Federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
What was your first job?
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
Robert Dumont
Robert Dumont
Chairman | Robert Dumont PLLC
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Estates: Planning
Trusts: Planning
Tax Advisory
Office Location
United States
Short Biography
After having practiced for over 30 years with large organizations—first as a partner in Baker & McKenzie and then as the leader of Deloitte Tax LLP’s international private client practice—Robert Dumont launched his own specialist law firm called, cleverly, Robert Dumont PLLC, and promptly appointed himself as head of the practice. Robert advises on a broad range of tax and estate planning issues relating to the cross-border activities of private clients and international family offices. As a small independent firm, Robert enjoys the freedom from conflicts of interest that can restrict larger organizations and the freedom to act in a fiduciary capacity where appropriate. Robert is a member of bars of the State of New York and of England and Wales (non-practicing solicitor).
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
Restaurant Frederic Doucet, Charolles, France
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
"Neither a borrower nor a lender be" or at least my meditations on that advice.
What was your first job?
as a driving instructor while at university (keep your eyes on the road).
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
Nana, by Emile Zola
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
a dramatic increase in contentious trust and estate matters
Richard Wakeham
Richard Wakeham
Group Head of Commercial | ZEDRA
JURISDICTION
Jersey, Guernsey, England and Wales, Isle of Man, Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, United States, Cayman Islands, Curacao, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland, India, Malta, Switzerland
TOP SPECIALISMS
Family Governance and Business
Fiduciary
Trusts & Trusteeship
Office Location
United Kingdom
Short Biography
Richard leads the Group’s business and client development activities focussing on client retention/satisfaction and intermediary partnerships. He also leads the Group's Marketing team.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
What was your first job?
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
Rashad Wareh
Rashad Wareh
Partner | Kozusko Harris Duncan
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Estates: Planning
Trusts: Planning
Tax Advisory
Office Location
United States
Short Biography
Rashad serves as a trusted advisor and general counsel to domestic and multi-national individuals and families. He also serves as special counsel to other professional advisors, providing targeted legal advice. Rashad counsels his clients in the tax and legal issues relating to their investments, business activities, estate planning, and charitable endeavors. His practice encompasses all aspects of estate and succession planning, and the governance of his clients’ closely-held family businesses, holding structures, investment ventures, family offices, and private trust companies.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
What was your first job?
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
Paul Levy
Paul Levy
Partner | Druces
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Tax Advisory
Office Location
United Kingdom
Short Biography
Paul is a Partner in the Private Wealth department and is the lead partner for our contentious work in this field. His practice covers a broad range of work for UK and international families and entrepreneurs, encompassing everything from Wills and probate (and the disputes they sometimes trigger) to the most complex tax planning. He has a particular focus on working with international clients, especially concerning trusts and other wealth structuring opportunities.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
What was your first job?
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
Paul D'Alessandro
Paul D’Alessandro
Partner | Bilzin Sumberg
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Estates: Planning
Trusts: Planning
Tax Advisory
Office Location
United States
Short Biography
Paul advises high net worth clients and global families on a variety of international tax and estate planning issues. Representing individuals predominantly from Latin America and Europe, he provides customized, tax-efficient solutions to address clients' needs. Paul’s experience includes advising on inbound and outbound tax planning matters, foreign trusts, pre-immigration planning, expatriation, and the acquisition and disposition of U.S. real property holdings and other investments.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
What was your first job?
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?
Nick Surmacz
Nick Surmacz
Partner | Kobre & Kim
JURISDICTION
TOP SPECIALISMS
Civil Fraud
Commercial Litigation
Office Location
London, United Kingdom
Short Biography
Experienced trial lawyer and investigator who has served as lead counsel in numerous high-profile, cross-border matters involving fraud, bribery and other misconduct. He represents high net worth individuals facing investigations, enforcement actions and asset forfeiture efforts by global criminal and civil regulators, including the various components of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), where he previously served as a senior member of the DOJ’s Fraud Section in Washington, DC. As an investigator, Mr. Surmacz was previously recognized as one of the world’s leading young investigations specialists by Global Investigations Review, having been named to its global “40 Under 40” list.
What is your favorite restaurant to take a client or colleague to?
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
What was your first job?
What is the book you recommend to everyone?
What changes do you expect to see in your practice over the next year?