What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?

Despite the current global tumult, over the past 12 months we have been able to expand our practice regionally and nationally, which allows us to help more people with their contentious trust, probate and conservatorship matters.

How did you get into private client?

Luck, really. I was a young lawyer working in a financial services litigation boutique (with no trusts and probate group) and one of our clients was sued in probate court. Probate court was “weird,” the “wild west.” It had it’s “own rules,” but I was “smart” and could “figure out it out.” When I showed up in court and saw how small, collegial and sophisticated the bar was I was smitten. I steered my career toward this space, joining Foley & Lardner’s Los Angeles office trusts and probate group as lead litigator, later becoming partner at Greenberg Traurig, before opening RMO LLP in 2015.

What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?

What we do matters. It matters to the people we represent, their families, and legacies. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable and empathetic, human, with clients, all of whom are struggling with a compromised or deceased loved one, but understand that they also need us to be bluntly honest with them about the relative strengths and weaknesses of their situation. Failing to set an emotional client’s expectations early and often will only lead to problems later. Don’t put yourself or your client in that position.

What is your favourite quote?

“Sometimes it takes years for a person to become an overnight success.“ – Prince

Do you have any outside interests or hobbies?

Family, travel, cycling, golf, sports (Chelsea FC, LAFC, Packers, Dodgers, Lakers), and vintage cars.

When the restaurants reopen, where would you like to go?

Capo on Ocean in Santa Monica, sitting at the bar, sipping a dirty martini, watching time stand still over the delectable sweet corn ravioli and rich steak Florentine cooked on the wood burning grill, topped off with a small vin santo or amaro. Heaven.

What do you think will be the biggest three challenges in your practice for the next 12 months?

The delay in scheduling trials. We are trial lawyers and enjoy the advantages we are able to bring to our clients’ cases as a result, but with trials being scheduled years out that leverage is not as meaningful currently.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Stay the course. It’s going to be great!

What are three top tips for dealing with your clients remotely?

1) Be human, compassionate, engaged, and honest.
2) Explain the advantages technologies emerging from the pandemic offer and how we are using them to reduce costs and expedite results.
3) Build in time to talk through the experience of using technologies with which clients may not be familiar or comfortable.