SPEAKING & MEDIA MENTIONS

Chaka Lockhart, Family Office Partner, was featured in a special women’s history month “People on the Move” section in The San Francisco Business Times. It showcases the outstanding women leaders in the Greater Bay Area business community, recognizing and commemorating their valuable contributions to their communities and professions. Read her feature here.

Leah Yoneda, Managing Director of Marketing and Business Development, wrote an article for AAM entitled “Marketers as Data Analysts? Maybe – But There’s So Much More to It!” In the article, Leah explains that organizations can benefit from stronger perspectives when they embrace data analytics. Read the article here.

Seiler LLP’s three new partners, Chaka Lockhart, Joe Fernandez, and Tyler Stuckey were mentioned in “Seiler Admits Three to Partnership”, an article published by INSIDE Public Accounting.

The article can be found here.

Laura Olson, Tax Partner, was a featured speaker at the 38th Annual High Tech Tax Institute on November 7-8, 2022. Laura and her co-presenters, Mindy Mayo, Managing Director at KPMG, Jacqueline Torres, Large Business & International Territory Manager at IRS, and Cosimo Zavaglia, Partner at Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP presented the “Where are Your Workers and Why Employers (and Employees) Need to Care” breakout session.

Leah Yoneda, Managing Director of Marketing and Business Development, wrote an article for AAM entitled “Fresh Approaches for Your 2023 Marketing Plan.” In the article, Leah’s strategy focuses on a firm’s most valuable assets: people and knowledge (data) . Read the article here.

David Sacarelos, Tax Partner, was a featured speaker at the 18th Annual Jerry A. Kasner Estate Planning Symposium on September 8, 2022. David and his co-presenters, Annette Nellen, Esq. Professor at San Jose State University, and Brad Joondeph, Professor at Santa Clara University presented the “Taxes on Wealth: A Guide for the Estate Planner” panel.

Tax Partner Elizabeth Sevilla served as the introductory speaker for Northern California Planned Giving Council’s Heidi Strassburger Masters Program on August 18, 2022. The main topic of the program was “Charities and Sustainable Investing: Putting Your Money Where Your Mission Is”.

Lupita McLane, Chief People Officer, wrote an article for AccountingWEB entitled “Tactics a Real-Life Firm Uses for Hiring Success.” In the article, Lupita discusses how our firm’s recruiting and retention strategies allow us to stay ahead of the usual talent challenges the accounting industry faces. Read the article here.

Seiler Chief Financial Officer Anne Thompson was quoted in the latest StrategicCFO360 article, “Anne Thompson: ‘The Pandemic Almost Changed Everything.'” She talks about what most excites her about being a CFO at Seiler, and how her team adapted during the pandemic. Read here.

Tax Partner Elizabeth Sevilla served as the moderator for an Ask The Experts panel to discuss “Split Interest Gifts” at the Northern California Planned Giving Council’s Planned Giving Conference on May 5.

Tax Partner David Sacarelos was quoted by CoinDesk in an article entitled “It’s Tax Time Again. Do We Really Know What That Means for Crypto?” He shared his perspective on the current challenges associated with the taxation of cryptocurrency. Full article here.

Tax Partners Elizabeth Sevilla and David Sacarelos were quoted in ACCOUNTING TODAY on a number of topics, including uncertainty around possible new tax legislation, the benefits of remote work, and the increasingly international nature of Seiler’s tax work. Full article here.

Tax Partner David Sacarelos was quoted at length by ACCOUNTING TODAY in an article entitled “Pandemic relocations create tax season issues for workers, employers.” He shared his perspective on the geographic and tax complexities of remote work. Read the article here.

Tax Partner, Alison Proctor, was a featured speaker at StarVista’s CEO Cafe event. She spoke about her experience as a board member for StarVista and why giving back to communities is so important to Seiler LLP.

Lupita McLane, Chief People Officer, and Marla Sari, Chief Administrative Officer, were panelists at the Tax Executive Institute Silicon Valley Chapter’s Networking Social on November 4. Lupita and Marla spoke with TEI Officers in the “Learn Tips to Navigate Remote and Hybrid Work” panel.

David Sacarelos, Tax Partner, was a featured speaker at the 17th Annual Jerry A. Kasner Estate Planning Symposium on October 7, 2021. David and his co-presenter, Annette Nellen, Esq. Professor at San Jose State University, presented the “Income Taxation of Cryptocurrency – An Update for Estate Planners” panel.

Nancy Young, Tax Partner, was quoted in “Filoli Announces Investment in Staff with Living Wage Program.” As a current Filoli Board Member and Human Resources Committee Chair, Nancy shared her perspective on how providing a living wage will positively impact both the organization and the greater community. Read the full announcement here.

Debra McCall, Seiler Partner, served as the moderator for a panel to discuss “Multifamily Operations, Innovation & Technology” at the Marcus & Millichap / IPA Multifamily Forum California Online Conference on September 29.

Advisory & Assurance Partner Debra McCall was quoted by Bloomberg Tax in an article called “Abandoning Office Space Creates Lease Accounting Headaches.” The piece looks at the accounting ramifications of companies terminating or modifying their lease agreements in an effort to shrink their real estate footprints. Read the article here.

Tax Partner Elizabeth Sevilla was quoted by Accounting Today in an article entitled “Transformative tax proposals in Treasury’s Green Book.” She shared her perspective on some of the proposed tax law changes and how important comprehensive estate planning is for high-net-worth individuals. Read the article here.

Lupita McLane, Chief People Officer, was spotlighted in an INSIDE Public Accounting cover story on new C-suite positions that reflect the changing needs and priorities of firms. The piece explored Seiler’s recognition of the critical role that HR will continue to play in moving the firm forward. Lupita told IPA that she sees her goal as helping to “create a world-class culture where employees can be their authentic selves and do their best work.

Lupita McLane, Chief People Officer, was quoted by HR Advisory Magazine for an article entitled, “The Office Reimagined” in their 2021 Spring issue. She shared her thoughts on putting employee’s needs first when managing a post-pandemic work environment. Read the article here.

David Sacarelos, Tax Partner, wrote an article for the Silicon Valley Business Journal entitled “4 ways President Biden’s tax plan could impact Silicon Valley companies.” Read the article here.

Elizabeth Sevilla, Tax Partner, was quoted by Accounting Today for an article entitled, “Innovating services, meeting needs” in their 2021 Top 100 Firms issue. She shared her perspective on the current economic and societal trends that are naturally creating opportunities for advisory services. Read the article here.

Seiler Tax Partner David Sacarelos and GHJ Principal and State and Local Tax Practice Leader Frances Ellington presented a 60-minute interactive webinar entitled “California Residence: Should I Stay or Should I Go?” They discussed this current trending topic and the challenges of leaving the Golden State.

Watch the Recorded Webinar >

David Sacarelos, Tax Partner, was a featured speaker at the San Francisco Estate Planning Council’s Virtual Meeting on March 17, 2021. David and his co-presenter, Chris Sigmund, Counsel at Perkins Coie LLP, discussed factors to consider when contemplating changing tax residency from the Golden State.

David Sacarelos, Tax Partner, was a guest on an HLB podcast about how the pandemic presented unique opportunities for emerging growth companies. David and his fellow panelists discussed how these companies navigated M&A activity during 2020 and their expectations for 2021. The episode can be listened to here.

The Contemporary Tax Journal (Volume 10, Issue 1, Winter 2021) featured extended summaries from the 2020 TEI-SJSU High Tech Tax Institute, including the panel that Lupita McLane, Seiler’s Chief People Office, served on, which was titled “Post-Pandemic Tax Practice: Lessons Learned for the High-Tech Sector.” The Journal noted that Lupita emphasized the significance of creating a successful long-term remote work strategy for Seiler; the importance of keeping the firm’s culture alive; the effects of teleworking; and the importance of leadership for employee well-being.

The summaries can be found here.

David Sacarelos, Tax Partner, gave a presentation for the Montalvo Arts Center on the state of philanthropy in the time of COVID-19. The presentation touched on the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Securities (CARES) Act, tax implications and advantages, tips to maximize 2020 deductions, planned giving, and more. David, who is a Trustee of Montalvo, co-presented with Montalvo’s Executive Director Angela McConnell and Director of Finance Lee Ann Payne.

Lupita McLane, Chief People Officer, will be a panelist at TEI-SJSU and CalCPA’s 36th Annual High Tech Tax Institute on November 9, 2020. The panel will be discussing “Post-Pandemic Tax Practice: Lessons Learned for the High-Tech Sector.”

David Sacarelos presented on “COVID-19 Relief Acts—Implications for Estate Planners” at the 16^th Annual Jerry A. Kasner Estate Planning Symposium on September 24.

Debra McCall served as the moderator for a panel to discuss “Apartment Construction & Design—Pandemic-Driven Challenges and Solutions” at the Marcus & Millichap / IPA Multifamily Forum Northern California Online Conference on September 18.

Ian Mason served as the moderator for a panel discussion on “Multifamily Investment & Development Outlook in the SF Bay Area and Across Northern California” at the Marcus & Millichap / IPA Multifamily Forum Northern California Online Conference on September 16.

Lupita McLane, Chief People Officer, will be a panelist at tomorrow’s HLB International conference. The panel will be discussing “Leading through uncertainty: how COVID-19 has made employee well-being a talent management priority,” as well as how to ensure workforce resilience both now and beyond the pandemic.

Lupita McLane, Seiler’s Chief People Officer, was recently interviewed by the Journal of Accountancy about how we’re taking great care of our people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the article here.

Ron LaVelle shared with CampdenFB about the essentials of professionalizing the family office infrastructure, as well as trends in the field. Read the article here.

Seiler hosted a book signing by Amy Castoro, President & CEO of Williams Group, at City Club San Francisco. The author of “Bridging Generations,” Castoro shared insights about working with multi-generational, high-net-worth families at the event on November 19th.

Barbara Schmidt, Seiler tax principal, participated in the panel discussion “Amended Returns – Let’s Try Again.” at the 35th Annual TEI-SJSU High Tech Tax Institute on November 5.

David Sacarelos discussed TCJA tax considerations related to estates and trusts on the panel “Basis is (Almost) Everything.” This event on October 17-18 was sponsored by Seiler.

Tax partners Nancy Young and David Sacarelos presented at HLB Asia Pacific’s Silicon Valley conference on June 21. Young spoke about “Doing Business in Silicon Valley: What Foreign Companies Need to Know about California State & Local Tax.” David Sacarelos presented on “Doing Business in Silicon Valley: Wealth and Investing in the U.S. for Cross-Border Families,” as well as “Change on the Horizon: Exploring the Next Generation of Start-ups.”

Elizabeth Sevilla was one of the panel of experts who discussed the relevant legal, tax, income, and estate planning techniques that tax and finance professionals can use to help navigate the tax impact of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

David Sacarelos served as the moderator of a panel discussion on Opportunity Zones at the invitation-only Bay Area Family Office Forum that took place on May 30th.

Elizabeth Sevilla served as the moderator of a panel discussion on “Engaging the Senior Donor” and introduced the plenary speaker at the 2019 Northern California Planned Giving Council on May 17.

David Sacarelos joined a panel on February 12th to discuss advantages and pitfalls of investing in Opportunity Zones at the Silicon Valley Real Estate Breakfast, hosted by Hoge Fenton.

Elizabeth Sevilla served as the moderator for a discussion on the 2017 Tax Act at the invitation-only Bay Area Family Office Summit. The event was held in Palo Alto, California.

David Sacarelos served as the moderator for a discussion on “Engaging the Conversation on Impact Investing” at Silicon Valley Community Foundation’s Conference on Charitable Giving. The event was held in Sanford, California.

Elizabeth Sevilla spoke at Northern California Planned Giving Council’s Planned Giving Conference on the new tax law and its impact on charitable giving. The event was held in San Francisco, California.

Elizabeth Sevilla gave an update on estate tax, in light of the tax reform, at the Peninsula Estate Planning Council’s member meeting in Foster City.

Ron LaVelle served on a panel discussing strategies and opportunities in family office investments at the ACG SF April 2018 Breakfast Series. The event was held in San Francisco, California.

Ron LaVelle, Elizabeth Sevilla, and Richard Ro speak at Tiger21’s event on “Family Offices Best Practices & Tax Reform 2017 Highlights.” The event was held in San Francisco, California.

Elizabeth Sevilla spoke at the invitation-only Bay Area Family Office Forum on the topic of the state of estate tax under the Trump Administration. The event was held in Palo Alto, California.

David Mugmon, tax partner, moderated the panel on “Game Changers: New Plans & Perspectives from Active Developers” at the annual Multifamily Forum by Institutional Property Advisors (IPA). The day-long event was held in Foster City.

David Sacarelos, tax partner, served on a panel exploring, “The Ecosystem of Philanthropy: How Can Advisors Work Together to Fulfill Their Clients’ Most Complex Charitable Goals.” The Silicon Valley Community Foundation event was held twice, in October and November 2017.

Debra McCall presented on the new lease accounting standards at the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) Asset & Property Management Symposium California in San Francisco.

Elizabeth Sevilla led a panel discussion at the Silicon Valley CalCPA PSV/SVSJ 15th Estate Planning Symposium. The theme this year was “Estate Planning Challenges for the Emerging Wealth.” The symposium is held annually in the San Jose area.

David Sacarelos was a co-presenter at a Farella Braun + Martel LLP seminar on maximizing property tax exemptions for non-profit organizations. The seminar was held in San Francisco, CA.

Brian Jeffs spoke on a panel on “Corporate Governance in Family Businesses” focusing on the unique dynamics of passive family members, next generation involvement and non-family stakeholders. The conference on “Today’s Best Practices and Practical Advice for Private Companies” was held at the Le Meridien hotel in San Francisco, CA.

David Mugmon, tax partner, moderated a panel at the Marcus & Millichap / IPA: Multifamily Forum San Francisco Bay Area 2015. The panel discussed “Welcome to the Neighborhood: A New Development Power Panel” focusing on the latest updates from the developers, owners, and investors behind the Bay Area’s newest multifamily projects.

David Sacarelos and Elizabeth Sevilla co-presented “Income Tax Primer for Estate Planners” at the annual Kasner Estate Planning Symposium at the Santa Clara Convention Center.