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Leadership of the Beverly Hills Bar Association

Executive Committee

Alexander Rufus-Isaacs

President

Alexander “Xan” Rufus-Isaacs was born in England and read history at Oxford. He began his career as a barrister in London and tried over 100 cases before moving to Los Angeles in 1988. Since then, he has litigated a wide variety of civil cases in California and other states, specializing in defamation, privacy and entertainment cases. He is a partner with Rufus-Isaacs Acland & Grantham, and is a passionate fly fisherman and lifelong Chelsea supporter.

Nadira Imam

President-Elect

Nadira Imam is the Senior Associate Attorney at Lawrence H. Jacobson, APC in Beverly Hills, California. She handles a wide variety of general transactional matters for businesses and individuals, focusing primarily in the areas of business and corporate law, estate planning and real estate including entity formation, mergers and acquisitions, succession planning, trademark applications, real estate finance, brokerage law, escrow and title insurance, real estate secured transactions, tax free exchanges and structured tenancies in common.

Anthony D. Storm

Vice President

Anthony Storm is a founding partner of Storm Palyan LLP and Certified Family Law Specialist, is known for his expertise overseeing electronic security issues related to divorces for public figures, and family law appeals. Mr. Storm has extensive volunteer experience, regularly teaches family law issues, is published, has served on various boards, and received many awards for his service. He is also a trained mediator and arbitrator. Prior to family law, Mr. Storm was a clerk for the US Attorney’s Office.

Alphonse Provinziano

Secretary/Treasurer

As a Certified Specialist in Family Law (CFLS) by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, Mr. Alphonse Provinziano focuses on providing excellent client service and aggressive advocacy to clients on a wide range of family law matters. Since 2004, he has represented clients in over 160 trials and 2,000 unique matters. A longtime Los Angeles-based family law attorney, Provinziano is sought after for his wealth of experience navigating high stakes divorces as well as his comprehensive knowledge of nuanced and complex financial matters.

Malcolm S. McNeil

Immediate Past President

Malcolm McNeil is a leading partner and International Practice Co-leader at ArentFox Schiff LLP. He practices complex litigation, international arbitration and dispute resolution, and business matters within multiple industries and sectors. Mr.McNeil is a member of various Boards and legal associations, in addition to his position as incoming president of the Beverly Hills Bar Association. He is also vice-chair of the American Bar Association’s Northeast Asia, Japan, & Korea committee. Malcolm received his B.A. from Antioch University and J.D. from Loyola Law School.

Board of Governors

Jeffrey Bils

Jeff Bils represents employees in wage-and-hour class actions, PAGA representative actions, and in their individual cases. Jeff began practicing law after spending 15-plus years with newspapers including the Chicago Tribune and The Fresno Bee. After graduating ranked No. 7 in his class from UCLA School of Law, Jeff spent several years representing employers before transitioning to work on behalf of plaintiffs. Jeff has been a presenter or moderator of numerous CLE panels on employment law issues.

Margo Bouchet

My practice is devoted to addressing Family Law related issues, such as Divorce, Support, Custody, Wills, Probate and Living Trust.

Vince Farhat

Vince Farhat is chair of JMBM’s White Collar Defense and Investigations Group. Vince has extensive jury trial experience and focuses his practice on representing companies and individuals in criminal and civil investigations and prosecutions by government enforcement agencies, as well as complex federal litigation. Prior to joining JMBM, Vince served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Major Frauds Section of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. Vince works as an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School where he teaches white collar and healthcare law.

Michael Freedman

Michael G. Freedman, Principal and Founder of the Firm, is an experienced trial attorney and former federal prosecutor who represents individuals and companies nationwide against all types of criminal charges and in high-stakes civil litigation and appeals. His clients, who often include executives, doctors, lawyers, celebrities, politicians and government officials, entrepreneurs, and cannabis companies, benefit from his courtroom skills, strategic guidance, and ability to discreetly navigate and successfully resolve the most challenging matters.

Tiffiny Fox

Tiffiny Fox is an equity partner at Edlin Gallagher Huie + Blum with extensive experience defending clients in arbitrations, trials, and appeals. She has litigated a wide variety of construction law, product liability, toxic tort, and trucking and auto casualty matters. Her professional experience includes founding and managing her own law firm, serving as trial attorney and fraud investigation counsel for a global leader in property and casualty insurance, and serving clients from underrepresented communities.

Nazgole Hashemi

Nazgole Hashemi co-founded her firm, LegalAxxis, Inc., in 2013. She practices general civil litigation, primarily on the plaintiff’s side, and also provides general counseling to businesses in various industries. Nazgole is the immediate past Chair of BHBA’s Labor & Employment Law Section and remains an active member on the Executive Committee. She obtained her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley and then attended Southwestern Law School, where she has been an adjunct professor since 2018. During her free time, Nazgole enjoys playing golf and traveling.

Jinna Kang

Jinna Kang is licensed to practice law in California, D.C., and Texas, and is a California Certified Family Law Specialist, having dedicated the last 11 years of her practice to family law matters. Ms. Kang truly cares about her clients, and cares about their quality of life not only during but also after their cases. Ms. Kang is active in the Los Angeles legal community, where she often lectures on family law matters and volunteers her services to assist victims of domestic violence.

Rudolph Lehrer

Rudolph Lehrer, CFLS, is founder of LEHRER LAW, APC, a firm focusing on complex family law and civil litigation matters. He was previously a partner with Jaffe & Clemens in Beverly Hills. As a member of the California, New York, and Louisiana State Bars, Rudy has successfully brought and defended a wide range of litigation and appellate matters, across the country. He currently serves as Chair of BHBA’s Litigation Section.

Terry Magady

Terry received his J.D. from U.S.C., his M.P.A. from Princeton University and his B.A.from Occidental College. He is a member of the Council of Advanced Practitioners, the NationalAcademy of Elder Law Attorneys’ designation for the most highly regarded elder law attorneys inthe country. He has presented or moderated many California Education of the Bar (CEB)statewide programs, including “Advanced Elder Law with Terry Magady,” and is a chapter authorin the CEB treatises California Elder Law Resources, Benefits and Planning: An Advocate’sGuide and Special Needs Trust: Planning, Drafting and Administration.

Erin Prouty

Erin Prouty is a member of the Hoffman, Sabban & Watenmaker, practicing in trusts and estates. She is a certified specialist, and a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Ms. Prouty is a former member of the trusts and estates executive committees of the State Bar of California and the Beverly Hills Bar Association. She received a B.A. from USC, J.D. from the University of San Diego, and LL.M. (tax) from Boston University.

Ron Reitshtein

Ron Reitshtein is a Los Angeles native and founding partner of the family law firm, Youngman Reitshtein, PLC. He received his BA from UCLA, and his JD from Loyola Law School. Since 2018 Ron has served as a volunteer settlement officer for the Los Angeles Superior Court, and in 2020 worked with the court to establish its Self-Represented Litigant Judgment Assistance Day Program. Ron is an active member of the BHBA’s Family Law Section where he is the immediate past Co-Chair of the section’s Executive Committee.

Mathew S. Rosengart

Mathew S. Rosengart is a litigation shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, LLP whose accolades include being recognized as a California Lawyer Attorney of the Year; one of the Top 100 lawyers in the State by the Daily Journal; a Sports & Entertainment Trailblazer by The National Law Journal; Litigator of the Week by The American Lawyer; “Hollywood’s King of Litigators” by Variety; Above the Law’s Lawyer of the Year; and a Top 100 Lawyer and Leader of Influence by the LA Business Journal, which honors “masters of their craft” and recognized him as a “go to litigator for Hollywood’s elite and Corporate America.”

Alessandra Tarissi De Jacobis

A veteran international entertainment and business affairs attorney, Alessandra Tarissi De Jacobis is admitted both to the Italian and California Bar. She has recently founded her own business and legal affairs boutique after having headed the U.S. division of a leading global law firm. Alessandra serves as a governor of the Beverly Hills Bar Association (BHBA) Board of Governors and of IALA (Italian American Lawyers Association) board, chair of the BHBA’s international committee, and chair of the IP Committee of the American Bar Association, International Law Section.

Kendra Thomas

Kendra Thomas is a Certified Family Law Specialist serving clients in the Southern California area at Thomas Law Offices, in Woodland Hills and Newport Beach, CA. Since founding Thomas Law Offices in 2007, Kendra Thomas has dedicated her career to helping clients reach their financial and legal goals. Kendra is very active in several local Bar Associations and contributes her valuable legal skills to many community projects.

Lorena Vazquez

Lorena Vazquez is a skilled civil litigation attorney with extensive experience in the areas of personal injury, wrongful death, and employment law. Ms. Vazquez is a seasoned litigator who has worked both as a plaintiff and defense attorney. Ms. Vazquez attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. She obtained her law degree from the University of San Francisco, School of Law. Ms. Vazquez has been a licensed attorney in California since 2009.

Stephen Weaver

Stephen Weaver is the principal attorney of Weaver Land Law. He brings years of experience in drafting and reviewing real estate deals as well as obtaining rights for companies seeking to develop, manage, or sell their land. Stephen began his practice with the East Coast law firm of McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP. There, he primarily practiced surety/construction law and land use law, representing large commercial surety and insurance companies. Since coming to California, he has successfully chaired numerous trials, not only resulting in large judgment awards, but also obtaining six figure attorneys' fee awards for his clients.

Michele F. L. Weiss

Michele F.L. Weiss, Senior Counsel at Holtz, Slavett & Drabkin, is a CA state bar certified specialist in tax law and a former IRS Counsel attorney. She helps businesses, business owners and investors resolve their civil and criminal tax disputes with the IRS and state tax agencies - FTB, EDD, BoE, and CDTFA - in examinations, appeals, litigation, criminal and collection defense. She has expertise in many substantive and procedural tax issues including penalty abatement, payroll and employment tax, offshore tax compliance and sensitive disclosure matters, trust matters, qualified contributions, R&D and ERC credits, cryptocurrency, and non-profit matters. She provides tax counsel in business litigation and bankruptcy matters.

Jeffrey Wolf

Jeffrey Wolf is a partner at Heimanson & Wolf, LLP. He is a personal injury trial lawyer. He has the honor of representing individuals and their family members in accident and injury cases. Through these cases, he helps people get compensated for what they have lost and provide for their future needs. He also helps them achieve closure for their traumas by holding wrongdoers to account.

Lauren O. Youngman

Lauren O. Youngman is a Certified Family Law Specialist and Senior Associate at the family law firm, Youngman Reitshtein, PLC. Lauren volunteers extensively—including managing the Self-Represented Litigants Judgment Assistance Day Program and serving as a Daily Settlement Officer with the LA Superior Court. Lauren is an active member of the BHBA Family Law Section, where she has held every role on the Executive Committee and co-hosts a popular monthly interview program, called Direct Examination.

Judicial Ex Officio Members

Hon. James Blancarte

James E. Blancarte boasts a wealth of over 30 years of experience in business and intellectual property litigation. As a seasoned litigation and trial lawyer, he has garnered both national and international acclaim for his adept representation of clients in prominent litigation cases spanning various domains, including entertainment, employment, media/broadcasting, and international law. Additionally, Mr. Blancarte adeptly navigates white collar criminal defense matters in both state and federal courts. Notably, he is a certified mediator and holds admission to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Northern, Central, and Southern Districts of California, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Mr. Blancarte holds the role of a partner at the Firm's Los Angeles Office and is a valued member of the Firm's Litigation and Employment Groups.

Hon. David J. Cowan

Judge Cowan has been on the bench since 2005 (initially as a Court Commissioner) and now sits in the Beverly Hills Courthouse, where he conducts Long Cause Civil and Probate trials, as well as on Fridays, Mandatory Settlement Conferences in West District Civil cases. Judge Cowan was previously Supervising Judge of the Civil Division of the Court, as well as Supervising Judge of the Probate and Mental Heath Depts. As a lawyer, Judge Cowan practiced business and real estate litigation for seventeen years - for much of that time having his own office.

Hon. Mary Lou Villar

The Hon. Mary Lou Villar de Longoria is a judge for the Los Angeles County Superior Court in California. She was appointed to the bench in 2006 by former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. She filled the vacancy created by the death of the Hon. Jean Matusinka (deceased). She is a registered Democrat. Judge Villar de Longoria received her bachelor's degree from California State University, Los Angeles. She went on to earn her J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law in 1982. After graduating from law school, Villar de Longoria began her legal career as an attorney with Protection and Advocacy, where she practiced from 1983 to 1985. She then became a managing attorney for San Gabriel Valley Legal Services for one year before joining the Legal Aid Foundation as a directing attorney in 1986. Then, in 1991, Villar de Longoria joined the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, where she would serve as an administrative lavw judge for 15 years. She remained in that capacity until her appointment to the Superior Court in 2006. Judge Villar de Longoria, is the younger sister of the former Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa.

Justice Helen Zukin

The Hon. Helen Zukin is an associate justice of the California Second District Court of Appeal (Division Four). She was nominated to the seat by Governor Gavin Newsom on May 19, 2023, to fill the vacancy created by the nomination of the Hon. Brian Currey to Presiding Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Four. Her nomination was confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments in July 2023. Prior to her nomination, Zukin was a judge for the Los Angeles County Superior Court since her appointment to the bench by former Governor Jerry Brown in 2018. She received her B.A. from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Zukin went on to earn a J.D. at Loyola Law School.

Ex Officio Members

Malcolm S. McNeil

BHBF President

Malcolm McNeil is a leading partner and International Practice Co-leader at ArentFox Schiff LLP. He practices complex litigation, international arbitration and dispute resolution, and business matters within multiple industries and sectors. Mr.McNeil is a member of various Boards and legal associations, in addition to his position as incoming president of the Beverly Hills Bar Association. He is also vice-chair of the American Bar Association’s Northeast Asia, Japan, & Korea committee. Malcolm received his B.A. from Antioch University and J.D. from Loyola Law School.

Franita Tolson

Interim Dean and the George T. and Harriet E. Pfleger Chair in Law, USC Gould School of Law

Franita Tolson is Interim Dean and the George T. and Harriet E. Pfleger Chair in Law at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. She also holds a courtesy faculty appointment in the Political Science and International Relations Department at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Her scholarship and teaching focus on the areas of election law, constitutional law, legal history, and employment discrimination. She has written on a wide range of topics including partisan gerrymandering, political parties, the Elections Clause, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments

Jasmine Gomez

Barristers Chair

A California native, Jasmine attended St. John’s University in Queens, New York for her undergraduate studies before returning to her home state to attend Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. During her time at Loyola, Jasmine was a leader in the Latino Law Students Association, where she organized events and initiatives to support Latino students in the legal profession. She was also the Chief Research Editor of the International and Comparative Law Review, where she helped to manage the editorial process and ensure that the journal published high-quality legal scholarship. Outside of her work with the law journal and student organizations, Jasmine was also a leader of the Young Lawyers program at Loyola Law School, which is a program that brought in neighboring high school students for a mock trial, providing these students with an opportunity to learn about the legal profession and experience the excitement of a courtroom.

Richard Kaplan

ABA Delegate

Criminal defense attorney Richard D. Kaplan manages serious criminal charges that threaten the livelihood and reputations of white collar clients, including high net worth individuals, entrepreneurs, entertainers, corporations and their officers and executives. Richard’s creative and novel strategies during negotiations with authorities have led to numerous acquittals, no-charges-filed, probation and record expungement outcomes for clients.

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