(Click photo for Bill's bio in a .pdf format) About this Law Office Bill Staley AREAS OF EMPHASIS     Primary Areas of Practice Tax planning and general business law for closely-held businesses and nonprofit organizations; often in the role of primary outside counsel, coordinating the prevention and resolution of legal and tax problems of all kinds Structuring, negotiating and documenting business deals:  start-ups, reorganizations, acquisitions and dispositions, redemptions, corporate liquidations, partnership transactions and property transfers Advising attorneys and accountants concerning high-stake tax issues Business succession planning:  income, estate, gift and property tax issues; restructuring businesses and designing incentive plans for management Obtaining rulings, advisory opinions and determination letters on tax issues    Special Expertise Buy-sell agreements among shareholders and partners, including related life insurance tax issues Stock options and restricted stock plans Analysis and reorganization of business structures S corporations and limited liability companies: tax and estate planning issues involving businesses Organizing and restructuring nonprofit corporations and private foundations Incorporations and choice of business entity analysis Dissolving corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies and nonprofit organizations Charitable contributions:  tax planning Adept at managing complex projects involving many people and documents RECOGNIZED BY OTHER LAWYERS AV Rating - Martindale-Hubbell "An AV Rating shows that a lawyer has reached the height of professional excellence. He or she has usually practiced law for many years, and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity." Listed in The Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers "The Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register is limited to only the most distinguished law practices." Los Angeles County Bar Association, Taxation Section Chair (1996-97); Executive Committee Member (1991-98) Annual Washington, D.C. Delegation: Chair (1993, 1994), Member (1992, 1997) Pass-Through Entities Committee: Chair (1991-92), Vice-Chair (1990-91) (“pass-through entities” are S corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies, which are all taxed similarly) Tax-Exempt Organizations Discussion Group:  Member (1995-)  California Bar Association, Taxation and Business Law Sections Member   American Bar Association, Taxation and Business Law Sections S Corporation Committee, Adjunct Member (1992-Present) Limited Liability Company Task Force (1992-2002, when LLCs were new) ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY Center for Nonprofit Management in Southern California Member, Board of Directors (2003-2006 ) Member, Corporate Council (1993-96) CSUN Family Business Center Board of Advisors (1999-2004) Family Firm Institute Member (1991-95) Los Angeles Discussion Group (1991-97) UCLA Attorney Assistant Training Program (for info, click here and search for "AATP")  Instructor (1984-1994)   Planning Committee (1986-94) CSUN Business Alumni Chapter President (1984) NOTEWORTHY Prepared over 130 buy-sell agreements among owners of closely-held companies Organized or reorganized well over 100 nonprofit organizations Frequent speaker to groups of business owners, accountants, attorneys and financial planners One of the lawyers “most frequently cited by their peers as being among those considered ‘up-and-coming’ practitioners in their areas of expertise [corporate tax]"  -Tax Law: The Up-and-Comers, in California Law Business (supplement to The Daily Journal), September 14, 1992  CSUN Alumni Association Chapter Service Award (1987)  Member of the Month, Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce (January, 1984 and May, 1983) EDUCATION UCLA School of Law (J. D. 1981)  Member, UCLA Law Review   Distinguished Advocate, UCLA Moot Court Honors Program California State University, Northridge (B.S., Business Administration/Finance 1977) Susan Rognlie Susan is an experienced Legal Assistant.  She prepares documents for: Corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships when they organize, merge or dissolve; Stock transactions and transfers of interests in LLCs and partnerships; Nonprofit corporations when they organize, apply for tax exemptions or dissolve; and Minutes for boards of directors, managers and shareholders. Susan helps organize stock records and issue new stock certificates.  She prepares the instructions that explain to clients what to do with each document.