Pierre J. Rodnunsky
Mr. Rodnunsky focuses on estate and probate matters for Rodnunsky & Associates. His extensive knowledge and varied business background helps him to achieve significant results for his high net-worth clients. That combination, along with a creative approach to estate planning, allows him to maximize the potential for each family's estate. As a trusted and reliable resource for valued clients within banks and financial institutions, he has established himself as one of California’s premier estate planning attorneys.
He earned his B.S. degree from CSU, Northridge and his J.D. from Whittier Law School. Mr. Rodnunsky has been practicing law for 29 years.
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Estate Plans
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Wills
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Trusts
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Business Succession
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Buy/Sell Agreements
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Inter-family Dynasty Planning
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Will and Trust Contests (Litigation)
Yevgeny L. Belous
Yevgeny L. Belous completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California Santa Cruz in 2005, graduating with a degree in Economics and Business Management. Mr. Belous earned his J.D. from Thomas Cooley Law School in 2009. He has been practicing law for 15 years.
Mr. Belous practices exclusively in the areas of trusts and estates, conservatorships, guardianships, estate planning and probate litigation. A large portion of his practice is devoted to representing professional fiduciaries in court proceedings and private trusts. He has been named a Super Lawyer Rising Star for the years 2018 – 2023.
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Estate Planning
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Trusts
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Conservatorships
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Guardianships
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Probate Litigation
R&A is proud to support the California Professional Fiduciary Association, serving the needs of the most vulnerable people in our society. Attorney Yevgeny Belous is interviewed in the Professional Fiduciary Association's 25th Anniversary Documentary. Click HERE to view a section of the documentary.
Shannon M. DeBiase
Ms. DeBiase handles all areas of family law litigation, including divorce, property division, child support and spousal support matters, child custody issues, restraining orders, paternity cases and post-judgment modifications. Ms. DeBiase also handles mediation and the preparation of pre-marital, transmutation, and post-nuptial agreements. She has been practicing family law exclusively for close to 20 years.
She earned a B.A. from UC Irvine in 2002 and a J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law in 2005. Her Article “Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage in the United States and Canada: The Unequal Application of Equal Protection” was published in 2005. She is past president of the Irish American Bar Association, and a board member since 2007. Ms. DeBiase has been named Super Lawyers Rising Star each year from 2009-2020. She was also named to Southern California Super Lawyers in 2022 through 2025. In addition, she serves on the Family Law Executive Committee (FLEXCOMM) for the San Fernando Valley Bar Association, and was elected to a two-year term on the Board of Trustees of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association, and has twice been elected to serve a two-year term as a trustee on the board of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association.
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Premarital, Transmutation & Postnuptial Agreements
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Divorce
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Child Support/Spousal Support
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Child Custody & Visitation
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Restraining Orders
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Parentage actions
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Post-Judgment Modifications
Kevin T. Edzant
Kevin T. Edzant graduated from California State University, Northridge in 2010 with a B.A. in Cinema and Television Arts, and earned his J.D. from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles in 2022. He was admitted to the State Bar of California also in 2022.
While in law school, Mr. Edzant entered the Scott Moot Court Competition where his brief won third place and he was named one of the top oral advocates. He later served on the Scott Moot Court Honors Board and competed in the A.B.A. National Appellate Advocacy Competition. Mr. Edzant earned First Honors in California Civil Procedure.
Mr. Edzant is an avid Los Angeles Dodgers fan, and in his free time, he can be found at Dodger Stadium supporting the Boys in Blue.
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Estate Planning
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Trust Administration
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Probate Administration
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Conservatorships
Gal Z. Elfenbein
Mr. Elfenbein focuses on advanced estate and gift tax planning, estate planning, charitable planning, tax-exempt organizations, trust administration, and probate administration matters. He has been practicing law for over 10 years.
Mr. Elfenbein earned his B.A. in Legal Studies at UC Berkeley and a J.D. at University of West Los Angeles, School of Law. He has worked with R&A since 2008 and was previously a law clerk for over 5 years. Mr. Elfenbein also serves as a Notary Public.
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Advanced Estate & Gift Tax Planning
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Estate Planning
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Charitable Planning
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Tax-exempt Organizations
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Trust Administration
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Probate Administration
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Notary Public
Tamara S. Fong
Ms. Fong focuses on trust administration, estate planning and probate administration. She earned her B.A. Degree from UCLA and her J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law in 2005. There, she received the Exceptional Achievement Award for Estate and Gift Taxation (2004) and the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Computer Assisted Litigation (2004). During her time at Southwestern, Ms. Fong externed in the Los Angeles Superior Court for the Honorable Roy Paul and the Honorable Maren Nelson. Ms. Fong has worked with Mr. Rodnunsky since 2006.
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Trust Administration
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Estate Planning
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Probate Litigation
Fabiola B. Karls
Fabiola Karls is a seasoned attorney specializing in trusts and estates litigation, guardianships, conservatorships, estate planning, probate, and elder law crisis management. She offers expert representation and guidance in the administration of complex trusts, estates, guardianships, and conservatorships. Fabiola also leverages her extensive family law experience to effectively resolve family conflicts in contested matters.
Fabiola's legal journey began at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). During her undergraduate studies, she interned with the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles, where she developed a keen interest in the legal field. She graduated from CSUN in 2001 with a degree in Political Science. Fabiola then earned her Juris Doctorate from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles in 2004 and was admitted to the State Bar of California the following year.
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Trusts & Estates Litigation
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Guardianships
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Conservatorships
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Estate Planning
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Probate
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Elder Law
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Fluent in both Spanish & Portuguese
Frances F. Kyriazis, Of Counsel
Mrs. Kyriazis focuses on Estate Planning and Trust Administration. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California where she earned her B.A. in Political Science. She earned her J.D. from Loyola Law School. She has been practicing law for 31 years.
Mrs. Kyriazis is also a Notary Public. As a sole practitioner for over two decades, providing her clients with highly personal service, she is now Of Counsel to Rodnunsky & Associates Estate Planning Team.
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Estate Planning
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Family Law
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Personal Injury
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Notary Public
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Fluent In Greek
Gregory J. Lederman
Gregory J. Lederman heads the Trust and Probate Litigation department at Rodnunsky & Associates. He is a Certified Specialist in Estate, Trust and Probate by the California Board of Legal Specialization. His practice is limited exclusively to estate, trust, and probate matters with an emphasis in special needs planning, specifically assisting personal injury attorneys in settling their cases by creating special needs trusts, statutory minors trusts, conservatorships, and guardianships. He has been practicing law for over 20 years.
Additionally, Mr. Lederman has extensive experience in litigating all estate, trust and probate disputes, including trust contests, will contests, conservatorship disputes, fiduciary removal, fiduciary defense, and surcharge proceedings.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication from California State University, Northridge, and his JD Degree from University of La Verne, College
of Law.
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Estate Planning
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Trusts
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Probate Matters
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Special Needs Trusts
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Statutory Minor Trusts
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Conservatorships
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Guardianships
Allison R. Loevner
Allison Loevner focuses her practice on estate planning and special needs planning, including first and third party special needs trusts, as well as the creation and administration of court-supervised special needs trusts, statutory minor’s trusts, conservatorships, and guardianships trust administration, probate administration, and Medi-Cal planning for Long-Term Care.
Ms. Loevner earned her B.A. in Sociology at UCLA and her J.D. at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. During her time at Loyola, Ms. Loevner externed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and the Honorable Gary A. Feess.
Ms. Loevner also clerked for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
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Special Needs Trust & Statutory Minors Trusts
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Estate Planning
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Trust Administration
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Guardianships & Conservatorships
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Medi-Cal Planning for Long-Term Care
Robert S. Miles, Of Counsel
Mr. Miles focuses on estate planning, trustee services, pre- and post-marital agreements, and is a licensed Real Estate Broker. As an Estate Planning Attorney with Rdonunsky & Associates for over 16 years, Mr. Miles’ business background extends from his 12 years of corporate management experience in the health care insurance field. He has been practicing law for 24 years.
He earned his B.A. from California State University, Northridge and his J.D. from University of La Verne, School of Law, where he was awarded the American Jurisprudence Award in several subjects.
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Estate Planning
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Trustee Services
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Pre- and Post-Marital Agreements
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Licensed Real Estate Broker
Helen H. Na
Helen Hyun-Young Na specializes in estate planning from simple planning to advanced cases, probate court proceedings and trust administration. She covers the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. She also has extensive knowledge of and experience in transactional immigration and corporate matters. She has been practicing law over 10 years.
Ms. Na received her bachelor’s degree from Korea University and J.D. from Southwestern Law School where she was a senior advocate of Trial Advocacy Honors Program.
She externed for the Honorable George H. Wu, United States District Court, Central District, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office and the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. She is fluent in Korean.
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Estate Planning
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Trust Administration
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Probate
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Immigration
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Fluent In Korean
Caren R. Nielsen, Of Counsel
Caren R. Nielsen has been named a Southern California Super Lawyer every year since 2008. She has also been selected as one of the Top 50 Women among the 2021 Super Lawyers in Southern California.
Caren R. Nielsen focuses on Probate, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Litigation, Special Needs Trusts, Trust Administration, Conservatorships, Limited Conservatorships, and long-term care Medi-Cal Planning. In 2019, Ms. Nielsen joined the law firm of Rodnunsky & Associates. Previously, she was a partner at Nielsen & Rogers LLP, the Law Offices of Caren R. Nielsen, and the law firm of Glantz, Nielsen, Gillin & Scott, LLP.
Ms. Nielsen is the past president of the Woodland Hills Tax & Estate Planning Council, past chairperson of the Probate & Estate Planning Section of the San Fernando Valley Bar, and the past president of the Southern California Council of Elder Law Attorneys. She was appointed to the Elder Law Committee for the Los Angeles County Bar Association for 2007-2011. She has been an active member of the San Fernando Valley Bar, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). She formerly sat on the Executive Committee of the Solo and Small Firm Practice Section for the State Bar of California.
For two terms, she was on the Board of Trustees for the San Fernando Valley Bar Association and has done volunteer work for the Alzheimer's Association, Los Angeles County Bar AIDS/Hospice Program, local senior centers, and the Probate Court Mediation Program. She was also a Recipient of the Top 25 Attorneys of the San Fernando Valley Award in 2007.
Ms. Nielsen is a certified Elder Law Specialist by the National Elder Law Foundation (“NELF”) and is one of less than 500 attorneys nationwide selected as a member of the Council of Advanced Practitioners of Elder Law (CAP) by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (“NAELA”). Ms. Nielsen was also elected to the 2008-2010 Board of Directors of NELF. NELF is the governing board for certifying elder law attorneys throughout the U.S.
Ms. Nielsen received her B.S. degree, cum laude, from the University of Southern California and her J.D. degree from Loyola Law School. She has written articles and given presentations on Conservatorships, Probate, Estate Planning, Elder Law, and Medi-Cal planning. She has practiced law for over 30 years.
She has been recognized in Los Angeles Magazine’s Top 100 Lawyers, Top 50 Female Attorneys in Southern California and as a Super Lawyer. In 2012, Ms. Nielsen received the Trusted Advisor Award by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal.
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Probate, Estate Planning, Trust Administration & Probate Litigation
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Elder Law & Medi-Cal Planning for Long-Term Care
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Conservatorships & Special Needs Trusts
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Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directives
Geber E. Penate
Geber E. Penate is a magna cum laude graduate from the University of La Verne, where he majored in Criminology and minored in Philosophy. He is a graduate of Golden Gate University School of Law and is a member of the State Bar of California.
Mr. Penate has worked in the probate, trusts, and estates field since his first year of law school in which he interned in the elder law department at a San Francisco legal aid organization. There, Mr. Penate served San Francisco’s elderly community by establishing basic estate plans and assisting on various contested financial elder abuse cases.
Mr. Penate represents a range of clientele in probate court, with a focus on defensive fiduciary representation in matters including but not limited to trust accountings, fiduciary removal, and fiduciary surcharge proceedings. He also handles affirmative filings on behalf of fiduciaries, including petitions for instructions, court orders, appointments, and approval of accountings, including matters that involve disputes or require court intervention.
Mr. Penate’s legal practice also includes complex trust planning and administration for individuals—such as minors and persons with disabilities—who are receiving settlements or inheritances, particularly when those individuals also rely on asset- and income-sensitive public benefits, including Medi-Cal and Supplemental Security Income.
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Probate
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Conservatorships
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Fiduciary Representation
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Public Benefits Planning & Administration
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Special Needs Trusts
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Fluent in Spanish
Christal J. Porter
Ms. Porter’s law practice focuses primarily on trust and estate litigation and estate planning. Ms. Porter joins the Rodnunsky & Associates team with extensive probate and trust administration experience that serves her well in advocating for clients in the litigation arena.
A Los Angeles native, Christal Joy Porter received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Policy Studies from Rice University, Houton, TX, in 2015. During her four years at Rice University, Ms. Porter competed on the Division 1 Rice Women’s Basketball team serving as a team captain for three out of her four seasons. Ms. Porter received her Juris Doctorate degree from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2019. While at Pepperdine School of Law, Ms. Porter obtained a Certificate in Dispute Resolution from Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution and received the 2019 Parris Institute Award for Excellence in Peacemaking. Ms. Porter is thoughtful and methodical in her approaches to solving clients’ issues/concerns.
Ms. Porter enjoys travel, spending time with family and friends, playing tennis, exotic coffee and tea, and is active in her local community.
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Trust & Estate Litigation
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Probate
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Estate Planning
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Trust Administration
Brett P. Ralston
Member of:
Brett P. Ralston brings 19 years of cumulative legal field experience to Rodnunsky & Associates, including 12 years as a practicing attorney in various California State Superior Courts, as well as Federal District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Central and Eastern Districts of California. His current practice areas include estate planning, probate administration, trust administration, conservatorships, and trust and estate litigation matters.
Prior to joining Rodnunsky & Associates, Mr. Ralston represented equipment financing lenders, federal and state-chartered credit unions, real estate brokers, as well as world famous software and cell phone accessory companies. He is well-versed in creditors’ rights, including post-judgment enforcement procedures for the recovery of concealed monetary and personal property assets.
Mr. Ralston is a graduate of the University of West Los Angeles, School of Law, where he earned the distinguished Witkin Award in Trial Advocacy and Real Property courses. He is also a graduate of California State University, Northridge, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science, while frequently receiving the Dean’s List award.
Mr. Ralston is a member of ProVisors, the California Lawyers Association and the Federalist Society.
Knowing that all work and no play makes for a rather dull day, Mr. Ralston keeps board games in his office for his colleagues and clients to enjoy. Outside of the office, Mr. Ralston enjoys writing, boating, networking engagements, interactive media, genealogy, traveling, and volunteering as a ranch hand for close family friends.
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Estate Planning
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Trust & Estate Litigation
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Probate & Trust Administration
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Creditors' Rights in Probate
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Conservatorships
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Civil Litigation
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Notary Public
Biyao Ren
Biyao Ren joined Rodnunsky & Associates in 2022 while completing law school at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Upon earning her J.D. degree, Ms. Ren was admitted to the State Bar of Nevada in 2023 and the State Bar of California in 2024.
Ms. Ren was born and raised in Beijing, China, and came to the U.S. in her junior year of high school. She graduated from the University of California, Davis, with a double-major B.A. degree in philosophy and film studies.
While in law school, Ms. Ren externed for the Honorable Judge Gloria M. Navarro in the U.S. District Court of Nevada, as well as the Honorable Judge Adriana Escobar in the Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark County, Nevada.
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Estate Planning
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Probate & Trust Administration
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Trust and Estate Litigation
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Conservatorships
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Fluent in Mandarin
Peter C. Richards, Of Counsel
Peter Richards received a B.A. Degree from Albright College, a J.D. from Temple University School of Law (Cum Laude), and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from New York University School of Law.
With 40 years of experience, Mr. Richards has assisted countless families and companies to achieve their goals, while mitigating tax consequences.
Mr. Richards’ practice covers a broad range of commercial and tax matters, including:
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Corporate, Partnership & Trust Tax
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Drafting Trusts, Partnership Agreements, LLC Operating Agreements & Shareholder Agreements
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Estate & Gift Tax Planning, especially as it relates to Succession Planning for high net worth families
John E. Rogers, Jr., Of Counsel
John E. Rogers, Jr. practices law in the areas of Estate Planning, Probate, Special Needs Trusts, Trust Administration, Conservatorships, Medi-Cal Planning and Elder Law. In 2019, Mr. Rogers joined the law firm of Rodnunsky & Associates. Previously, he and Caren R. Nielsen formed the partnership of Nielsen & Rogers LLP. Prior to that, he had been an associate at the Law Offices of Caren R. Nielsen, Hinojosa & Wallet, and Feinberg, Mindel, Brandt & Klein. He has been practicing law for 23 years.
Mr. Rogers received his undergraduate degree from the University of New Hampshire in 1983 and his J.D. degree from Loyola Law School in 1998, where he was in the top 20 percent of his class. He has been a practicing attorney for 20 years. He has written articles on Probate and Estate Planning and given presentations on topics relating to Conservatorships, Trusts, Probate, Elder Law and Medi-Cal Planning.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. Rogers was the Probate Law Columnist for the Los Angeles Daily Journal newspaper, and the founder and editor of the California Probate News Service, which disseminated information on the field to practitioners throughout the state. He ran this news service for seven years.
Mr. Rogers is a past Chair of the Elder Law Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Probate and Estate Planning Section of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association. He is also a past Chair of the Trusts & Estates Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association.
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Probate
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Estate Planning & Trust Administration
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Elder Law & Medi-Cal Planning for Long-Term Care
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Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney
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Special Needs Trusts
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Conservatorships & Guardianships
Dimitrios A. Saroukos
Mr. Saroukos focuses on Probate, Trust Administration, Estate Planning, Trusts and Estates, Trust and Probate Litigation, Civil Litigation and Personal Injury. He also serves as a Trustee for trusts that are and/or have become irrevocable.
A graduate of CSU, Long Beach, he earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice and a J.D. at University of West Los Angeles, School of Law. Mr. Saroukos is also a notary public and has been with Rodnunsky & Associates for 14 years.
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Estate Planning
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Family Law
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Personal Injury
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Notary Public
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Fluent In Greek
Jeffrey T. Schoenherr, Of Counsel
Jeffrey T. Schoenherr practices law in the areas of Estate Planning, Trust Administration, Conservatorships and Trust Related Litigation. Mr. Schoenherr joined Rodnunsky & Associates in July of 2021, after a forty-year career leading a boutique law practice in the San Fernando Valley. He has been practicing law for 43 years.
Mr. Schoenherr received his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University and his J.D. degree from Glendale College of Law, before being admitted to the California Bar in 1978. He is an avid golfer, who also enjoys exercising, gardening, reading and is active in his community church.
Associations:
California State Bar Association, Trust and Estate Section
Los Angeles County Bar Association, Trust and Estate Section
San Fernando Valley Bar Association, Trust and Estate Section
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Estate Planning
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Probate
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Trust Administration
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Conservatorships
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Trust-related Litigation
Donald J. Sweet, AEP
®
Mr. Sweet heads the Bay Area and Northern California office of Rodnunsky & Associates. By understanding the importance of value in professional service relationships, Mr. Sweet delivers creative, realistic and cost-effective solutions. With a deep and varied planning background, he works with those who seek protection of family and wealth in all areas of estate planning. He has been practicing law for 16 years.
Mr. Sweet holds the Accredited Estate Planner (AEP®) designation from the National Association of Estate Planning Councils. He earned his undergraduate degree from Arizona State University and earned his law degree from Whittier College of Law where he was a member of Law Review. He externed for the Honorable John Ryan, a Federal Bankruptcy Judge and Chief Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the 9th Circuit. Mr. Sweet has worked with private clients since 1997 and joined the California Bar in 2005.
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Business & Corporate Planning
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Executive Compensation & Qualified Planning
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Transfer & Income Tax Strategies
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Inter-Generational Wealth Planning
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Special Needs Planning
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Estate Litigation
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Former member of the San Mateo Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
Jason R. Vener
Born, raised, and educated in Los Angeles, California, Jason R. Vener received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in History, cum laude, from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 2006. He received his Juris Doctorate degree and concurrently earned Master of Dispute Resolution degree from the Pepperdine University School of Law 2009. Mr. Vener joined the California State Bar that same year. He has been practicing law for 15 years.
While at the Pepperdine University School of Law, Mr. Vener was a member of the school's Honors Trial Advocacy Team and presented prepared cases in national and local mock trial competitions. Also, while receiving his legal education, Mr. Vener routinely received the highest marks in his classes including War Crimes, Negotiation Theory and Practice, Mediation Theory and Practice, Cross-Cultural Dispute Resolution, Advanced Criminal Procedure and Wrongful Convictions.
Thereafter, Mr. Vener earned a Master of Laws in Entertainment and Media Law from the Southwestern Law School and practiced in the areas of Entertainment and Intellectual Property law. In 2010, he joined a boutique intellectual property law firm. During his more than eight-year tenure there, he primarily focused on the representation of clients involved in business, entertainment, intellectual property, and contract litigation, as well as transactional matters.
Mr. Vener joined Rodnunsky & Associates in 2019. Mr. Vener now puts his extensive state and federal litigation experience to use in servicing clients involved in a variety of probate matters, such as trust disputes, to the occasional intellectual property matter.
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Trust & Estate Litigation
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Probate
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Estate Planning
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Intellectual Property
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Entertainment & Media Law
Michael J. Vener
Michael J. Vener’s practice is focused on trust and estate litigation. He has over 15 years of experience in litigating contested matters. Mr. Vener has successfully represented individuals in a wide variety of matters, including trust disputes, business disputes, injury cases, and criminal matters. He has practiced exclusively in the area of probate law with the Rodnunsky & Associates law firm for over 7 years.
Mr. Vener earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in Law & Society, with High Honors, and his J.D. from Southwestern Law School. At Southwestern, he was a teacher’s assistant in Civil Procedure, and an editor for the Southwestern Journal of International Law.
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Trust & Estate Litigation
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Estate Planning
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Licensed Real Estate Broker
Christian J. Ziegler, Of Counsel
Mr. Ziegler’s law practice focuses primarily on Mergers and Acquisitions, Commercial Real Estate, including acquisitions, dispositions and leasing, Corporate Governance, Entity Formation and Dissolution as well as counseling and supporting his business clients on a broad array of issues and transactions. Mr. Ziegler served as a Deputy District Attorney for the County of Orange.
He earned a B.S. in Political Science/Public Law from CSU, Long Beach and a J.D. from Whittier Law School. Mr. Ziegler has practiced law for 24 years and has worked with the R&A Team for 13 years.
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Mergers & Acquisitions
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Commercial Real Estate
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Asset Purchases
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Stock Transfers
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Partnership Contracts
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Entity Formation & Dissolution
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Business Planning
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Estate Planning