New law firm forms in Burlingame: Anderson Yazdi Hwang Minton + Horn LLP separates from longtime group nearby

“It’s a pretty big deal in my mind,” Yazdi said. “A move of this magnitude is pretty uncommon.”

Ed Willig, co-president of Carr McClellan, contends it’s a trend for estate planning practices to split from firms.

Yazdi and Anderson got serious about opening a new firm about three or four months ago. After being approached about being acquired, they decided the route they wanted to take was starting an entirely new law firm.

“It was a big decision for us,” said Anderson, who worked at Carr McClellan for 25 years. “We have observed lots of changes in the marketplace for advising high level clients and we decided at this point we would like to start our own firm. ... We want to heighten the level at which we provide services.”

The team of 29 attorneys, paralegals and staff comprised essentially the entire estate planning and administration practice and much of the trust and estate litigation group at Carr McClellan. Attorneys advise and advocate on behalf of high net worth individuals and families in many areas of wealth and asset management. The firm also advises on the formation and administration of public and private foundations as well as charitable trusts.

Why stay in Burlingame?

“We like living and working in the same community,” Anderson said. “Our clients are concentrated in the mid-Peninsula. It’s a bit of a sweet spot between San Francisco and Silicon Valley. ... We reinvented and created a law firm in the past few months and it was a ton of work, but we’re delighted to open.”

Since space is not at a premium at the moment, they were lucky to get the space they did, Yazdi said.

As part of the move, Albert Horn, a member of Carr McClellan since 1952, will join Anderson Yazdi.

“He’s a mentor and going forward we’d like to perpetuate that part of the legacy,” Anderson said.

Horn said he is happy to be joining the new firm.

“I am deeply proud and excited to be a part of this group of enterprising and highly talented attorneys in forming our new firm,” Horn said in a press release. “Our focus and commitment remains unwavering: to help clients grow their wealth and pass it on to future generations while minimizing the impact of taxes.”

The firm also includes controversy practice, representing both plaintiffs and defendants on trust, estate and fiduciary litigation.

“The formation of our new firm comes at an optimal time, enabling us to even more effectively meet our clients’ needs, as well as seize new opportunities in this very dynamic and growing market for wealth-related legal services,” Anderson said in a press release. “We remain deeply committed to serving as their trusted advisors, and adapting and evolving based on the changing dynamics of high net worth-related matters such as asset protection, privacy and their increasing cross-border needs.”

Meanwhile, Lisa Stalteri, Carr McClellan co-president, said she and the rest of her firm are very happy for the departing attorneys.

“We have a very strong working relationship with them and wish them success,” she said.

For more information on the new firm, visit andersonyazdi.com.

angela@smdailyjournal.com

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