June Zoom Chapter Meeting

June Zoom Chapter Meeting

June 15, 2022

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
The deadline for cocktail delivery has passed, but you can still join the meeting!

Equity Bonus Support – Paying RSU Bonus Support in Shares Instead of Cash.

Can It Be Done?

Don’t skip this summer special event where Michèle Bissada, Tracy Katz, and Katie Sims will discuss equity bonus support and whether the payor can reasonably pay their equity bonus support via a transfer of shares instead of in a cash payment. The panel will address the advantages and disadvantages of this concept and its applicability in the wake of the Macilwaine case and other complicated issues involving equity bonus support.

Michèle Bissada, a partner at Flicker, Kerin, Kruger & Bissada, LLP, located in Menlo Park, in the heart of Silicon Valley. She is a Certified Family Law Specialist (ACFLS), a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), rated by Martindale Hubbell as an AV Preeminent attorney in her field and has been nominated for Best Lawyers® by US News & World Report, as well as Super Lawyers® by Thomson Reuters, which she has earned each year since 2006. She has also earned the additional distinction of Super Lawyers® Top 50 Women since 2012 and as Top 10 and Top 100 Attorneys for several years. Michèle specializes in high-asset family law cases, including complex financial and high conflict custody issues. She also serves as a mediator directly for parties in dissolution or desiring of premarital or cohabitation agreements; as a neutral mediator for attorney-assisted mediation; and as a private settlement judge for family law matters. Michèle acts as San Mateo County Fee Arbitrator and has in the past also served as a Judge pro tem for the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Michèle serves on the AAML Northern California Chapter Board and is the current President -Elect of the Northern California Chapter of AAML. She also serves on several AAML National Committees and on the AAML National Foundation Grant Committee. Michèle served as 2011 San Mateo County Bar Association President and continues to be involved with the Bar Association. Michèle served a 3-year term with the statewide Conference of California Bar Associations (CCBA) as Regional Director and received the 2017 Friend of the Conference Award from the organization in recognition of her tireless efforts on behalf of the organization.

Ms. Katz is a partner at Gursey | Schneider LLP where she specializes in forensic accounting. Ms. Katz’ expertise covers a multitude of litigation support services including business appraisals, determinations of gross cash flow available for support, net spendable evaluations, pension plan allocations, equity compensation apportionments, characterizations and tracings of assets, and analyses of reimbursement claims and marital lifestyle.

Ms. Katz is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She is also a member of the Family Law Section of the Beverly Hills and California State Bar Associations, as well as a liaison member of the executive committee of the Family Law Section of the Los Angeles County Bar. Ms. Katz is a past Chair of the Family Law Section of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants. In 2014, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Foundation’s Forensic & Business Valuation Division admitted Ms. Katz as one of only 28 Charter Members from across the nation. Charter members were selected on the basis of their national reputation, achievements in litigation support, forensic accounting and business valuation, as well as their having a history of serving AAML members and their clients in complex financial matters during divorce proceedings, with a commitment to integrity in that process.

Ms. Katz is a frequent lecturer at various continuing education seminars. She has also authored and co-authored articles and/or lectured on the use of forensic accountants in marital dissolution, on analyzing pre- and post-nuptial agreements, as well as complex asset tracings, real estate and equity compensation apportionment, and child support for high income earners.

Katie Sims is one of the founding partners of Magnolia Group, LLP. For over twenty-five years, she has prepared tax returns for high net worth individuals and closely-held entities within a range of industries from real estate to technology and professional service firms. Her income tax planning expertise includes complex tax planning involving real estate and stock options.

Katie also has extensive experience assisting clients in marital dissolution cases. Her forensic accounting expertise includes acting as an expert for one or both parties, or as a court-appointed, neutral expert. Katie has qualified as an expert in family law cases and has testified numerous times as an expert witness in both Santa Clara and San Mateo County Superior Courts.