The Coachella Valley has one of the most robust and generous philanthropic communities of any region its size, and even much bigger. But how does charitable giving look amid the pandemic? How are local nonprofit organizations adjusting their fundraising and programming to serve their missions to find cures, ease suffering, improve quality of life, and educate and enlighten those who live in our desert community? In Part 7 of our nine-part series, experts in our local nonprofit sector discuss how they’re adapting to economy new reality.

Valerie Powers Smith, partner and chair of Trusts, Estates & Probate and Special Needs and Elder Law departments at SBEMP law firm, moderates a discussion with Laura Fritz, Eisenhower Health Foundation; Debbie Espinosa, FIND Foodbank, and Jan Hawkins, The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens.

For more on the webinar series including how to register for future segments, visit https://www.palmspringslife.com/our-events/

For a further discussion of Tourism & Hospitality in the October 2020 issue of Palm Springs Life, visit: https://www.palmspringslife.com/coachella-valley-future/

From downtown Palm Springs to El Paseo in Palm Desert to the historic Pueblo Viejo district in downtown Coachella, the shopping and dining in the Coachella Valley range from down home to world class. Part 6 of our nine-part series explores the state of retail and restaurants in the Coachella Valley — from the impacts on sales and employees to the new world of risk reduction protocols, training, and enforcement. Will customers come back? How will their experience change? And how are we innovating to take shopping and dining to a safe new level of satisfaction?

Join Valerie Powers Smith, partner and chair of Trusts, Estates & Probate and Special Needs and Elder Law at SBEMP law firm, will moderate a discussion with guest speakers Michael Braun, Grit Development; Tara Lazar, f10creative, and Patrick Klein, Gardens on El Paseo.

For more on the webinar series including how to register for future segments, visit https://www.palmspringslife.com/our-events/

For a further discussion of Tourism & Hospitality in the October 2020 issue of Palm Springs Life, visit: https://www.palmspringslife.com/coachella-valley-future/

Real estate has shown almost no signs of weakness as the pandemic runs its course in the Coachella Valley. Prices and values are at an all-time high, while inventory is at an all-time low. Families are leaving densely populated and urban areas in search of space, distance, and quality of life. In Part 5 of our nine-part series, local real estate experts explain why this trend will continue and how it will eventually impact the desert economy. Sponsored by Franklin Loan Center.

Joe Wallace, CEO and chief innovation officer of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, will moderate a discussion with guest speakers Michael Meade, Wilson Meade Commercial Real Estate; Peggy Sue Lane, First American Title, and Brady Sandahl, Brady Sandahl Real Estate Group at Keller Williams Luxury Homes.

For more information on the webinar series and to register, visit https://www.palmspringslife.com/our-events/the-economic-future-of-the-coachella-valley/

The coronavirus pandemic has thrown the entire economy into chaos, but no sector hits home quite like education. The Coachella Valley has three unified K12 public school districts, private schools, and higher education institutions including College of the Desert in Palm Desert, Indio, Palm Springs, and Mecca/Thermal, as well as Palm Desert campuses of CSU San Bernardino and UC Riverside. Part 4 of our nine-part series explores the pandemic’s temporary and long-term effects on education as well as how our local institutions are adapting to provide students with the knowledge they need to carry our region into a sustainable future. Sponsored by Think Together.

Join Valerie Powers Smith, partner and chair of Trusts, Estates & Probate and Special Needs and Elder Law departments at SBEMP law firm, who will be lead a discussion with guests Joel Kinnamon, College of the Desert; Jake Zhu, CSUSB Palm Desert, and Sandra Lyon, Palm Springs Unified School District.

For more information on the webinar series and to register, visit https://www.palmspringslife.com/our-events/the-economic-future-of-the-coachella-valley/

Custody And Access Rights 

It’s essential to consider all available options when planning a divorce or putting your life back together. However, you need to remember that your kids and their best interests are the most important factor when you explore different options for custody and visitation or access rights. There are various types of custodies and visitation rights. These are discussed in detail below. 

Attorneys at SBEMP (Slovak, Baron, Empey, Murphy & Pinkney) law firm provides professional legal advice and services to clients in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Inland Empire, Orange County, Coachella Valley, Costa Mesa, San Diego, New Jersey, New York, and surrounding communities. 

Legal Custody 

This refers to retaining the legal authority to take important decisions in your child’s life. Major decisions include things like the school your child should attend, non-emergency medical decisions, and the kind of religious upbringing they should have among others.  

Options for legal custody include: 

Physical Custody 

Parents with physical custody get to have their children live with them majority of the time. Physical custody is also called residential custody. It is broadly of two types: 

Visitation or Access Rights 

Parent-child visitation allows non-custodial parents to spend time with their children on regular basis. There are two types of visitation: 

1. Unsupervised Visitation  

Unsupervised visitation is the most common form of parent-child visitation. Parents in this situation are permitted to enjoy an outing with their child or take them to their own residence during scheduled visits. Limitations if any are specified in advance. For instance, if the child is being breast-fed, the mother may ask the non-custodial parent to visit the mother’s home until a time the baby is able to feed from a bottle.  

2. Supervised Visitation 

The courts may choose to order supervised visitation in certain cases. This means that the non-custodial parent can visit the child only when another responsible adult is present. The court, depending on the situation, may allow the non-custodial parent to choose the supervising adult. If not, the parent and child may need to meet at a pre-specified location with a court-ordered designee or social worker. 

Lawyers at the SBEMP law firm serve clients from Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Inland Empire, Orange County, Coachella Valley, Costa Mesa, San Diego, New Jersey, New York, and nearby locations for a range of legal practice areas. 

Have any legal questions? Contact the Attorneys at SBEMP Law Firm: 

For more information or to request a consultation please contact the law offices of SBEMP (Slovak, Baron, Empey, Murphy & Pinkney) by clicking here. 

SBEMP LLP is a full service law firm with attorney offices in Palm Springs (Palm Desert, Inland Empire, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells), CA; Indian Wells, CA; Costa Mesa (Orange County), CA; San Diego, CA; New Jersey, NJ; and New York, NY.

DISCLAIMER: This blog post does not constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is formed by reading it. This blog post may be considered ATTORNEY ADVERTISING in some states. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Additional facts or future developments may affect subjects contained within this blog post. Before acting or relying upon any information within this newsletter, seek the advice of an attorney.

Great destinations are distinguished by their culture — their art, music, theater, dance, and architecture and design. Part 3 in our nine-part series focuses on arts and culture, the common ground for all of the region’s communities. Our museums and performing arts centers, as well as events like Modernism Week, Desert X, and the Palm Springs International Film Festival, are vital to tourism and, therefore, the region’s economy. Our experts take a hard look at how the pandemic has impacted arts and culture in Greater Palm Springs — and how they are innovating for a smart, cutting-edge, and sustainable future.

Moderator Valerie Powers Smith, partner and chair of Trusts, Estates & Probate and Special Needs and Elder Law departments at SBEMP law firm, is joined by Louis Grachos, Palm Springs Art Museum; Chris Mobley, Modernism Week, and Ron Celona, Coachella Valley Repertory.

Greater Palm Springs has long been a destination for health and wellness. With world-class medical centers and specialty centers for treatments for cancer, plastic surgery, and substance abuse, the region is prepared to offer comprehensive primary and specialty care for the young and old. But how has the novel coronavirus impacted the local healthcare infrastructure, and how will the system rebound with robust, reliable, and sustainable services?

Joe Wallace, CEO and chief innovation officer of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, will moderate a discussion with guest speakers Ken Wheat, Eisenhower Health; Jenna LeComte-Hinely, HARC, Inc., and Kim Samuwatari, Riverside University Health System- Public Health.

Read about the web series: https://www.palmspringslife.com/our-e…

Subscribe to Palm Springs Life on YouTube ► http://bit.ly/PalmSpringsLifeSubscribe

Moderator Joe Wallace, CEO of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, is joined by Scott White (Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau), Kelly Steward (The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage), and Allen Monroe (The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens) to discuss how airlines, hotels, attractions, and events are making Greater Palm Springs a safe and welcoming place to visit for business and pleasure.

The series is a partnership between Palm Springs Life, the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, and Slovak, Baron, Empey, Murphy & Pinkney Attorneys.

For more on the webinar series including how to register for future segments, visit https://www.palmspringslife.com/our-e…

Subscribe to Palm Springs Life on YouTube ► http://bit.ly/PalmSpringsLifeSubscribe

Divorce Proceeding Law

There are several essentials that need to be considered when you are a high profile entertainer, athlete, entrepreneur or a celebrity and are about to have an ultra-high net worth or a high net worth divorce. These are: 

Attorneys at SBEMP (Slovak, Baron, Empey, Murphy & Pinkney) law firm provides professional legal advice and services to clients in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Inland Empire, Orange County, Coachella Valley, Costa Mesa, San Diego, New Jersey, New York, and surrounding communities. 

Considerations in High Net Worth Divorce Lawsuits 

Celebrity or high net worth and high profile individuals have different concerns from the average person when it comes to a contested divorce lawsuit. Legal disputes are always more complicated when financial stakes are high.  

High value cases are unlike typical divorce lawsuits and require a high level of experience and special skill set to deal with substantial financial assets in a favorable way. It is quite common for high net worth clients to have complex marital estates which include several business interests, real estate holdings, retirement accounts, complex trusts, and international assets.  

Such assets can severely complicate an already complex divorce proceeding of high net worth individuals. Complicated assets also make it challenging to equitably divide marital assets. 

Privacy Protection in Ultra High Net Worth Divorce 

Most ultra high net worth clients attain their wealth through high profile careers. You probably have common divorce concerns if you are a popular entertainer, top ranked athlete, politician, successful professional, or a high flying entrepreneur.  

You need to be concerned about protecting your privacy in addition to protecting your income stream and your assets. There is always a risk of the divorce hurting your reputation and subjecting your entire family to ugly public scrutiny unless you exercise caution by planning ahead. 

Forensic Accounting and Business Issues 

High asset divorce cases by may involve business assets, such as a closely held or a small family business. An evaluation will need to be performed by a local business evaluator with enough experience to handle such cases. Generally, high asset divorce cases also require the experience of a forensic accountant. Discovery of all assets is required which can only be done through close scrutiny of all income tax returns.  

There are many high earning employees that get additional reimbursements through bonuses, stock options, and commission pay schemes. These will need to be reviewed and evaluated for true income calculation. Proper and appropriate gross income levels can only be determined through careful review of all records and documents.  

Investments and Property 

Wealthy couples tend to have several real estate holdings besides their primary marital residence. They may own a lake house, beach house, and mountain retreat as well. These need to be analyzed along with other assets, such as valuable antiques, expensive jewelry, watches, yachts, fine art, classic cars, and airplanes among others. Expert appraisers may be required to perform these evaluations. 

Lawyers at the SBEMP law firm serve clients from Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Inland Empire, Orange County, Coachella Valley, Costa Mesa, San Diego, New Jersey, New York, and nearby locations for a range of legal practice areas. 

Have any legal questions? Contact the Attorneys at SBEMP Law Firm: 

For more information or to request a consultation please contact the law offices of SBEMP (Slovak, Baron, Empey, Murphy & Pinkney) by clicking here. 

SBEMP LLP is a full service law firm with attorney offices in Palm Springs (Palm Desert, Inland Empire, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells), CA; Indian Wells, CA; Costa Mesa (Orange County), CA; San Diego, CA; New Jersey, NJ; and New York, NY.

DISCLAIMER: This blog post does not constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is formed by reading it. This blog post may be considered ATTORNEY ADVERTISING in some states. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Additional facts or future developments may affect subjects contained within this blog post. Before acting or relying upon any information within this newsletter, seek the advice of an attorney.

Choose The Best Female Divorce Lawyer

Divorce can be the most traumatic event in your life. It is often compared with the loss or death of a loved one. Divorce is also the only time in the average person’s life when they have to deal with the judicial system.  

Putting an end to a disintegrating marriage becomes harder in the face of complexities associated with a divorce process. Psychological stress of dealing with issues relating to division of assets, support payments, and child custody does not make matters easy. 

Understanding legal processes can be as baffling to some as understanding complicated medical procedures. But, just as you have a physician to take care of your medical troubles, you should feel confident in your attorney to help you tide over your legal matters. You should choose a divorce attorney that is a unique and perfect blend of confidant, therapist, clergy person, and a legal bulldog.  

Attorneys at SBEMP (Slovak, Baron, Empey, Murphy & Pinkney) law firm provides professional legal advice and services to clients in Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Inland Empire, Orange County, Coachella Valley, Costa Mesa, San Diego, New Jersey, New York, and surrounding locations. 

Problem Solver 

The ideal divorce attorney will be skilled and resourceful to help you negotiate a divorce settlement. They should be able to work well with other people and be adept at compromising while being comfortable in court. You may think that you and your spouse will not go to trial now, but it is always better to be safe than sorry. 

Your attorney’s history of successful cases and trial record has some bearing on their capability to negotiate settlements with the other party’s attorney. The lawyer you hire should also have a deep understanding of your issues and be an expert or know how to work with experts regarding complex matters. For instance, if you have a complex financial situation, then the attorney should have a past experience of working with CPA and appraisers.  

Personality  

You may have to share personal details about your marriage, finances, and life if you are hiring an attorney to do more than glance over your divorce paperwork. It is necessary that you feel comfortable with the lawyer. 

In addition, it’s vital that your attorney shares and supports your basic attitude and philosophy towards the divorce. For instance, if you are looking for a non-adversarial, calm, and cooperative divorce, you should avoid lawyers that are prone to have an aggressive nature.  

Choose a Trustworthy Divorce Attorney 

You are going to share sensitive and private information with your attorney throughout the divorce process. Not everything you share will place you in a good light. Your lawyer has to know everything about the situation to use as a negotiation chip against the other party.  

Damaging facts can be easily managed when the attorney knows about them early on. This makes it important to be able to trust the divorce lawyer and be comfortable with them while opening up. 

Lawyers at the SBEMP law firm serve clients from Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Inland Empire, Orange County, Coachella Valley, Costa Mesa, San Diego, New Jersey, New York, and nearby locations for a range of legal practice areas.   

Have any legal questions? Contact the Attorneys at SBEMP Law Firm: 

For more information or to request a consultation please contact the law offices of SBEMP (Slovak, Baron, Empey, Murphy & Pinkney) by clicking here. 

SBEMP LLP is a full service law firm with attorney offices in Palm Springs (Palm Desert, Inland Empire, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells), CA; Indian Wells, CA; Costa Mesa (Orange County), CA; San Diego, CA; New Jersey, NJ; and New York, NY.

DISCLAIMER: This blog post does not constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is formed by reading it. This blog post may be considered ATTORNEY ADVERTISING in some states. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Additional facts or future developments may affect subjects contained within this blog post. Before acting or relying upon any information within this newsletter, seek the advice of an attorney.