Pacific Street helps founders, business owners, employees, and families plan for what happens to the assets they’re building. We advise on wills and trusts, estate and gift tax planning, business succession, and planning around significant equity and liquidity events. For many clients, personal planning is closely tied to the work we already do for their companies, so our corporate, tax, and estate planning lawyers work from the same picture of what you own and how it may change. Many estate-planning matters are flat-fee, with a simple intake process that respects your time.

What we do

Wills, Trusts & Core Estate Documents

Drafting wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, and guardianship designations, tailored to your family, your assets, and the law of your state.

Founder & Equity Planning

Estate and tax planning for founders, executives, and employees with private-company equity, stock options, or concentrated ownership.

Trust & Wealth-Transfer Planning

Trusts, gifting, and estate and gift tax strategies for clients with significant or appreciating assets.

Business Succession

Succession and transfer planning for privately held businesses, coordinating the company’s ownership structure with the owner’s estate plan.

Liquidity Event Planning

Planning before and after a company sale or other liquidity event, coordinated with our tax, corporate, and M&A lawyers.

Family & Life Planning

Planning around marriage, children, incapacity, changes in wealth, and other life events that affect how you want your assets and affairs handled.

Estate Plan Reviews & Updates

Review of existing plans, including those prepared years ago, to confirm they still reflect your assets, your wishes, your state of residence, and current law.

Frequently asked questions

How much does estate planning cost?

Many estate-planning matters are flat-fee, with scope and price agreed upfront. For existing Pacific Street clients, we already know your company, ownership, and equity, so you don’t have to start from scratch with a new adviser.

I’m a founder or have significant startup equity. When should I think about estate planning?

Earlier than you might think. As a company grows, the value of your equity can rise substantially, and some of the most effective planning strategies work best while that value is still low. We look at your ownership, stock options, tax position, and estate goals together.

I’m expecting to sell my company or have another liquidity event. When should I plan?

Before the deal closes. Some planning opportunities narrow significantly once a transaction is underway or the value becomes liquid. Because we also handle the corporate, tax, and M&A work, we can coordinate your personal planning with what’s actually happening in the deal.

Do I need a trust, or is a will enough?

It depends on your assets, family, business interests, and goals. Some clients need a straightforward plan, and others benefit from more sophisticated trust and tax planning. We’ll recommend what fits your circumstances without making the plan more complicated than it needs to be.

We just had a child. Can you help us finally get our estate planning done?

Yes. We put the core documents in place, including wills, guardianship designations, powers of attorney, health care directives, and trusts where appropriate. The process is designed for busy people who know they need a plan but have been putting it off.

Trusts & Estates