Join us for some hair-raising, spine-tingling Tales from the Crypt regarding post-death tangible personal
property. From hoarding to family members punching each other over family mementos; from Indian
Jones’-type treasures like ivory tusks, American Indian artifacts and skulls to guns and porn; from Phil
Spector’s wigs to Tupac’s love letter to Madonna; as well as handling the entire remaining, prolific
collection of a deceased artist, we will cover all the scary personal property topics that can lead to
fiduciary headaches and litigation. With visuals and real-life examples, this will be an engaging and
participatory discussion.
D2 – Tales from the Crypt: Post-Death Issues Regarding Tangible Personal Property
Speakers
Joe Baratta
Bonhams
Joe Baratta is Senior Vice-President, Head of Trusts & Estates, West Coast at Bonhams based in the Los Angeles office. Joe works closely with an extensive network of professional fiduciaries, trust officers, attorneys, and client advisors on estate collections ranging from fine art and jewelry to collectible motor cars. Before joining Bonhams in 2022, Joe spent 20 years at Abell Auction Co. in Los Angeles, where he most recently served as SVP of Business Development & Valuations. Joe was responsible for bringing to market many important collections including the estates of David Copley, Sam Simon, Ed Limato, Gore Vidal, Robert & Lois Erburu, Douglas & Eunice Goodan, Penny Marshall, Carol Channing, and Don Rickles.
Jodi Pais Montgomery
Pais Montgomery Fiduciary
Jodi Pais Montgomery, a California-licensed professional fiduciary for well over 10 years, is one of the two principals of Pais Montgomery Fiduciary. She is formally trained in social work and strongly committed to meeting the particular needs of conservatees and special needs trust beneficiaries—and protecting them from all forms of physical and financial abuse. Jodi has substantial experience in probate estate administration, trust administration and conservatorships of both the person and estate. She has served as a counselor with AIDS Centers Pasadena and as a service volunteer with the Special Olympics.
Lauriann Wright
Wright Kim Douglas, A Law Corporation
https://www.wkdlegal.com/
Lauriann Wright, the founding partner of Wright Kim Douglas, ALC, is an experienced Los Angeles probate litigator and estate planner focused on the representation of professional fiduciaries. For over 25 years, she has been practicing all phases of probate law and litigation, including conservatorships, guardianships, trusts, and decedent estates. She has been named a Super Lawyer in Trust and Estate Litigation for the 12 consecutive years of 2012-2023, making their Top 100 Super Lawyers in Southern California list in 2020 and 2022-2023 as well as their Top 50 Women Super Lawyers in Southern California list in 2019-2023. U.S. News & World Report has named her as a “Best Lawyer in America” for 2016-2023 and her firm Wright Kim Douglas ALC as a “Best Law Firm” for 2017-2023.