Ellen I. Kahn

Managing Partner

Description of Practice

Ellen Kahn concentrates her practice on all aspects of estate planning and the estate and trust administration process, with a special focus on working with individuals and families with significant wealth. She represents both individuals and fiduciaries.

Ms. Kahn represents key executives of public companies, founders of privately held companies, spouses, domestic partners, multiple generations of families who hold interests in family businesses, individuals who hold interests in real property and other assets, and trustees and beneficiaries of trusts. Ms. Kahn advises clients in creating wills, trusts and charitable entities to achieve their goals concerning their children, grandchildren and philanthropy. On the trust and estate administration side, she represents trustees and executors in their roles as administrators of complex trusts with multiple beneficiaries and multiple assets, including operating businesses.

Professional & Community Involvement

Ms. Kahn is a member of the Bar Association of San Francisco, Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Section and a member of the San Francisco Estate Planning Council.

Ms. Kahn is a member of the Board of Directors of the Breast Cancer Fund, a national organization based in San Francisco which identifies and advocates for the elimination of environmental and other preventable causes of breast cancer. She also is a member of the Board of Directors of Mount Zion Health Fund, a non-profit grant making organization which supports UCSF and community organizations striving to meet health concerns in San Francisco.

Listed in Northern California Super Lawyers®; 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Education

B.A., New York University, 1978
J.D., American University, Washington College of Law, 1981

Decisions

Freytag v. C.I.R., 904 F.2d 1011 (5th Cir. 1990)
First Western Government Securities, Inc. v. C.I.R., 94 T.C. No. 32 (1990)
Freytag (Thomas L., Sharon N.) v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 89 T.C. No. 60 (1987)
First Western Government Securities, Inc. v. U.S., 796 F.2d 356 (10th Cir. 1986)