Areas of Focus
Estate Planning and AdministrationBiography
Michelle Raaka concentrates her practice on sophisticated trust and estate planning representing high net worth clients, including founders, corporate executives and entrepreneurs. She counsels both individuals and families on a broad range of estate planning matters centered on their legacy goals and family values with a particular focus on multi-generational wealth transfer, tax minimization and wealth preservation strategies.
Ms. Raaka has significant experience structuring and implementing advanced wealth transfer techniques and complex estate plans utilizing revocable trusts and irrevocable trust structures, such as intentionally defective grantor trusts and grantor retained annuity trusts, across a variety of domestic jurisdictions. She routinely works with clients on sophisticated gifting transactions with a diverse scope of assets, including marketable securities, privately held business interests and real estate. Her practice also includes the formation of family limited partnerships and limited liability companies, along with tax-exempt organizations.
Ms. Raaka also represents fiduciaries and trustees on all aspects of trust and estate administration, guiding them through the complexities of administering sophisticated estate plans encompassing various assets and multiple beneficiaries.
Professional Involvement
Recognized in Northern California Super Lawyers, Rising Stars: 2023-2025
Education
- University of California, San Diego B.S., B.A. 2011
- Santa Clara University School of Law J.D. 2015
Admissions
- California
Biography
Michelle Raaka concentrates her practice on sophisticated trust and estate planning representing high net worth clients, including founders, corporate executives and entrepreneurs. She counsels both individuals and families on a broad range of estate planning matters centered on their legacy goals and family values with a particular focus on multi-generational wealth transfer, tax minimization and wealth preservation strategies.
Ms. Raaka has significant experience structuring and implementing advanced wealth transfer techniques and complex estate plans utilizing revocable trusts and irrevocable trust structures, such as intentionally defective grantor trusts and grantor retained annuity trusts, across a variety of domestic jurisdictions. She routinely works with clients on sophisticated gifting transactions with a diverse scope of assets, including marketable securities, privately held business interests and real estate. Her practice also includes the formation of family limited partnerships and limited liability companies, along with tax-exempt organizations.
Ms. Raaka also represents fiduciaries and trustees on all aspects of trust and estate administration, guiding them through the complexities of administering sophisticated estate plans encompassing various assets and multiple beneficiaries.