Sideman & Bancroft is pleased to welcome George Buffington, Diane Aaron, and Laurie Cross to the Firm. Each brings extensive experience and expertise in their respective fields, further strengthening our capabilities and reinforcing our commitment to delivering exceptional legal services to our clients.
George Buffington
George Buffington joins Sideman & Bancroft with a distinguished career spanning over 40 years as a Partner at Buffington & Aaron, A Law Corporation, a boutique law firm in San Francisco. George’s practice encompasses a broad range of tax and business matters, including business formation and succession, mergers and acquisitions, and compensation and retirement planning. His counsel is focused on optimizing benefits for business owners while minimizing costs and complexity. Additionally, George provides estate planning services and assists clients in navigating governmental audits.
George has worked extensively with corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and individuals across a wide array of industries, including professional services, real estate, banking, and investment management. He is a Certified Specialist in Taxation Law and has been recognized as a San Francisco Super Lawyer in Taxation. George also brings a strong academic background, holding a J.D. with honors from George Washington University Law School and a B.A. cum laude from Boston University.
Diane Aaron
Diane Aaron brings more than 35 years of expertise in employee benefits law to Sideman & Bancroft. She specializes in advising individuals and entities in professional trades and industries on the implementation, operation, and compliance of retirement plans such as 401(k), defined benefit, and ESOPs. Diane’s practice also includes addressing fiduciary liability, facilitating regulatory audit resolutions, and providing general tax and business advice related to employee benefits.
Diane has a distinguished record as an expert witness in employee benefit and compensation matters and has taught employee benefits classes at UC Law San Francisco and Golden Gate University School of Law. She began her legal career with McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enersen and was a partner at Buffington & Aaron for over 35 years. Diane earned her J.D. from UC Berkeley School of Law and is admitted to practice in California.
Laurie Cross
Laurie Cross specializes in employee benefits, tax, and business law, bringing over 15 years of experience to Sideman & Bancroft. Laurie’s practice focuses on retirement planning, including drafting and amending employee benefit plans, resolving compliance issues, and managing regulatory audits. She also has substantial experience in business ownership planning, including entity formation, ownership transitions, and M&A transactions.
Laurie began her career at Buffington & Aaron, first as a legal assistant and later as an associate. She graduated with Highest Honors from Golden Gate University School of Law, where she was a Dean’s Merit Scholar and received numerous accolades, including the Scribes American Society of Legal Writers Award. Laurie also holds a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and is admitted to practice in California.
We are excited to have George, Diane, and Laurie join Sideman & Bancroft. Their deep expertise and dedication to client service will enhance our ability to address our clients’ most complex legal needs. Please join us in welcoming them to the Firm!
