_An Edhat ReaderAttorneys John Ambrecht and Leticia Martinez Launch Firm Bringing 70+ Years Combined Experience to California Clients
By Attorneys John Ambrecht and Leticia Martinez,
Two of the area’s most respected estate planning attorneys, Mr. John W. Ambrecht and Mrs. Leticia Martinez, have joined forces to open a new firm serving clients in Santa Barbara County and beyond. The new office of Ambrecht & Martinez, LLP is officially open for business and is located at
1828 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
805-574-7305
With more than 70 years of combined experience between the two partners, Ambrecht & Martinez, LLP is uniquely positioned to provide an unparalleled level of service to individuals and family businesses that require expertise in complex issues such as estate planning, family business succession planning, asset protection, trust and estate administration, and probate litigation.
“I am excited to partner with John and continue to provide the highest level of service to our clients, who we consider friends as much as clients,” says Mrs. Martinez, an area attorney for more than 20 years. “We’re looking forward to expanding our reach and educating even more clients about developments in estate and gift tax planning.”
Mr. Ambrecht adds, “Our team is also very appreciative to work with our local Santa Barbara business partners, including accountants, financial planners, bankers, real estate professionals, and other local business leaders with whom we’ve worked very closely over the years. We’re fortunate to have such a trusted group of skilled professionals to collaborate with and refer to our clients.”
While Mr. Ambrecht and Mrs. Martinez have worked together for many years, this is their first time opening a firm together. “It’s an honor to work with John and draw upon his 50 years of legal expertise,” Mrs. Martinez says, “and an honor to serve the people of Santa Barbara County. We’re grateful to our local professional community for their continued support and look forward to many years of service together.”
The formation and launch of Ambrecht & Martinez, LLP signals the introduction of a superior level of estate planning services both to young families looking to organize family wealth and protect their children as well as to more mature families focused on safeguarding their family legacy for multiple generations. Families who are seeking a framework for avoiding family conflicts and preserving family businesses will especially benefit from working closely with Mr. Ambrecht and Mrs. Martinez, who are grateful to be able to bring their expertise to families in and around Santa Barbara County.
ABOUT THE PARTNERS:
Mr. Ambrecht concentrates his practice in the areas of complex family estate planning, including the use of intrastate laws to better obtain a testator’s tax and family objectives, offshore and onshore asset protection, estate and gift tax litigation, and family business succession planning with a focus on ways to minimize conflicts families often face during the succession process. He has received numerous professional accolades, including the Super Lawyer Award every year since 2013 and recognition as one of Worth magazine’s Top 100 Attorneys in Southern California.
Mr. Ambrecht co-authored the book For Love & Money: Protecting Family & Wealth in Estate & Succession Planning with Howard Berens, MD, Richard Goldwater, MD and has written several articles featured in California Tax Lawyers magazine as well as published by California Trusts and Estates Quarterly and Campden Publishing Limited in London, among others. He has lectured extensively for various organizations including the California Bar Association and the California CPA Foundation. He is an MBTI and FIRO Element B instructor, and a fellow of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). He has served multiple years as a Board Member of the Westmont College Foundation in Montecito, CA. John is currently an active member of the St. Vincent’s Board in Santa Barbara, CA.
Mr. Ambrecht earned his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1966 and pursued his Master of Business Administration (MBA) at UCLA two years later and received Beta Gama Sigma for his academic achievement. His commitment to excellence continued as he delved into the legal realm, obtaining a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Loyola University in 1973 and an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University (NYU) in 1974.
Mrs. Martinez concentrates her practice on providing a holistic approach to legacy planning for individuals and families, business owners, and professional service firms. Her areas of specialty include estate planning, family business succession planning, asset protection, trust and estate administration, and probate litigation matters. She has been the recipient of two awards from the Pacific Coast Business Times—Top 50 Women in Business in 2016 and 40 Under 40 in 2015. Award recipients are recognized as distinguished leaders in business in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties.
Mrs. Martinez has a history of dedicated service to her local community. She previously served as Walk Event Chair for The Santa Barbara Walk to End Alzheimer’s and has been on the boards of UCSB Affiliates and Friends of the Santa Barbara Public Library. She has been a member of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care of Santa Barbara Planned Giving Committee and The Women’s Fund, Santa Barbara. She also most recently served on the board of CEF helping to raise funds for “The Good News Clubs” of Santa Barbara. Mrs. Martinez currently is an active member of the Santa Barbara County Bar Association and Santa Barbara Women Lawyers and is a regular volunteer at Calvary Chapel, Santa Barbara Children’s Ministry.
Mrs. Martinez earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from the University of California, Davis in 1998, graduating with high honors. Her commitment to excellence continued as she delved into the legal realm, obtaining a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of California, San Francisco (formerly Hastings College of Law) in 2002. During her legal studies she was an active participant at Hastings as Managing Editor of the Hastings Law Journal and earned the distinguished Moot Court Oral Advocate Award in 2001.
For more information, please contact Ambrecht & Martinez, LLP directly at 805-574-7305 or send your inquiry via email to info@AmbrechtMartinez.com or visit the firm online at AmbrechtMartinez.com.
