Exciting Announcement! – Ryan F. Thomas

We at Anderson Zeigler are very pleased to announce the welcome addition of Ryan F. Thomas as an Attorney and Director at the Firm. Ryan and his team bring with them a wealth of experience in a broad range of civil litigation, real estate, business, construction law, and intellectual property matters. Ryan’s background and expertise, along with his active involvement and commitment to our community enhances the services the Firm can provide to our clients.

To learn more about Ryan, please click on his firm bio.

We are thrilled to have Ryan and his team join the AZ Family.

Firm Spotlight: Rose Zoia

2014 (Aaron)

Rose Zoia joined Anderson Zeigler in April 2019 with 30 years of legal experience under her belt. Our current firm spotlight focuses on Rose and her land use, business, real estate, appellate, and mediation practice.

Rose was born and raised in a Cleveland, Ohio suburb. After graduating with her B.A. from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, she attended law school at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Upon completing law school, Rose and her future husband, Doug Buescher, trekked across country to settle in Santa Rosa, where she had secured an associate position at the former Senneff, Bernheim, Emery & Kelly firm on the fourth floor of the same location as Anderson Zeigler. Next, Rose established a solo practice in land use, focusing on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as well as general plan and zoning matters, and general civil appellate law. Since joining Anderson Zeigler, she has added business and real estate transactional work to her practice including the formation of companies and purchase and sale of businesses, and drafting and review of leases. Rose also is a mediator with the Arbitration and Mediation Center, having been selected to serve on the panel in early 2019.

Rose fervently believes it is important to be an active and participating member in one’s community and, as such, has served on more than a dozen nonprofit boards and committees including past president of the Sonoma County Bar Association and the Richard S. Sangster American Inn of Court, an association of lawyers and judges dedicated to excellence and civility in the profession. She currently serves on the boards of the Golden State Land Conservancy and TLC Child & Family Services, as well as acts as the chair of the Sonoma County Bar Association Archive Committee. While serving on the board of the Sonoma County Bar Association, Rose researched and authored an article about the first woman lawyer in Sonoma County, Luda Barham Fulkerson, who began practicing law in 1896.

In her spare time, Rose spends time with her husband and two amazing daughters. She is an avid runner and can often be found on the trails of Spring Lake Regional Park or Trione-Annadel State Park, or coaching a running group through the Sonoma County Family YMCA.

Rose Zoia authors North Bay Business Journal article on Force Majeure issues raised during the COVID-19 crises.

Michael Shklovsky Photo with Tie

Michael Shklovsky 2019 Super Lawyer Rising Star

Michael Shklovsky Photo with TieMichael Shklovsky has been named by Super Lawyers to its Northern California Rising Stars list for 2019. This will be the fifth time Michael has been honored as a Rising Star. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers for more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Michael practice is focused on general civil litigation and a member of the Business Litigation Committee of the Business Law Section of the California State Bar.

Don Black

Don Black Interviewed for a Recent North Bay Business Journal

Don BlackDon Black interviewed for a recent North Bay Business Journal article on successful succession planning for businesses.

https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/northbay/sonomacounty/9460534-181/how-to-plan-for-a

Firm Spotlight: Ken Cyphers

Ken Cyphers joined Anderson Zeigler in May 2018 as the firm’s newest Director. Our firm spotlight this quarter focuses on Ken and his estate planning, trust administration, probate and real estate law practice.

Ken was born and raised in New York. He grew up in the small seaside town of Port Jefferson, located on the north shore of Long Island. After graduating from the State University of New York at Albany, Ken moved to New York City and took a position at a Madison Avenue art gallery where he assisted the gallery owner, Hilde Gerst, with the sale of post-impressionist and modern art by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Auguste Renoir and Marc Chagall. While working at the gallery, Ken enrolled at St. John’s University School of Law and began his pursuit of a law degree. Although Ken left the art world to complete his legal studies, he continues to appreciate art and will often add a piece to his personal collection during his international travels with his family.

Upon obtaining his law degree and passing the New York State Bar Examination in 1997, Ken began his legal career as a litigator for the GEICO insurance company. In 2003, Ken left New York City and moved west to San Diego, California, which he had visited many times before. Shortly after arriving in California, Ken met his wife, Julie, whose family has roots in Sonoma County. Ken and his family moved to Santa Rosa in September 2003 and has been here ever since.

In additional to law, Ken has always been interested in real estate. From 2004 – 2009, he worked as Development Coordinator for Sonoma County developer and homebuilder, Orrin Thiessen, and was involved with the development of Orrin’s downtown Windsor mixed-use project, Town Green Village. Ken has also held an active California Real Estate Broker’s license since 2004 and served as Town of Windsor Planning Commissioner from 2009-2011. His knowledge and experience with real estate transactions helps Ken best advise his clients with respect to their real property assets and how they fit into their estate plans.

Ken has been practicing law in Sonoma County since 2009. His practice focuses primarily on estate planning, trust administration, probate, real estate transactions and business succession planning. In 2018, the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization certified Ken as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law.

In his spare time, Ken is involved with Healdsburg Little League, both as a coach and a board member. He also serves on the boards of the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce and the Redwood Empire Estate Planning Council.

When he is not preparing estate plans, administering trusts and estates, or handling real estate transactions for his clients, Ken can be found cycling and golfing year round, or snowboarding at Lake Tahoe with his teenage sons in the winter months. He also enjoys international travel with his wife and children. His most recent international trips have been to Vietnam, Peru and Turkey.

Ken R. Cyphers becomes a certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law

On August 1, 2018, Ken was certified as a specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the California Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California. The requirements to become certified as a specialist include that a significant portion of an attorney’s practice is given to the practice area, completion of a higher number of continuing legal education programs in the specialty area, broad-based and comprehensive experience in the specialty area, favorable evaluations by other attorneys and judges, and the passage of a written examination.

Attorney Ken Cyphers Joins AZ as a Shareholder

Estate Planning and Real Estate attorney, Ken Cyphers, joined AZ as its newest Shareholder. Formerly of Welty & Welty in Healdsburg, Ken has resided in Sonoma County for 15 years. He represents clients in matters involving both simple and complex estate plan drafting, trust & estate administration, and real property and general business transactions. While Ken will be based in AZ’s downtown Santa Rosa office, he will continue to be available to meet with clients in Healdsburg. Anderson Zeigler co-managing director, Wendy Whitson says “We are so excited to welcome Ken to the AZ family! His experience and personality are the perfect fit for our firm and we are happy to be able to offer his services to our extensive client base.” Ken earned his B.A. from New York State University and his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law. He sits on the boards of the Redwood Empire Estate Planning Council, Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce and, Healdsburg Little League.

Michael Shklovsky co-authors article on disaster preparedness for law offices “Natural Disasters: One Is On Its Way Towards You”

Read Michael Shklovsky and Mara Erlach’s article on disaster preparedness for law offices. “Natural Disasters: One Is On Its Way Towards You” published in the May/June 2018 volume of Law Practice. Read Article Here or download the PDF here.

Donald Black discusses cannabis issues for landlords

Donald Black was interviewed on the impact of cannabis-tenants for landlord’s in the North Bay Business Journal article, “Commercial landlords Reckon with cannabis-tenant challenges”.