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.