MICHAEL S. CHIELPEGIAN

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EDUCATION

Doctor of Jurisprudence, Conferred with Distinction, 1995
Stanford Law School

Bachelor of Science, Economics, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 1992
Santa Clara University

PRACTICE

Mike’s practice focuses on estate planning, probate and trust administration, and general business and real estate matters.

Estate Planning
For over 15 years, Mike has assisted clients with customizing estate plans that meet their wishes, reduce the risk of future conflicts, and address the various tax issues. Being part of a family business himself, Mike is especially sensitive to issues of business and farm succession planning.

Probate and Trust Administration
After a person dies, Mike represents personal representatives and beneficiaries in both probate and trust administration matters. His experience in matters big and small, friendly and disputed, allows Mike to guide clients through a difficult time with care, efficiency and practicality.

Business and Real Estate Transactions
From working on initial public offerings and venture capital financings in the Bay Area to forming a corporation or limited liability company for a small family farm in Fresno, Mike possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience that is truly unique. Mike has extensive experience in business and real property transactions, including entity formations, financing transactions, sales and purchases of businesses and real estate, and leases.

EXPERIENCE

Mike and his wife Laura moved back to Fresno in 1997 so that Mike could fulfill his life-long dream of practicing law with his father, Elliott Chielpegian. Prior to coming back to Fresno, Mike was a corporate securities lawyer at Gunderson, Dettmer, Strough, Villeneuve, Franklin & Hachigian, LLP in Menlo Park, California representing start-up companies, venture capital firms, investment banks and publicly-traded companies. Before that, Mike was a law clerk for the Honorable Eugene F. Lynch (retired) of the United States District Court, Northern District of California in San Francisco.

Mike is admitted to practice before all California State Courts and the United States District Court for the Northern and Eastern Districts.

HONORS AND AWARDS

Mike is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Mike is a member of the State Bar of California, the Fresno County Bar Association and the Estate Planning, Agricultural Law, and Real Estate sections of the Fresno County Bar Association.

PERSONAL

Mike and his wife Laura have 4 children: Matt, Lucy, Gaby and Cate. Mike currently serves on the school board of St. Anthony’s School and is the treasurer for the Edison High Baseball Boosters.

MARK E. CHIELPEGIAN

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EDUCATION

Juris Doctor - Dean's List - 1997
Santa Clara University School of Law

Bachelor of Science in Political Science - 1994
Santa Clara University

PRACTICE

Mark focuses his law practice on civil litigation. He has considerable experience representing individuals and families in personal injury and wrongful death matters. He also represents individuals, small businesses and large entities in a variety of commercial disputes, including but not limited to breach of contract actions, unfair competition claims, employment disputes, dissolution proceedings, real estate matters and the like. Mark also handles litigated matters between trustees, beneficiaries and/or third parties relating to probate or trust administration proceedings.

EXPERIENCE

Mark returned to Fresno to practice law with his father and brother in 2002. Previously, he worked as a civil litigation associate with McCormick, Barstow, Sheppard, Wayte & Carruth LLP in Fresno and Steyer Lowenthal Boodrookas Alvarez & Smith LLP in San Francisco. While in law school, Mark served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Eugene F. Lynch, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California and the Honorable Timothy S. Buckley, California Fifth District Court of Appeal.

Mark is admitted to practice before all courts of the State of California and the United States District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, Central and Southern Districts of California.

HONORS AND AWARDS

Mark is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Mark is a member of the State Bar of California, the Fresno County Bar Association and the Consumer Attorneys of California.

PERSONAL

Mark and his wife Jennifer have two children: Elle and Anna.

LEE S.W. COBB

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EDUCATION

Juris Doctor, cum laude, Order of the Coif, Thurston Society, 2004
University of California, Hastings College of the Law

Bachelor of Arts, Economics, with honors, 2001
University of California, Davis

PRACTICE

Lee’s practice focuses on estate planning, probate and trust administration, general business, finance (including secured lending and borrowing), and real estate matters.

Estate Planning
Lee has a unique perspective and practical understanding of the estate planning process, which allows him to identify and achieve his clients’ tax and non-tax estate planning objectives. Lee has considerable experience in representing individuals, couples, business owners and farmers regarding various estate planning issues (including business and farm succession planning and advanced tax planning) and formulating and drafting estate plans (including wills, revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, and related documents) to transfer wealth, minimize taxes, and to avoid, or at least minimize, family conflict.

Probate and Trust Administration
Lee also counsels and advises personal representatives and beneficiaries through the administration of a decedent’s assets including, probate administrations, trust administrations, and non-testamentary summary administrations. While Lee works diligently to avoid, or at least minimize, conflicts between family members, beneficiaries and third parties during the administration process, when disputes do arise, he has successfully litigated and resolved various disputes by and against personal representatives, trustees, beneficiaries, and creditors that arise during the probate and trust administration process.

Business and Real Estate Transactions
With a background in secured finance and bankruptcy, Lee is experienced in representing clients in business matters from start-up (or acquisition) through sale or other business termination, including advising clients on matters related to business formation, liability, choice of entity, operational issues, business contracts, secured borrowing and lending, buy-sell agreements, and purchasing and selling an existing business. Lee has also represented clients in various real property matters from purchasing or selling commercial or agricultural real property, secured borrowing and lending, leasing transactions, and personal guarantees.

EXPERIENCE

Lee joined the firm in 2007, and his practice focuses on representing individuals, business owners, corporations and farmers on a range of legal issues related to estate planning, business and corporate matters, secured transactions and finance, and real estate transactions. Prior to joining the firm, Lee began his career as a Finance and Bankruptcy associate in the San Francisco office of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP. While working in San Francisco, Lee represented large corporate clients on a range of legal issues related to secured lending and borrowing, bankruptcy (both creditor and debtor matters), civil litigation in federal, state and bankruptcy courts, corporate matters, and land use and development.

Lee is admitted to practice before all California State Courts, the U.S. District Court for the Northern, Eastern, Central and Southern Districts of California, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

HONORS AND AWARDS

Lee is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Lee is a member of the State Bar of California, the Trust and Estates section of the State Bar of California, the Fresno County Bar Association and the Estate Planning section of the Fresno County Bar Association.

PERSONAL

Lee has 2 children: Steven and Justin. Lee is an active member of the Saint Agnes Men’s Club, which is a philanthropic organization devoted to raising money for the Saint Agnes Medical Center and associated programs.

ELLIOTT D. CHIELPEGIAN

Chielpegian·Cobb was founded in 1979 by Elliott D. Chielpegian, who practiced law in Fresno for over fifty years. The firm originally started out as the Law Offices of Elliott D. Chielpegian, and then more recently was known as Chielpegian Law Offices. Elliott considered his chosen profession an important one, and he took his responsibilities as an attorney very seriously. To Elliott, being a “good lawyer” - i.e., one who combined skill and preparation with high ethical standards - was paramount.

Upon his graduation from the University of Santa Clara School of Law in 1960, Elliott returned to his hometown to practice law at a local, well-regarded law firm. He made partner, and the firm eventually came to be known as Helon, Manfredo & Chielpegian. He remained there until 1979, whereupon he started his own firm.

Chielpegian·Cobb’s current areas of expertise essentially mirror Elliott’s practice. As a civil litigation attorney, he handled personal injury and wrongful death matters and litigated business disputes. Elliott also represented individuals and companies in a wide variety of transactional matters, including but not limited to business entity formation, contract drafting and the like. He also performed estate planning and probate and trust administration services for his clients.

Elliott enjoyed a longstanding AV rating from by Martindale-Hubbell.

In 1997, Mike Chielpegian returned to Fresno to practice law with Elliott and to further develop the firm’s transactional and estate planning practice. Mark Chielpegian, a litigator, returned to Fresno in 2002 and, at Elliott’s insistence, the firm’s name was then changed to Chielpegian Law Offices. Lee Cobb joined the firm in 2007, and the firm originally started by Elliott is now known as Chielpegian·Cobb. Elliott remained an active member of the firm until his passing in late 2012.

Despite his absence, Elliott’s influence over the firm continues. Chielpegian·Cobb’s attorneys continue to emphasize skill, preparation and ethics in their representation of their clients.