At GFGR, we strive to provide our clients the highest quality legal services while creating a work environment that honors, respects, and values our clients, colleagues, and community. We were founded by a select group of lawyers and experts who have practiced together for more than 20 years. The underpinning of our successful practice is a superb team of administrative professionals who enable us to provide a broad range of legal and non-legal advisory services. GFGR offers clients an appealing value proposition — a comprehensive array of client benefits at the highest level of quality, but reasonably priced and timely delivered. Our firm is AV-rated 4.9 (out of 5.0) by Martindale-Hubbell and has been recognized in U.S. News and World Report’s and Woodward/White, Inc.’s Best Lawyers® for our work in Business Organizations, Trusts & Estates Law, and Tax Law.
Attorneys
Leslie C. Giordani
Founder
Leslie primarily represents high net worth individuals and family offices in a wide variety of legal matters. Her particular focus is domestic and international trust, investment, and life insurance structures.
Michael H. Ripp, Jr.
Partner
Michael represents high net worth individuals and family offices in the design, implementation, and administration of domestic and international trust, investment, and life insurance structures.
Cindy L. Grossman
Partner
Cindy has a breadth of experience in corporate and partnership formation and operation, entity conversion and reorganization, business planning, business succession, and asset protection planning.
Lauren M. Fitte
Partner
Lauren focuses on the design, implementation and administration of domestic and international estate and business plans for GFGR’s clients.
Lena M. Hall
Associate
Lena’s practice focuses on the federal income, estate, and gift tax implications for clients utilizing complex estate planning, trust, and business strategies across multiple jurisdictions.
Practice Professionals
J. Ross Buchholtz
Tax & Accounting
Ross draws upon his extensive experience as a senior certified public accountant to advise clients on a variety of income and transfer tax matters.
Tax & Accounting">View Practice Professional ProfileCoordinators
Bruce S. Kentros
Director
Bruce’s efforts are focused on complex structure administration and international estate and wealth protection planning.
Christina L. Pedersen
Tax Matters
Christina primarily focuses on domestic and international tax compliance and planning for individuals, entities, and trusts.
Amy D. Quiñones
International Matters
Amy primarily focuses on international estate planning and life insurance structures.
Carol S. Kohler
Corporate Matters
Carol supports the firm’s income and estate tax attorneys in the design and implementation of domestic and international entity structures.
Executive & Legal Assistants
Shannon L. Clifton
Executive Assistant
Shannon's primary responsibilities are to support Leslie Giordani, Bob Chesner, and Amy Quiñones; she also manages online presence.
Executive Assistant">View Legal Assistant Profile
Heather J. Denham
Legal Assistant
Heather primarily supports Michael Ripp, Cindy Grossman, Steven Baker, Lauren Fitte, Bruce Kentros and Carol Kohler, as well as firm training and other firm administration duties.
Legal Assistant">View Legal Assistant Profile
Paula L. Echols
Legal Assistant
Paula primarily supports Ross Buchholtz and Christina Pedersen, as well as firm accounting and other firm administration duties.
Legal Assistant">View Legal Assistant ProfileAdministration
David A. Giordani
Firm Administrator
David leads and oversees all the operational, administrative, and financial functions of the firm.
Alyssa N. Gault
Accounting Administrator
Alyssa administers accounts payable and receivable, maintains the firm’s ledgers and provides client support.
Sandra L. Painter
Accounting Administrator
Sandra administers accounts payable and receivable, maintains the firm’s ledgers and provides client support.
GBGR Alumni
Peggy A. Ugent
Tax & Accounting
Ms. Ugent retired as the firm’s Director of Tax and Accounting in April 2018, but she continues to share her extensive experience on an as-needed basis with the firm.
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