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Chang is a partner in the private client and tax team.
His practice focuses on domestic and international estate planning, trust administration, business succession and tax and charitable planning. Chang is certified as a specialist in estate planning, trust, and probate law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. He is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), where he serves on the Estate and Gift Tax Committee, the Tax Policy Study Committee, the Programs Committee and the Communications Committee.
Chang is also a member of the International Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and has served on the board of directors for a community college foundation and as chairperson for a planned giving committee. He was co-chair of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association and co-chair of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, Professional Advisory Network.
He has been repeatedly named by Los Angeles Magazine and Law & Politics Magazine as a “Southern California Super Lawyer,” is recognized as a Best Lawyer® and is rated AV® Preeminent™ by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell.
Chang has lectured to numerous professional and lay audiences, including the USC Tax Institute, the USC Trust and Estate Conference, ACTEC National Meetings, the ABA Taxation Annual Meeting, and other professional and charitable groups.
Withers grows California team with addition of Hoffman Sabban & Watenmaker law firm
The HSW practice, consisting of eight lawyers, three paralegals and additional team members, enhances Withers' robust estate, tax and charitable planning, trusts and estates administration and trusts and estates litigation practices in California.
Recent recognition
Experience
Talks
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'Right of publicity,' ACTEC 2025 Annual Meeting - March 20, 2025, speaker
- ‘Three’s Company or Three’s a Crowd, The Interaction and Tension between Estate Planners, Fiduciary Counsel and Fiduciary Litigators in Representing Their Respective Clients,’ ACTEC National Fall Meeting – 2024, co-speaker
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‘The Twin ‘Ns’ – NIL (name-image-likeness) and NFTs (non-fungible tokens) – How to Manage Them in Your Estate Planning Practice,’ ACTEC National Annual Meeting – 2022, co-speaker
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‘Power to the People! (An Exploration of the Use of Powers of Appointment in Estate Planning),’ ABA Section of Taxation Midyear Meeting – 2016, co-speaker
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‘Fiduciary Income Taxation for Accountants,’ USC Tax Institute – 2016, co-speaker
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‘Give Me My Money — Now! (Having Second Thoughts on the Wisdom of an Outdated Plan),’ USC Tax Institute– 2012, co-speaker
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‘Death and Taxes: No Longer a Certainty. A View of Estate Planning When the Federal Estate Tax Is Not an Issue,’ 37th Annual USC Trust and Estate Conference– 2011, speaker
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‘Power to the People! (An Exploration of the Use of Powers of Appointment in Estate Planning),’ 30th Annual UCLA-CEB Estate Planning Institute – 2008, co-speaker
External Publications
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‘Give Me My Money — Now! (Having Second Thoughts on the Wisdom of an Outdated Plan),’ 64 Major Tax Planning - 2012, co-authored
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‘Death and Taxes: No Longer a Certainty. A View of Estate Planning When the Federal Estate Tax Is Not an Issue,’ 37th Annual USC Trust and Estate Conference - 2011, authored
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‘Power to the People! (An Exploration of the Use of Powers of Appointment in Estate Planning),’ 30th Annual UCLA-CEB Estate Planning Institute - 2008, co-authored
- ‘Keeping the ‘Family’ in the Family Home: Special Planning Challenges Posed by QPRTs,’ California Trusts and Estates Quarterly, Official Publication of the State Bar of California Trusts and Estates Section - co-authored
Admissions
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California Bar, 2000
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Iowa Bar, 1996
Education
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Grinnell College (B.A. with Honors, 1993)
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University of Iowa, College of Law (J.D. with Distinction, 1996)
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London School of Economics and Political Science (General Course, 1992-1993)
Languages
- English
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Korean (conversational)
Memberships
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California Board of Legal Specialization Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law
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USC Trust and Estate Conference Planning Committee
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American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), fellow
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International Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, member
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Beverly Hills Bar Association, Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section, former co-chair
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Professional Advisory Network, Motion Picture and Television Fund, former co-chair
Withers History
- Joined 2025