Elizabeth A. Bawden

Partner | Los Angeles

Elizabeth is a partner in the private client and tax team.

She focuses her efforts on estate planning, planned giving and tax-exempt organizations. Elizabeth represents clients in matters related to family wealth transfers for large estates, sophisticated estate and gift tax saving techniques, charitable planned giving, and complex probate and trust administrations. She also regularly represents tax-exempt organizations in formation, organizational and operational issues.

Elizabeth is certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization as a legal specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law and a fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). She received the 2019 Distinguished Service Award from the Los Angeles Council of Charitable Gift Planners, where she has served as president and has been a member for 15 years.

Elizabeth is a graduate of Wheaton College (IL) and the UCLA School of Law where she served as Executive Editor of the UCLA Law Review. After law school, she clerked for Judge Wiley Y. Daniel of the Federal District Court in Colorado. Elizabeth is currently adjunct faculty at the UCLA School of Law teaching Estate and Gift Tax and Estate Planning.

Elizabeth serves on the board of the Heifer International Foundation, supporting the work of Heifer International to end hunger and poverty around the world by providing livestock and training to struggling communities.

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She is fiercely intelligent, thoughtful, principled, and has a remarkable ability to solve problems and offer effective and elegant solutions.

Client
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In every way, Elizabeth Bawden is a leader and an exemplary representative of the gift planning community.

Allyson Simpson, President, Los Angeles Council of Charitable Gift Planners
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She explains complex legal, tax and charitable giving situations in a way that even non-lawyers can comprehend.

Client
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She is a tenacious and skillful problem-solver, has strong personal and professional integrity, is pragmatic and is able to anticipate and mitigate issues before they arise.

Client
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“Elizabeth did a great job of describing the new laws and available charitable giving options, which are complex, in terms that were clear, logical and could be put to use today.”

Jose A. Marquez, Director of Planned Giving, Inland Empire Community Foundation

Focus areas

Charities and non profit

Talent and creatives

Philanthropy

Sport

High-net-worth individuals

Trustees, executors and fiduciaries

Admissions

Publications

Memberships

Talks

State of California, 2000

State of Arkansas, 2017

‘Final Anti-Clawback Regs Give Estate Planners Green Light,’ Tax Notes, November 26, 2019, quoted

‘Preparing for Sunset - what every lawyer needs to know about the gift and estate tax,’ Daily Journal’s ‘Wealth with Withers’ column, June 25, 2019, author

‘Withers update on California and federal legislative activity affecting estate taxes,’ Insight __ - June 19, 2019, co-author

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American Institute for Philanthropic Studies Certified Specialist in Planned Giving program (2020-present)

American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Fellow (2014-present)

American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Charitable Planning Committee

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‘Love in the Time of COVID-19: Trustee and Beneficiary Harmony in Years Like 2020,’ USC Gould School of Law 46th Annual Trust and Estate Conference - November 13, 2020, panelist

‘Looking Ahead: Key benefits of Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs),’ Withersworldwide webinar - July 6, 2020, co-presenter

‘Fundraising During the Coronavirus Pandemic,’ virtual panel at Western Regional Planned Giving Conference - June 25, 2020, panelist

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Me in a minute

Giving back is an important personal value

I drafted my first legal agreement at age seven, a contract to become the first female 3rd baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers (I may have forged Tommy Lasorda’s signature on that contract, but can assure you I am now completely reformed from such behavior). A career in professional baseball did not pan out for me, but a career in the law did.

Prior to law school I worked for a number of lawyers with different legal specialties. Observing their work led me to focus my practice in work with individuals, their families and their philanthropies.

I am grateful to have skills and knowledge to help people in difficult transitions – the incapacity or death of a loved one, the settlement of affairs with siblings, and the understanding of complex tax and trust administration matters.

Teaching law students in the area of estate and gift tax is something that I love. It keeps me in touch with the next generation of lawyers and requires me to constantly expand my knowledge. The ability to explain complex concepts and procedures clearly is a hallmark of my work with clients, and teaching gives me continuing opportunity to further develop this ability.

Giving back is an important personal value. I am able to do this through my direct work with charities and other tax exempt organizations. I also enjoy helping my individual clients realize greater impact with their giving and collaborating to strengthen nonprofits in partnership with them.

Education

UCLA School of Law, J.D.
Wheaton College (IL), cum laude, B.A.

Languages

  • English

Dates

Joined

2015
Partner

2015

Recognition

Los Angeles

1925 Century Park East,

Suite 400,

CA 90067

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Insight

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