Fight the Taxman Our Staff - Fight the Taxman

Our Staff

Dennis Sandoval

Dennis broke his neck and back in a car accident in 1992. As a result of his injuries, he was left paralyzed. The experiences he gained as the result of his injuries are invaluable in his work with the disabled and senior communities. He has first hand experience in dealing with the physical and emotional aspects of having a disability and how the system works for those requiring care.

Dennis Sandoval is the only attorney in California that has certifications in the three areas of estate planning, elder law and taxation. He received his Certified Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Specialist designation from the California Bar Board of Legal Specialization in 1998. He received his Certified Taxation Law Specialist designation from the same organization in 2000 and he became a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) in 2004, after passing all the requirements established by the National Elder Law Foundation. Dennis also recently received the Accredited Estate Planner (AEP) designation from the national Association of Estate Planners and Councils. In addition to these four certifications, he also has a Master of Law Degree (LL.M.) in Taxation Law, which he received cum laude from Golden Gate University College of Law. He received his Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree cum laude from Western State University College of Law and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from California State University at Fullerton.

Before becoming an attorney, Mr. Sandoval owned a tax planning / preparation and financial planning firm in Orange, California. During the time he practiced in this area he received his Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Registered Financial Consultant (RFC) and Enrolled Agent (EA) designations. Although Dennis longer practices as a financial planner, the knowledge and experience he gained during this time is invaluable in assisting him with the planning of his clients estates, as well as working with a client’s other financial advisors.

In addition to overseeing his estate planning, elder law and tax law practice in Riverside, California, Dennis serves as the Director of Education for the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys (AAEPA), a nationwide membership organization of attorneys specializing in estate planning. He was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and is beginning the second year of his term as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF), the non-profit organization that administers the CELA designation. He is the 2008 / 2009 President of the Southern California Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA).

Dennis is one of only six California members of the Special Needs Alliance, a nationwide membership organization of attorneys interested in advancing the care of special needs persons through proper planning. Dennis is also a member of the Riverside County Bar Association (he was the 2003 / 2004 chairperson of its Estate Planning Section), the California Bar Association (where he is a member of the Estate Planning and Taxation Law Sections) and the American Bar Association (where he is a member of its Probate, Trust and Real Property and Taxation Law Sections). Dennis is also a member of the Riverside County Estate Planning Council. He formerly served as chairperson of NAELA’s Advanced Education Committee and sat on the steering committee for NAELA’s Tax Law Special Interest Group.

Sandoval Legacy Group, A Professional Law Corporation, is also a charter member of the Life Care Planning Law Firms Association (LCPLFA). The LCPLFA is a nationwide membership organization of law firms that employ social workers and geriatric care managers as part of a holistic team of professionals to assist frail elders and disabled persons get the highest quality of care. Sandoval Legacy Group, A PLC, is the only law firm in the Inland Empire with a social worker on its staff. The law firm was also a charter member of the Academy of Special Needs Planners.

Mr. Sandoval is an adjunct professor at Chapman University College of Law, where he teaches various classes for their Master of Tax Law (LL.M.) program. He previously taught various classes at Western State University College of Law, the Wills and Trust class at California Southern Law School and various attorney legal education courses for the University of California at Riverside Extension. Mr. Sandoval frequently conducts educational seminars for the general public. He also conducts continuing education seminars for financial and health care professionals. His classes for professionals and the general public consistently get high praise from the attendees.

Dennis grew up in Riverside, California, where he attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help grade school and Notre Dame High School. He was active in many sports, lettering in football and wrestling. His hobbies include building wooden model ships, photography (above ground and underwater), maintaining saltwater aquariums, sailing and scuba diving. He lives in Norco, California with his wife and three girls, along with their menagerie of pets.

Pamela Valencia

Pamela is our associate attorney. She received her Juris Doctorate degree from University of New Mexico School of Law and her Master of Tax Law (LL.M.) degree from the prestigious New York University School of Law LL.M. program. Her Bachelor of Arts degree is in Linguistics from the University of California at San Diego.

Pamela recently received news from the California Bar Board of Legal Specialization that she had passed the exam to be certified as a Certified Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Specialist. It is anticipated that she will fulfill the balance of the requirements to obtain the certification shortly.

Pamela is an adjunct professor at California Southern Law School, where she teaches the Wills and Trusts class to the Juris Doctorate students. She is also beginning to take on some of the teaching for the consumer and continuing education classes that our law firm offers.

Prior to joining our law firm, Pamela worked with several estate planning and tax law firms. She will primarily assist Dennis with our estate planning, conservatorship, probate and tax controversy clients. Pamela has a special interest in working through the complexities of advanced estate planning for wealthy individuals and estate planning for same-sex couples and unmarried partners.

Pamela is serving as the 2008 / 2009 Co-Chairperson of the Estate Planning Section for the Riverside County Bar Association.

Pamela is a member of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys, the National Association of Life Care Planning Law Firms, the Academy of Special Needs Planners, and the Riverside County Bar Association. She has studied to be a docent for the Mission Inn in Riverside. She enjoys working with various charitable organizations, singing and sampling various foods and wines. She lives with her partner, Dawn, in Riverside.

Karen Griffith

After having worked with the disabled community for over 18 years, Karen Griffith recently joined our law firm as our Geriatric Care Coordinator. Karen has her Bachelors Degree in Social Work from the University of Nebraska. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers as well as its Western Region chapter. Karen is also licensed as a Notary Public in California.

Karen specializes in working with seniors and the disabled. She is available to assist clients with the selection of an appropriate nursing home or assisted care facility. Where the disabled person or senior desires to remain in their home, Karen is available to assess what modifications will be necessary to allow the senior or disabled person to have the greatest amount of freedom and accessibility. Where the client is in a nursing home or assisted living facility, Karen is available to attend and actively advocate for the needs of a client in patient care meetings.

Karen serves on the Steering Committee for the Inland Empire Palliative Care Coalition and on its Education Committee. Karen is active with many support groups for patients and families of patients with senile dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Lou Gehrig’s Disease, Muscular Sclerosis, stroke and other debilitating diseases.

Karen resides in Riverside, California. She has 2 children and 1 granddaughter. Her hobbies include gardening (she is a Master Composter), singing, antiques and collectables, cooking, and going to yard sales.

Paula McIntyre

Paula is the newest addition to our staff, joining our firm after we took over the probate and conservatorship practice of the Heritage Law Firm in 2008. Paula began her legal career in 1979 as a Clerk Typist for the Juvenile Traffic Court. She was then promoted to the Riverside Superior Court and began working in the Probate division of the Clerk’s office. That is where she found her passion working with Probate, Conservatorship and Guardianship matters.

After taking a short hiatus for the birth to her son, she returned to Riverside Superior Court in March 1986 and began working in various divisions, finally finding her way back to the Probate division. In May 1989, Paula was promoted to a Probate Examiner / Court Investigator and continued in that position until she left the Court in August 1998 to become a stay at home mom for her then 5 year old daughter and 13 year old son.

However, this only lasted a few weeks and she began working part time as a Legal Assistant for the Law Offices of Herb Chavers, now known as the Heritage Law Firm. In 2003, Paula became the Probate Paralegal for Mr. Chavers’ law firm.

With over 22 years of experience, Paula is one of the most experienced Probate paralegals in the Inland Empire and we are very proud to now have her as a part of our team at Sandoval Legacy Group, A PLC, where she holds the position of Senior Paralegal.

Paula grew up in the Glen Avon area of Riverside County where she currently resides with her husband Lonie and 15 year old daughter, Amy. She also has 3 adult children Ben, Brad and Esther and one granddaughter, Stormi. Paula is very active in her church with the children’s ministry, enjoys being with family and friends, camping and fishing.

Megan Boling

Dennis first met Megan Boling when she sought his assistance with getting her father-in-law on Medi-Cal and SSI after he had suffered a massive stroke. Dennis was so impressed with her organization skills and how she fought to get the highest level of care for her father-in-law, that he offered her a job as his first paralegal.

Megan has many skills that make her a great paralegal, but probably her greatest attributes are her contagious upbeat attitude and diligence in caring for clients.

Megan is licensed as a Notary Public for the State of California. She is a member of the Inland Counties Association of Paralegals and she is currently nearly completion of her paralegal studies certificate program at Riverside Community College.

She lives in Upland, California with her husband, Mike, her son Logan, and her dogs, Gypsy and Kona. Together they provide in-home care for Mike’s father, who is recovering nicely from his massive stroke. Her hobbies include cooking, camping, hiking, gardening and crocheting.

Vanessa Lewis

Megan met Venessa in a paralegal class at Riverside Community College, and when Dennis began looking to add another paralegal to the staff, Megan had no hesitancy to recommend that Dennis interview her. Megan’s recommendation has turned out to be a great one, as Venessa is now a very vital member of our staff.

Like Megan, Venessa has many skills that make her a great paralegal, with attention to detail, client care and her willingness to learn and take on new tasks being among her skills that Dennis most appreciates.

Venessa is licensed as a Notary Public for the State of California. She is a member of the Inland Counties Association of Paralegals and she is nearing completion of the paralegal studies certificate program at Riverside Community College.

She lives in Riverside, California with her significant other, Corey, and her dog, Dallas. She is expecting her first child, Lily, in January 2009. She occupies her time outside of work with swimming, horseback riding, baking and camping on Lake Mead.

Glen J. Biondi (Of Counsel)

Glen is the newest member of our law firm. In his capacity as an Of-Counsel Associate Attorney, he is assisting the firm with our trust and estate litigation, probate and conservatorship clients. Dennis was very impressed with Glen when he met him, as they both share many of the same life experiences, both having overcome major health traumas, becoming coming to the law as a second career and both having worked in the financial service industries.

Glen received his Juris Doctorate degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. In another parallel with Dennis, Thomas Jefferson School was previously a second campus of Western State University, the law school which Dennis attended – but they split off as separate entities in the mid-1990’s for ABA accreditation reasons. Glen received his Bachelor of Arts degree in computer science from Seton Hall University.

Glen is currently entertaining the idea of taking the California Bar Board of Legal Specialization exam to be certified as a Certified Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Specialist the next time it is offered. We are confident he will pass it if he decides to do so.

Prior to joining our law firm, Glen worked with several local law firms, including Thomson and Colegate and Giardinelli and Duke, where he worked with those firm’s real estate, business and estate planning clients. Glen holds a California real estate broker license and various securities licenses. He is a member of the Riverside County Bar Association. He enjoys golf, fitness and reading. He lives with his wife Holly, daughter Courtney, and grandson Noah in Menifee.