Gianelli Friedman Jeffries & McKernan, A Professional Law Corporation

05/07/2025

In the world of fairy tales, magic spells and wicked curses often lead to long, enchanted slumbers. But in the real world, when someone becomes incapacitated, things aren't quite so whimsical, and the legal and emotional consequences can be far more complicated…

04/17/2025

The rule of law is a foundational principle in this country. It is the mechanism that supports the equality of all people and institutions before the law and prevents the arbitrary use of power by the government to ensure that everyone is subject to the same laws, including lawmakers, government officials, and judges.

At Gianelli, Friedman, Jeffries, & McKernan, we believe that the rule of law and the independence of the legal profession are not just ideals; they are the foundation of our justice system and our democracy. In that spirit, we proudly stand in support of law firms Perkins Coie, Jenner &a

05/08/2024

We hope to see other members of the community enjoying the outside with us at the inaugural Bike N' Trike Event for Modesto Children's Museum!

01/31/2024

There is a gift tax on property or cash you give away, but tax code provides a gift tax annual exclusion . This is an amount you can give to anyone, and as many people as you wish, with no tax and no use of your lifetime exemption. The exclusion amount went up to $18,000 January 1, 2024. 

08/06/2023

Happy Birthday Mike 🥳🎉

07/01/2023

The firm is now hiring an Office Manager who will lead and manage the day-to-day operational activities of the law firm in the following administrative firm matters Accounting, Facilities, Human Resources, Marketing, and File Management. The ideal candidate must have at least three (3) years of experience in an accounting role. The ideal candidate will manage all aspects of the firm so that the legal team can focus on law practice, superior work products, and client services.

*To apply, email your resume to [email protected]

06/09/2023

We are for a full-time Estate Planning & Trust Administration Attorney to join our team in Modesto, CA. The successful candidate will be responsible for providing legal advice and services related to estate planning, estate law, probate, estate administration, and succession planning.

To apply, ONLY send resume directly to our HR Manager at [email protected]

Qualifications
- Strong knowledge of estate planning, estate law, probate, estate administration, and succession planning
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Strong organizational and problem-solving skills
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize effectively
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
- Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school
- Must have an active CA bar license to practice and be in good standing; candidates without a license will not be considered.
- Leadership Skills

*Salary is commensurate with experience, $130,000 - $200,000 per year.

06/09/2023

GIANELLI FRIEDMAN & JEFFRIES is pleased to announce a new partner, Louis "Lou" Friedman

Louis "Lou" Friedman joined Gianelli | Friedman | Jeffries in 2012. Lou’s law practice emphasizes the areas of Estate Planning, Finance, Business Organization, Succession Planning, Charitable Gifting and Asset Protection. He believes in giving his clients innovative solutions for their legal issues. Lou served at the E. & J. Gallo Winery for 25 years, where he was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and has held senior positions at multiple law and accounting firms. Lou has vast experience advising family owned and closely held companies.

He has spent decades working in this field as a CPA, attorney, and senior officer of a family-owned business. He can help your family in creating a successful transition, including saving taxes, preserving family harmony, developing potential leaders, and furthering your charitable objectives. The goal is to either keep the business functioning well as a family asset or develop a comprehensive exit strategy that will maximize value.

Lou is very involved in our community. Some of his local positions have included the Stanislaus Community Foundation where he is a Director and serves on the Finance and Grants committees, the Gallo Center for the Arts, where he was a Director and Treasurer for 10 years and now serves on the Finance Committee as well as a Trustee. Lou is a Past President of Modesto Rotary Club; he served as a Trustee and Chair of the Sylvan Unified School District.

Lou received his B.S. from Arizona State University with Honors in 1960, his LLB from Loyola University (Los Angeles), and his LLM in Taxation from New York University. He was admitted to the New York Bar in 1967 and the California bar in 1974. Prior to joining Gianelli, he worked with Gallo Winery and as a CPA for the accounting firms of Price Waterhouse and Deloitte, and with another Modesto law firm. He is admitted in good standing to all of the courts of California and is a member of the New York Bar, as well as being a member of the American Bar Association, ABA Tax Section, The Stanislaus County Bar Association, the Stanislaus Estate Planning Council and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

06/09/2023

GIANELLI FRIEDMAN & JEFFRIES, APLC is pleased to announce a new partner, Amy Jeffries.

Amy joined Gianelli | Friedman | Jeffries in 2021 and focuses on estate planning, business transactional work and business planning. Her practice areas include estate planning, trust administrations and terminations, entity formation and dissolution, sales agreements, lease agreements, gifting and business succession planning.

After graduating from Modesto High School’s IB program, Amy received her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, with a minor in Global Peace and Security from the University of California at Santa Barbara. She received her Juris Doctorate at the Ohio Northern Claude W. Pettit School of Law and graduated as valedictorian of her class.

After graduation, Amy worked as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Ohio, representing the Department of Health and Human Services for five years before transitioning into private practice and insurance defense for several years. After returning to her native Modesto in 2019 and passing the February 2019 California bar exam, Amy practiced family law litigation and school district/public entity defense at a large firm before joining Gianelli’s Estate Planning team. Before law school, Amy was an English teacher in South Korea and enjoyed traveling and SCUBA diving all over the world in her free time. She has enjoyed dabbling in Korean, Spanish, Arabic, and French in her travels.

She and her husband John have lived all over, including Luxembourg, Alabama, and Hawai’i, but they are happy to finally settle in Modesto with their three young children. Amy has been an active fundraiser and committee member for The Arthritis Foundation for several years and is a member of the American Inns of Court, Wray Ladine Chapter. Amy is currently serving on the Boards of Directors for the Modesto Children’s Museum, the Stanislaus County Bar Association, and the Modesto Chamber of Commerce, and she is also serving on the Asset Development Committee for the Stanislaus Community Foundation.

10/12/2022

New blog post by Rachelle Vande Pol regarding the 2022 propositions on the California Ballot

Before the November election, we thought it might be beneficial to give a brief non-partisan rundown on the current propositions for California, particularly after so many Californian’s were blindsided by the loss of the parent-child exemption from property tax reassessment by Proposition 19 two y...