Stephanie D. Winstead, Esq.

Stephanie D. Winstead Founder & President

Stephanie D. Winstead, Esq. earned her Juris Doctorate degree from the Chapman University School of Law in Orange, California in 2003, where she was the recipient of an academic scholarship and graduated with an emphasis in tax law.

Stephanie D . Winstead, Esq.

While attending law school, Ms. Winstead was elected to Vice President of the Tax Law Society, was enrolled in the law school's Tax Emphasis Program and participated in Chapman's federally funded Tax Clinic where she assisted individuals in resolving their tax disputes with the IRS.

During tax season, she also volunteered her time preparing income tax returns for individuals through the IRS' Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA).

Having enjoyed working for several prestigious Orange County litigation firms, in 2005, Ms. Winstead made a move to a San Diego specialty tax and estate planning firm where she honed her estate planning skills and built upon her tax knowledge.

In 2008 Ms. Winstead received the honor of being named Young Attorney of the Year by the San Diego Daily Transcript.

Feeling that she could better represent her clients' interests outside of a large law firm, Ms. Winstead opened Winstead Law Group, APC, in 2009. Since that time, she has been an active member of the Laguna Niguel Chamber of Commerce, where she currently sits as a member of the Board of Directors. Ms. Winstead also believes in giving back to the community and has sat on the Investment, Banking and Audit Committee and the Traffic and Transportation Commission for the City of Laguna Niguel. She is also a member of the Laguna Niguel Lions Club and the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 281.

Ms. Winstead has prepared hundreds of estate plans for high net worth families and business owners. She has developed a broad understanding of the complex issues that arise when putting these plans into practice. She has implemented many wealth preservation strategies enabling clients to transfer ownership of their assets to their heirs through strategically structured estate planning devices, thereby significantly minimizing taxes and probate expenses. Additionally, as comprehensive wealth preservation frequently involves the transfer of business interests, Ms. Winstead incorporates partnerships, corporations, structured gifting, and charitable trusts into estate plans where appropriate to satisfy each client's unique goals.

Ms. Winstead is licensed to practice law in all California Courts and the United States Federal Court for the Central District of California. She stays current on the latest tax and estate planning developments as a member of WealthCounsel, both the Taxation and Estate Planning sections of the California Bar Association and the Orange County Bar Association.

BELIEFS: Ms. Winstead believes that clients are best represented when a law firm exhibits HONESTY and INTEGRITY with an objective towards CLIENT SATISFACTION. She encourages potential clients to read her client reviews and testimonials to help determine if she is the right attorney for their family. "HONESTY and INTEGRITY" is not merely a slogan; it is her lifestyle.

When not working, Ms. Winstead spends as much time as possible with her family. She also enjoys local government and sailing with her friends and family. She and her husband are very competitive sailors and race sailboats throughout Southern California.