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Vanessa Kanaga currently serves as InterActive Legal’s Special Advisor on Estate Planning and Legal Strategy.  She is the former CEO of InterActive Legal.  Vanessa received her J.D. from Cornell Law School and holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Wichita State University, as well as an Advanced Professional Certificate from New York University School of Law. She is licensed in New York, Kansas, and Arizona, and currently lives in Arizona.

Prior to joining InterActive Legal in 2013, Vanessa practiced in New York, at Milbank LLP and Moses & Singer LLP, and in Kansas, at Hinkle Law Firm, LLC. She has experience in a range of estate planning matters, including high net worth tax planning and asset protection planning.

In 2024, Vanessa returned to the practice of law.  She is an Associate Attorney at Greengard Law Firm, PLC in Phoenix, Arizona.

Mr. Blattmachr is a Principal in ILS Management, LLC and a retired member of Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP in New York, NY and of the Alaska, California and New York Bars. He is recognized as one of the most creative trusts and estates lawyers in the country and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America. He has written and lectured extensively on estate and trust taxation and charitable giving.

Mr. Blattmachr graduated from Columbia University School of Law cum laude, where he was recognized as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and received his A.B. degree from Bucknell University, majoring in mathematics. He has served as a lecturer-in-law of the Columbia University School of Law and is an Adjunct Professor of Law at New York University Law School in its Masters in Tax Program (LLM). He is a former chairperson of the Trusts & Estates Law Section of the New York State Bar Association and of several committees of the American Bar Association. Mr. Blattmachr is a Fellow and a former Regent of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and past chair of its Estate and Gift Tax Committee. He is author or co-author of eight books and more than 500 articles on estate planning and tax topics.

Among professional activities, which are too numerous to list, Mr. Blattmachr has served as an Advisor on The American Law Institute, Restatement of the Law, Trusts 3rd; and as a Fellow of The New York Bar Foundation and a member of the American Bar Foundation.

Alan S. Gassman is the founder of the Clearwater, Florida law firm of Gassman, Crotty and Denicolo, P.A., which focuses on the representation of high net worth families, physicians and business owners, and their companies in estate planning, taxation, and business and personal asset structuring.

Mr. Gassman is the lead author on Bloomberg BNA’s Estate Tax Planning in 2011 and 2012, Gassman and Markham on Florida and Federal Asset Protection Law, Florida Law for Tax, Business & Financial Planning Advisors, Eight Steps to a Proper Florida Trust and Estate Plan, A Practical Guide to Kickback & Self-Referral Laws for Florida Physicians, The Florida Power of Attorney & Incapacity Planning Guide, The Florida Advisor’s Guide To Counseling Same Sex Couples, and a co-author of the recently published Legal Guide To NFA Firearms and Gun Trusts, among others.

Mr. Gassman is a frequent speaker for continuing education programs, and has published well over 200 peer reviewed articles with publications such as Bloomberg BNA Tax & Accounting, Trusts and Estates Magazine, Estate Planning Magazine, The Florida Bar Journal, and Leimberg Estate Planning Network (LISI).  He is also a past President of the Pinellas County Estate Planning Council and has co-chaired two annual Florida Bar programs for over fifteen years: Wealth Protection and Representing the Physician.

Mr. Gassman holds a law degree and a Masters of Law degree (LL.M.) in Taxation from the University of Florida, and a business degree from Rollins College.  Mr. Gassman is board certified by the Florida Bar Association in Estate Planning and Trust Law, has the Accredited Estate Planner designation from the National Association of Estate Planners & Council, has maintained an AV rating from the Martindale-Hubbell for over 20 years and is listed in both Best Lawyers in America and Florida Super Lawyers.

Michael L. Graham is Chairman of InterActive Legal and practices law with the Houser Firm in Dallas, Texas.

Mike has been continuously Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 40 years. He became a full partner at age 30 in one of the largest, most respected law firms in the US, Baker & Botts, and became a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel at age 34. MIke has served as Chair of the Texas Bar Association’s Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, the Houston Bar Association’s Probate Section, and the Dallas Bar Association’s Probate Section. Other professional contributions include Supervisory Council Member of the American Bar Association’s Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section and President of the Texas Academy of Probate and Trust Lawyers.

In his practice at the Houser Law Firm, Mike limits his current focus to matters involving business and estate planning, administration of estates and trusts, and fiduciary based litigation. He has practiced at both large, international firms and small boutique firms over the last 44 years. He received his J.D., cum laude, from Baylor School of Law (1972), and his BBA from Baylor University (1971).

Andrew H. “Andy” Hook is the president of Hook Law Center, where he practices in the areas of elder law, estate and trust administration, estate, tax, retirement and financial planning, long-term care planning, asset protection planning, special needs planning, business succession planning and personal injury settlement consulting. Hook Law Center serves southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. Permanent offices are located in Virginia Beach and Suffolk; however, other clients within the area are served at select locations on the Peninsula and on the Outer Banks.

Martin M. Shenkman is an attorney in private practice in Fort Lee, NJ, and New York City.  His practice concentrates on estate and tax planning, planning for closely held business, and estate administration.  Mr. Shenkman is an author of over 42 books and more than 1,000 articles.  He is an editorial board member of Trusts & Estates Magazine and the Matrimonial Strategist, and an advisor for InterActive Legal.  He is the recipient of many awards including being a 2013 recipient of the prestigious Accredited Estate Planners (Distinguished) award from the National Association of Estate Planning Counsels.  Mr. Shenkman was named Financial Planning Magazine 2012 Pro-Bono Financial Planner of the Year for his efforts on behalf of those living with chronic illness and disability.  Investment Adviser Magazine featured him on the cover of its April 2013 issue naming as the lead of their “all-star lineup of tax experts.”

Deborah J. Tedford is an attorney and principal in the Tedford Law Firm of Mystic, Connecticut.  She graduated from Yale University, cum laude in 1972 as a member of one of the first classes to include women, and from Boston University School of Law in 1976. She is also a qualified mediator, having completed 40 hours of formal mediation training.

Deb was elected as an ACTEC fellow in 1992, a fellow of the Connecticut Bar Foundation in 1995; and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation in 2012.  She recently served three years as Chair of the Elder Law Committee of ACTEC and is a Regent of the College. She is a member of ACTEC’s Fiduciary Litigation Committee and has served on a number of other administrative committees for the college.  Currently she is serving as ACTEC’s observer to the Uniform Law Commission’s re- writing of the national guardianship and conservatorship act.

Deb is a frequent speaker at the state and national levels on topics related to the field of trust law, including special needs trusts, estate and gift taxation, social security and undue influence in probate matters.