The seminar begins at 8:00 am at the Chamber of Commerce offices at the Train Depot located at 200 N. 10th Street in Santa Paula. The presentation will be in roundtable format where questions and participation from the attendants is encouraged. 

 Melissa Sayer counsels clients on general business and water related issues.  She owns a 23 acre avocado and citrus ranch just outside of Santa Paula where she enjoys spending time with her family and her goats, dogs, cats and chickens.  She can be reached at msayer@atozlaw.com.

For more information or to RSVP, call the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce at 805-525-5561 or 805-689-2229. 

VanConas received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, law degree from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles and master’s degree in taxation from Golden Gate University. She is active with the Ventura County Bar Association, serving as president in 2010, and probate and estate planning section chair from 2007-2009. She is also a member of the Trusts & Estates Section of the California State Bar and is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization.

For more information or to RSVP, call Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce at 805-525-5561 or 805-689-2229.

The panel will address the state of foreclosures, workouts, short sales and loan modifications; what the $26 billion bank settlement means for homeowners; how landlords can avoid legal pitfalls and stay in compliance; and top tips on being a good tenant.

In addition to McCarthy, the panel will include Kirk Grossman and Leslie McAdam.

VanConas is a former president of VCBA and has years of service to the organization, including work as a board and committee member. In her new role, she will inform the Bar’s general membership of pertinent bench matters and provide the committee’s feedback to the bench.

“Building a home with Habitat for Humanity is about building a better community,” said McCarthy. “We all feel so lucky and blessed to live here and want to help another family live here too.”

Habitat for Humanity is an ecumenical Christian housing ministry that challenges people to provide adequate housing and eliminate homelessness in partnership with those in need. For more information about Habitat for Humanity or to volunteer, visit www.habitatventura.org.

As vice president, McCarthy will continue to work toward promoting professionalism and civility among Ventura County lawyers by encouraging, educating and supporting the organization’s members, working with the judiciary, educating the public and protecting access to the courts and the fundamental right to trial by jury. She will also chair the Annual Judge’s Night program in March, where a sitting judge is honored as “Judge of the Year” and a retired judge’s portrait will be unveiled as the “Portrait Honoree” and hung in Dept. 22 of the Hall of Justice.

Krimmer has been active with the Barristers Section for 4 years and helped launch the Ventura Family YMCA’s “Take it to the Court” 3-on-3 basketball tournament, a joint effort between the YMCA and the Barristers Section and whose proceeds provide scholarships for disadvantaged families in the area.

Leadership Ventura is a two-year leadership development program led by Dr. Relly Nadler. During the first year, participants work with Nadler to hone their leadership skills. The participants also work in small groups to conceptualize and implement projects that will benefit the community. Krimmer’s group is developing a project to assist Ventura’s homeless. During the second year, participants use these skills to lead the activities and plan for subsequent programs.

If you are interested in more information about Leadership Ventura or the homeless project that Krimmer’s group will be implementing, contact him at 805-988-9886 or rkrimmer@atozlaw.com.

Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a rigorous multi-phased process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates, and peer reviews by practice area.

Dennis LaRochelle

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Michael Swanson, Ph.D., of Wells Fargo Ag Industries, and Melissa Sayer, senior associate at A to Z Law, will host a seminar on how to manage global and local risk in agriculture. Sayer will speak on Ventura County agriculture and ways to manage risk locally; Swanson will focus on the overall global ag market and aspects of global risk management at the free seminar. The free event will be held 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Jan. 31 at Courtyard Marriott, 600 E. Esplanade Drive, Oxnard.

Sayer, co-owner of a citrus and avocado ranch outside Santa Paula, will put the global ag issues in context for local landowners, growers, and owners of packing and distribution channels. She will discuss ways to manage legal and business risks such as through diversification of crops, vertical integration of business structure, management and succession planning and business agreements.

“This seminar will help agribusinesses in the county understand global trends in managing risk and specific ways to manage risks locally,” said Sayer, a member of the Business Law Group of A to Z Law.

Lunch will be provided and reservations are strongly recommended, as seating is limited. To RSVP, contact Elsa R. Burton at (805) 987-5731 or elsa.r.burton@wellsfargo.com.