"Foundations of Family Law: Tracing, Reimbursement, and Characterization for Trusts & State Practitioners"
Presented by:
Terence Daniel Doyle, Esq
and
Brittany Doyle Riley, Esq.
Doyle Quane
PROGRAM SUMMARY:
Whether an asset is community or separate property shapes nearly every decision in trust funding and administration, yet the rules that govern it come mostly from family law. This session, led by family law veteran Terence Doyle and trust administration attorney Brittany Doyle Riley, is a deep dive into those family law principles. The session will open with the basics: the line between community and separate property, and the right of reimbursement under Family Code section 2640, including where that doctrine does and doesn't carry over outside dissolution. From there, we'll look at the fact patterns trusts and estates practitioners see most often. We'll cover separate property real estate under the Moore/Marsden apportionment framework, separately owned businesses under the competing Pereira and Van Camp approaches, and the treatment of separate property stock options. Throughout, the focus is practical: how to trace contributions, characterize mixed assets, and avoid characterization problems when funding a trust and administering it after a death.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
- Distinguish community from separate property under California law and explain the Family Code §2640 right of reimbursement, including how far it does and doesn't reach beyond dissolution.
- Apply the Moore/Marsden and Pereira/Van Camp apportionment frameworks to separate property real estate and businesses, and analyze the characterization of separate property stock options.
- Use tracing techniques to characterize mixed assets and avoid characterization errors during trust funding and administration after a death.
ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS:
Terence Daniel Doyle, founder of Doyle Quane, has been a family law practitioner for over 40 years. His practice focuses on family law matters involving high net worth estates with complex business, trust and tax considerations. Terry is a Certified Family Law Specialist (CFLS), holds a master’s degree (LL.M.) in taxation and is a frequent speaker on business-related family law topics. Terry serves as a private judge or mediator in complex family law matters in which the participants require specialized knowledge and privacy.
Terry is known for his reasoned approach through which important business, support and tax issues are identified and resolved. He is skilled and committed to designing innovative and creative solutions that allow the parties’ assets to continue to thrive post-separation.
Terry has gathered together a team of highly-skilled and trained attorneys and C.P.A.’s who understand the nuances of identifying, evaluating, and resolving financial complexities in the context of divorce. Terry has built an in-house family law forensics accounting team that is unparalleled and unprecedented in the State of California. The Doyle Quane in-house forensics team provides a confidential, immediate and accurate assessment of a client’s rights and exposures relative to business, trust and personal assets in divorce.
Terry established the firm in 1984 and has since curated a team of highly skilled professionals based out of the firm’s offices in the heart of historic downtown Danville. He is a proud husband, father, and grandfather, a passionate member of the Danville and Silverado communities and an avid golfer.
Brittany Doyle Riley is an attorney at Doyle Quane and is a Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law. Brittany’s practice is focused primarily on the firm’s trust and estate administration matters, where Brittany guides her clients through the complexities of post-death administration.
Prior to joining Doyle Quane, Brittany practiced corporate law at Cooley LLP in Palo Alto, CA, where she represented various Bay Area technology companies on every stage of their corporate life cycle from formation through initial public offering. Through this experience, Brittany gained valuable insights into the inner workings of emerging technology companies, enabling her to offer targeted guidance on the administration and estate planning goals of their founders and employees.
Brittany earned her JD from Harvard Law School and her BA from University of Miami. She also holds a Master of Law (LL.M.) in Estate Planning as well as a Master of Law (LL.M.) in Taxation from Golden Gate University.
Brittany lives in her hometown of Danville with her husband Brad and their children Finnegan and Vivienne. She is an active member of the Danville community, currently serving on the Board of Directors of Discovery Counseling Center, a nonprofit organization that provides affordable mental health services for the Danville and surrounding communities. She previously served a Chair of the Board of Directors of the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce, where she founded the Women’s Enterprise Initiative, a program designed to help local female entrepreneurs thrive. In her spare time, Brittany enjoys spending time with her family and traveling to Maui and Disneyland as often as she can.
1 Hour of MCLE & CFP Continuing Education Credit Offered
A Special Thanks to Our Event Sponsor
Art Lotti
Custom Moving Solutions
info@custom-movers.com
(925) 895-4411
A Special Thanks to our Wine Sponsor
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Tiffany Sutton
REALTOR® | DRE# 02048623
tiffany@therealtortiff.com
(925) 854-8079
Meeting Agenda/Schedule
November 5, 2026
6:00pm - Check In, Networking & Reception
6:30pm - Sit Down Plated Dinner
6:45pm- Welcome & Announcements
7:00pm- Speaker Presentation
8:00pm- Event Concludes
REGISTRATION COST
Members - $95 | Guests - $115
AFTER 11/3/2026
Members - $105 | Guests - $125
The Tri-Valley Estate Planning Council is a multi-disciplinary group of estate planning and related professionals focused on delivering exceptional services to clients by providing and strengthening:
Cutting-edge continuing education to develop best practices in estate planning, wealth preservation and legacy; Communication and collaboration with peers across disciplines; A reliable network of referral sources with experienced, like-minded professionals
