Our Professionals
Attorneys
Joseph C. Kempe, Esq., LL.M.
Joseph C. Kempe, Esq., is the principal of the Firm. Though a general practice Firm, Mr. Kempe’s practice is centered on complex estate and business planning. He is double board certified in wills, trusts, and estates and tax law under Florida’s Certification program of specialists. He has held those designations...
David C. Tassell, Esq.
Mr. Tassell joined the Firm in the year 2001, from Brookmyer, Hochman, Probst & Tassell, P.A., a Palm Beach Gardens firm, where he was a shareholder. Mr. Tassell maintains a practice focusing in the areas of real estate, both residential and commercial, condominium development, the acquisition and sale...
Marnie Ritchie Poncy, Esq.
Mrs. Poncy joined the Firm in 2011 and heads our Bioethics and Health Care Advocacy Department. Our Bioethics and Health Care Advocacy department offers representation to families, hospitals, trust companies, assisted living facilities, and physicians concerning the legal consequences of...
Conner R. Kempe, Esq., LL.M.
Mr. Kempe joined the Firm in February, 2017 after completion of his post doctorate studies at the University of San Diego School of Law, where he obtained his LL.M. degree in tax law. While there he completed his thesis, Trustee Grant of Power, A Simpler Approach to Modifying GST Exempt Trusts: ....
Melissa D. Lazarchick, Esq.
Mrs. Lazarchick is a Jupiter, Florida native and has practiced in Palm Beach County since 2007. She began her career as an associate attorney with the litigation firm, Roberts, Reynolds, Bedard & Tuzzio , which was followed by four years of trial practice with Rosenbaum Mollengarden Janssen & Siracusa....
Colby Jack Kempe, Esq., LL.M.
Mr. Kempe joined the firm in 2021 after completion of his post doctorate studies in tax law at the nationally 3rd ranked University of Florida, Levin College of Law, Tax Law Program, where he received his LL.M., degree with honors. While there he completed his post graduate paper, The Use of Powers of...
Sonya Mochegova, JD
Ms. Mochegova joined us in 2016 from the Durham, NC law firm of Stubbs, Cole, Breedlove, Prentis & Briggs, where she was an associate attorney in the real estate, estate planning and administration departments of the firm. Prior to her practice there, she was a legal extern with the United States Attorney’s...
Jesse Hap, Esq.
Mr. Hap rejoined us in 2023 after having spent some time of counsel to Florida Power and Light. Mr. Hap graduated in 2019 from the University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law. He is a member of the Florida Bars Real Property, Probate & Trust and Young Lawyers sections. Mr. Hap concentrates his practice in our real estate department.
James Sopko, Esq. LL.M.
Mr. Sopko has joined the Firm in order to transition his practice and his clients prior to his retirement. Jim is a personal friend, classmate, and professional colleague of Firm attorney, Joe Kempe, and has served the South Florida professional tax and estate planning communities for over 40 years. He will be located in our Stuart office on East Ocean Boulevard. Like Joe, he is double board certified in Tax Law and the Law of Wills, Trusts, and Estates under the Florida Bar’s certification program and holds a post-doctorate LL.M. degree in tax law.
CPAs, Tax Accountants and Analysts
The Firm offers legal representation in state and federal tax disputes, income and estate tax planning, and tax planning related to business operations. Our legal representation is supported by an experienced tax accounting department, which offers our clients not only assistance with tax planning in conjunction with our attorneys, but also assistance with budgeting, tax planning, and state and federal tax compliance and reporting.
Benjamin M. Devlen, CPA
Mr. Devlen is a member of our Tax Accounting and Wealth Management Departments. Prior to joining us, he was a senior associate with WTAS, LLC (formerly Arthur Andersen) in West Palm Beach, where he gained substantial experience in federal and state tax compliance and investment consulting and...
Chris G. Bourdeau, CPA
Mr. Bourdeau is a member of our Tax Compliance Department. Mr. Bordeau holds a B.A. degree in Accounting from the Florida Atlantic University. He was previously with Wieseneck, Andres & Co. His background lies in federal and state, corporate, individual, partnership and fiduciary tax preparation...
Denise Alpert, CPA
Denise B. Alpert, CPA , joins our Income, Gift and Estate Planning Department from the Palm Beach Gardens firm of LKD CPAs & Consultants, where she practiced since 2005. Prior to then, Ms. Alpert gained considerable experience in a broad range of tax planning for individuals and business at the national and...
Owen Bradley, CPA
Owen N. Bradley, CPA – Mr. Bradley joins us from the international accounting firm, Deloitte Tax, LLP, where he was a member of their Business Tax Services department, specializing in private wealth and private equity. A graduate of Auburn University with a B.S. degree in Business Administration with major in...
Julia Whalen
Julia Whalen joins us from the international accounting firm of RSM US LLP, where she was involved with individual and business tax planning and compliance. Ms. Whalen is a graduate of Florida State with a Masters and Bachelors degrees in Accounting. She was born in Lakeland, Florida.
Michael Hersey, CPA
Mr. Hersey is a Florida native who was born and raised in Palm Beach County. His background and experiences are diverse, and range from tax, accounting, and financial reporting for biotechnology, manufacturing, real estate, and software development companies and their individual owners. Upon graduating from Florida Atlantic University, he spent seven years with the international accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche, in its West Palm Beach office. Thereafter, he served as Controller for several private companies and ultimately started his own public accounting firm in Palm Beach County.
Karen Rezikyan, CPA
Mr. Rezikyan joins us from the national CPA firm, Frankel Loughran Starr & Vallone LLP’s, where he was a Tax Manager in their high-net-worth tax department. Prior, he was an international tax accountant with Brunton, Strachan & Khan, CPA in Boca Raton, FL. Mr. Rezikyan’s background is concentrated in tax compliance and planning for high wealth individuals; related closely held investment and business entities; and cross border transactions and compliance. Mr. Rezikyan is fluent in both Armenian and Russian.
James Treadway, CPA
Mr. Treadway, joins us from Andersen (f/k/a Wealth Tax and Advisory Services (WTAS) and Arthur Andersen), in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he was a Senior Manager and accountant since 2011.
Kenneth Sokolsky, CPA
Mr. Sokolsky joins us from DBMS in West Palm Beach, having built a career in both public accounting and the private industry where he prepared all manner of tax returns including, Individual, Corporate and Partnerships as well as Trusts and Estates.
Sharon Howard, CPA
Ms. Howard joins us from DBMS in West Palm Beach, having built a career in both public accounting and private industry. Some of the larger companies she has worked for are PricewaterhouseCoopers, Bank of America, CBIZ and Duke Energy. She is a CPA, a CMA and obtained a Master of Science in Taxation from the University of Baltimore in 2014.
Kirsty Marzotto
Ms. Marzotto joined the firm in 2025. She comes to us with an Accounting degree from Mercer University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. Kirsty started her career in public accounting, concentrating on individual and business tax compliance and planning. She was also responsible for the bookkeeping for numerous small businesses and is certified in QuickBooks. She went on to join a multibillion-dollar corporation where she specialized in various state income taxes. Kirsty is originally from South Africa but has been in the states since 2012, and is now studying for her CPA exams.
Maureen Lloyd Rigaudon
Mrs. Rigaudon joined the firm in August 2005 as a member of our Tax Accounting and Wealth Management Departments. Mrs. Rigaudon has been focused on federal and state tax compliance, client income and estate tax planning, Advent Axys® reporting, and bill paying services. Prior to joining us, she spent five...
Aaron Flood
Mr. Flood joined the firm in August 2010 as member of our Wealth Management Department. Mr. Flood holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting from Belmont Abbey College, where he was a member of the varsity lacrosse team. Prior to joining the Firm he was...
Legal Assistants and Paralegals
Alison Overton
Ms. Overton is a 1996 graduate of the University of North Carolina-Greensboro where she obtained her Bachelors Degree with a double major in Psychology and Classic Civilization. Ms. Overton came to us in 1998 having worked in both advertising and banking. After 6 years with the firm she went on hiatus to...
Donna Baummier
Mrs. Baummier has dedicated most of her time within the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach areas, starting out with Keane, Murphy & Hough in Stuart, FL, then to our firm where was employed with us 8 years. Donna ventured out and worked with Jones, Foster, Johnston & Stubbs in WPB, and made her way back to us in 2014. ...
Laura Urbina
Ms. Urbina – is a member of our Estate Planning team. She joined us after having spent several years in a law firm in South Florida handling Estate Planning and Probate Administration. She is fluent in Spanish and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice.
Carolyn Engvalson
Mrs. Engvalson works in the Estate Administration Department. She came to us with over 20+ years of vast legal experience.
Morgan Caldwell, RN
Ms. Caldwell is part of our Bioethics and Health Care Advocacy department, where she assists Marnie Ritchie Poncy, RN, Esq., in serving and advocating for our clients and their health care needs...
Stefanie DelRusso
Ms. DelRusso is a member of our Estate Planning team. She joined us with over 20 years of legal experience having spent time in both Florida and California law firms.
Anna Quesada
Mrs. Quesada joined us along with Attorney Sopko in 2024. She works in all aspects of the estate planning and estate administration areas. The joins the firm with well over 20+ years of vast legal experience.
Casey Engelhardt
Ms. Engelhardt is a native to Palm Beach County and works in our fiduciary and corporate departments. She handles aspects of corporate formation and compliance as well as assisting our Financial Monitoring teams.
Alexandra "Alex" Cormier
Ms. Cormier is a member of our Estate Planning and Estate Administration Departments. Ms. Cormier is a Florida registered paralegal and since 2014, she has gained her experience in law firms where she focused on the probate process and trust and estate administrations.
Kristen Janicki
Ms. Janicki is (and was) a member of our Estate Administration team. We warmly welcome her back after a short hiatus to South Carolina.
Allison Judkins
Ms. Judkins is an assistant in our Fiduciary Reporting and Wealth Management Department.
Fiorella Verdecia
Ms. Verdecia is a member of our estate planning team and holds the position of new client coordinator.
Sabina Mallemuth
Ms. Mallemuth is a member of our administrative team.
Veola Skobelev
Ms. Skobelev is a member of our administrative team.
Gloria "Gigi" Velez-Pugliese
Mrs. Pugliese is a member of our title company team, Counselors Title Company, LLC. She handles real estate transactions at the direction of Attorney David Tassell and Attorney Jesse Hap.
Jessica Leonard
Ms. Leonard is a member of our real estate title company, Counselors Title Company LLC as well as our affiliate Gatlin Title, LLC. She handles all aspects of closings under the direction of Attorney David Tassell.
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