Stephen A. Stafford

Steve Stafford is a partner with the California law firm of Brown & Streza LLP, which provides integrated business, estate, tax, and exemption planning for business owners and high-net-worth families. Steve advises closely held businesses, entrepreneurs, and real estate investors across the state of California through all phases of a business, from formation to exit.

Steve forms and structures corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships, with each decision custom tailored to the client’s particular tax, liability protection, and succession planning objectives. As general counsel to closely held companies, he provides tax planning, risk management, corporate compliance, contract review and preparation, mergers and acquisitions, and business succession planning services. Steve’s succession planning experience ranges from Buy-Sell Agreements, pre-sale restructuring, and sale of companies, intra-family buyouts, transferring the business and real estate interests of high net worth families to irrevocable trusts, to structuring succession plans for lawyers and accountants.

From forming start-ups to counseling multi-generation companies, and from helping new entrepreneurs grow their businesses tax efficiently, to advising seasoned owners regarding the purchase or sale of business interests, Steve takes a holistic approach to serving his clients. He frequently collaborates with his clients’ CPAs, financial advisors, insurance brokers and estate planning attorneys to achieve a tax-efficient outcome and/or to better protect their businesses.

Steve received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley, his Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law, and his Master of Law in Taxation (LL.M.) from Chapman University School of Law.

In 2023, Stephen was selected for inclusion in the Southern California Super Lawyers list by the publishers of Los Angeles magazine and The Journal for Law & Politics magazine – a distinction recognizing only 5% of the attorneys in Southern California (excluding San Diego).

Steve was a four-year letterman on the Cal Football Team during his undergraduate career, and remains involved with a variety of Cal Alumni organizations. Steve and his wife, Kirsten have four children and have been involved in a number of youth sports and community activities.