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Since 2003, my practice has focused on helping families and businesses achieve positive results in difficult situations.  I have extensive experience handling cases in district, probate and circuit court, and I have secured judgments in my clients' favor at each level.  I provide individuals, families and businesses with well designed estate and business sucession plans to avoid conflict along with zealous representation when conflict does arise.. While I do handle family, criminal and adoption cases for clients, the bulk of my practice centers around estate and elder care planning and guiding clients through the probate process.  Over the years my clients, their families, friends and businesses have routinely continued to use my services at different stages of their lives which led me in 2015 to adopt the slogan for my office that states, "We are your family's attorney.". After graduating from Cumberland School of Law, I opened a solo private practice in Jefferson County, Alabama serving clients from 2003 until 2007.  From 2007 until 2010, I worked as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Alabama representing the Department of Human Resources in Jefferson County Juvenile Court.  In 2010, I formed Scozzaro Law, LLC and in 2014 relocated the firm to Shelby County, Alabama.  As of 2022, our Helena based office has, along with myself, two additional attorneys that provide exclusive representation in family law and divorce matters, and business and civil litigation matters in both state and federal court.

Tazewell's practice focuses on representing creditors in state     courts and federal Bankruptcy Court, taxpayers before the IRS and     the federal Tax Court, and transactional corporate work for businesses and individuals. Tazewell has worked for the U.S. State Department in Washington D.C. and Kingston, Jamaica and the National Labor Relations Board in Birmingham, Alabama.

SCOTT MAKUAKANE is a lawyer whose practice emphasizes estate planning, elder care, and trust law.  He is a graduate of Ka`u High School (1975), Duke University (cum laude 1979), and the University of Hawaii School of Law (1983), where he sat on the editorial board of the University of Hawaii Law Review.  He has been rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell since 1993.  Scott is past president of the Probate and Estate Planning and Elder Law Sections of the Hawaii State Bar Association, past president of the Financial Planning Association of Hawaii, and past president of the board of trustees of the Foundation of the Rotary Club of Honolulu.  He is a regular contributor to Generations magazine and hosts Malama Kupuna, a weekly television show dedicated to elder care.  Scott recently co-authored Bloopers in Estate Planning and Elder Law, as well as Amazon best-seller Lawyer Up!  He lives in Kailua, Hawaii with his wife of 34 years and their 14-year-old son, and serves as an elder at First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu at Ko`olau.

Michelle Scully Hobus is a partner in the law firm of Sterling & Tucker. Michelle Scully Hobus' love of helping others has directed her career path from California to Calcutta, and ultimately led her to Hawaii, and to Sterling & Tucker. Since joining the firm in 2004, Ms. Hobus has assisted clients in preserving their financial legacies with estate and disability planning. She also intimately understands the need for planning for young families who are just starting out or starting a family. Her focus is always client-centered and is a frequent presenter of Sterling and Tucker's monthly educational seminars on Oahu and in Hilo. She continues to service clients in both areas. Ms. Hobus is an Accredited Attorney with the Veterans Administration. She has dedicated herself to assisting Veterans of the United States Military with their estate planning needs, including receiving Veterans Administration benefits.. A four year Dean's List student, Ms. Hobus received her Bachelor of Arts degree and graduated Cum Laude in 1988 from Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. Following college Ms. Hobus spent a year with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in San Francisco, living and working with homeless women and children. After completing law school she once again worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, India. In 1992, Ms. Hobus received her Juris Doctor from University of San Francisco Law School. She was admitted to the California State Bar in 1992, and in 2003 to the Hawaii State Bar.. Originally an attorney with a California insurance and municipality firm, Ms. Hobus took a leave of absence from practicing law after a tragic event in her personal life. While living in San Francisco with her husband, a Punahou graduate who was also an attorney, she was wounded by a deranged former client who went on a shooting spree at the prestigious San Francisco law firm where her husband was working, and where she happened to be visiting. Her husband was shot and killed while saving Michelle's life.. In the aftermath, Ms. Hobus dedicated herself to violence prevention and the passage of reasonable firearms legislation. She formed a nonprofit organization, Legal Community Against Violence and became involved with Handgun Control Inc. (The Brady Campaign) which brought her lobbying efforts to Washington, where she provided testimony before the United States Congress.. Ms. Hobus is the recipient of the Sue Kingsley Volunteer Award, Handgun Control, Inc in Washington, D.C., the Points of Light Award from San Francisco's Points of Light Foundation, the Courage To Care Award, from the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence in Los Angeles and the Leadership Award from American Jewish Congress in San Francisco.

Lauren C.M. Santos is an associate in the law firm of Sterling & Tucker, LLP. Following law school, she served as a law clerk for the Trial Court of Massachusetts, Probate & Family Court Department. Pursuing a life-long dream, she then moved to Hawaii to serve as law clerk to Chief Judge Randall Valenciano of the Fifth Circuit Court of Kauai. In 2009 Ms. Santos joined the Kauai County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney as Deputy Prosecuting Attorney. In 2011 she was promoted to Second Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, whereby she prosecuted all Circuit Court felony property and white-collar crimes, and supervised all District Court deputy prosecutors. As a Deputy Prosecutor, Ms. Santos successfully prosecuted numerous bench and jury trials, conducted oral argument before the Intermediate Court of Appeals, and conducted regular grand jury proceedings and preliminary hearings.. In 2011, Ms. Santos accepted a civil litigation associate position with the law firm Motooka, Yamamoto & Revere, LLLP. In that position, she second chaired an eight-week jury trial resulting in a verdict for her plaintiff clients in the amount of $3.87 million dollars and later resulting in a $1.175 million dollar settlement prior to appeal. In 2012, she assisted in the founding of the civil litigation law firm Revere & Associates, LLLC. In 2014 she was promoted to lead associate, whereby she continued to handle her civil litigation caseload and provided supervision to the other associate attorneys. In her position, Ms. Santos participated in many successful arbitrations as well as bench and jury trials, including a three-week jury trial in 2016, resulting in a $5.66 million dollar verdict for her plaintiff client.

Kanani M. Makaimoku is an associate in the law firm of Sterling & Tucker. She is a frequent presenter of Sterling and Tucker’s monthly educational seminars on Oahu and in Hilo.Ms. Makaimoku is a proud Honors Diploma graduate of the Kamehameha Schools. A four year Dean’s list student at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA, she graduated in 2002 magna cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and a minor in Sociology. While in college she was active in multiple student organizations, including Alpha Chi National College Honor Society, Pepperdine University Hawaii Club and the Golden Key International Honor Society, where she also served as an officer. Following college, Ms. Makaimoku attended the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she received her Juris Doctor degree in 2005. While in law school Ms. Makaimoku was active in student organizations ‘Ahahui ‘O Hawai’i and Advocates for Public Interest Law (“APIL”). As a law student she volunteered for the Judiciary’s Kids First program and held externships at the Hawaii Supreme Court with Justice Simeon R. Acoba and at the Family Court of the First Circuit with (Ret.) Judge Karen M. Radius.. Ms. Makaimoku was admitted to practice before all Hawaii state courts and the United States District Court for the district of Hawaii in 2005.. Following law school Ms. Makaimoku worked for a year at a small family law firm. In 2006 Ms. Makaimoku joined the Domestic Violence Action Center as a Staff Attorney. In 2008 she was promoted to Managing Attorney, where she oversaw staff while maintaining a caseload of divorce, paternity and temporary restraining order cases. While employed at the Domestic Violence Action Center, Ms. Makaimoku developed a passion for working with survivors of domestic violence and other marginalized populations. Her desire to assist the traditionally underserved led her to devote her time as a volunteer to Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii (“VLSH”) in the Pregnant and Parenting Teens program, as well as providing legal advice to VLSH clients. Since 2012 Ms. Makaimoku has served as a volunteer mediator with the Mediation Center of the Pacific, where she mediates domestic matters. She is also a member of the Prince Kuhio Hawaiian Civic Club and a regular donor at the Blood Bank of Hawaii. In 1991 Ms. Makaimoku was honored by the Honolulu Police Department with a Certificate of Merit following an incident in which she assisted her father in pulling a young child from a swimming pool. Her father rendered first aid and CPR, thus saving the young child’s life.. Ms. Makaimoku is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association (“HSBA”) and the Family Law Section of the Hawaii State bar Association (“FLS”). She is also a member of the Hawaii State Judiciary’s Access to Justice Commission, where she serves on the Pro Bono Committee.. In her spare time Ms. Makaimoku relishes spending time with her husband and two young sons. She also enjoys pleasure reading, spending time at the beach, watching movies and indulging in great food with friends and family.

The legal profession is working and listening to the concerns of your clients and using your best judgement, developed through time, experience and ability to help them.

Michelle Tucker specializes in the concerns of clients ages 55 and older who are either in retirement or planning for retirement. She is well-versed in all of the critical aspects of retirement—wealth management, taxes, estate and long-term care planning and providing legacies for loved ones. As the co-founder and partner of the firm of Sterling & Tucker for over 25 years, she has helped families make the best choices for their retirement, grow and preserve assets, save on taxes, and then be able to pass their wealth as efficiently as possible to the next generation.. Have you accumulated enough to retire and be financially independent, and how do you manage your finances so that you will not outlive your resources? If you are like most people, you will retire only once, and mistakes in this process can be extremely costly. How often do you do something perfectly, when it's the first time you have ever done it? By establishing a long-term relationship with Michelle, she can help manage your financial life not just when you retire, but for the rest of your life.. Most people want to minimize taxes. If you could be paying less income tax annually, Michelle will know it. In addition, she will help you avoid potentially huge estate taxes, income tax on IRAs, retirement distributions and inherited IRAs. She'll help you make the most of your assets so you can enjoy what you've built over a lifetime and have a successful retirement. As life progresses, she'll be a resource and guide for important decisions concerning your long-term care and the best ways to leave your wealth to those you love.. Ms. Tucker is an estate planning attorney, a Certified Financial Planner, a CPA/Personal Financial Specialist, and a Registered Financial Consultant. Her professional capabilities together with the wisdom gained from over 30 years in practice, combine to bring positive change to the lives of her clients.. She is the first attorney in Hawaii to be certified by the American Bar Association (ABA) accredited Estate Law Specialists Board, Inc., as an Estate Planning Law Specialist, and is so certified by the Supreme Court of Hawaii. The Supreme Court grants Hawaii certification only to lawyers in good standing who have successfully completed a specialty program accredited by the ABA.. Ms. Tucker is an American Bar Foundation Fellow and a Charter Member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, and a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. She belongs to both the Hawaii State and American Bar Associations. She belongs to the Hawaii Society of CPAs and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants as well as the Forensic Accountants Society of North America and the American College of Financial Planners.. She contributes to local news publications, is a sought-after public speaker and has co-authored three books; "Guiding Those Left Behind", "Total Wealth Management", and "Estate Planning Basics in Hawaii".. Ms. Tucker attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa and received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1977 and a Juris Doctor from William S. Richardson School of Law in 1981. As a student, she received numerous local and national awards, and credits much of her success to her teachers at McKinley High School, and professors at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.. Ms. Tucker is the mother of four children and spends her free time exploring Hawaii's breath-taking coastlines and mountain ranges.

In April of 2014, I formed Hawaii Trust & Estate Counsel, with Randall Roth, of Counsel, and associate W. Kumu Belcher.  Prior to Hawaii Trust & Estate Counsel, I spent six years with Hastings Laun & Roth.  I was also associated with Case Lombardi & Pettit, on Oahu.. Our firm concentrates on estate planning, which ranges from simple wills to complex tax planning.  We take the time to get to know our clients as people and to understand their goals and concerns.  This makes it possible for us to provide a personalized estate plan that provides peace of mind for each client.  Documentation is important, but equally important is the client's understanding and level of comfort with the entire estate planning process.  We have offices in Hilo, Kamuela, and Kona and regularly meet with clients in Oahu.. I grew up on Oahu where I graduated with honors from Punahou Academy.  In 2003 I earned a B.S. degree in Business Communications from the University of Kansas (Phi Beta Kappa), and, then in 2007, joint J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from the William S. Richardson School of Law and Shidler College of Business at the University of Hawai`i–Manoa.. In addition to practicing estate planning, education has always been important to me.  I have taught Estate Planning as an adjunct law professor at the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawai`i–Manoa, and occasionally lecture in several other law courses there.  At the University of Hawai`i–Hilo, I periodically teach the Business Law course.  I also enjoy speaking at seminars for lawyers and other professionals in the areas of estate planning, probate administration, law firm management, and legal ethics.  My publications include co-authorship of the Hawaii State Bar Association’s Estate Planning Forms Manual (2012) and Hawaii law section of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) Report, Comparison of Domestic Asset Protection Trust Statutes (2014).. I have served as president of the Young Lawyers Division of the Hawaii State Bar Association and am currently an officer of the HSBA’s Estate Planning Section.  I am a past president of the Rotary Club of North Hawaii and currently serve on the boards of the Parker School and North Hawaii Hospice; and on the advisory board for the West Hawaii Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation.

Given the demographics in the Kona-Kohala-West Hawaii regions, my office is called upon regularly to handle complex and sophisticated estate planning, real estate, trust and estate, and business transactions.  Michelle in my office rivals any paralegal statewide, particularly in understanding Hawaii's complicated real estate deeds, and recording systems.  I have the pleasure of dealing with high net worth clients, and execs and CEO's who split their time between Hawaii and the mainland.  We are known for our ability to act swiftly in transactions, corporation or LLC formation, probates and real estate matters.  In between all of the legal work, we find the golf course, stand-up paddleboarding, photography and running among some of the most beautiful island landscapes in the world.