We are pleased to congratulate Jason Eldred on his promotion to senior counsel at Wilke Fleury LLP. Jason’s work in service of clients is outstanding. His thoughtfulness and hard work contribute so much to what makes our firm truly special. Jason’s clients include construction companies, real estate companies, and medical professionals. Jason’s practice focuses on business and healthcare litigation, employment counseling and litigation, and bankruptcy. Senior Counsel at Wilke Fleury have a minimum of six years experience delivering high-quality legal services, collaborating with partners on development and management of cases, and actively mentoring junior lawyers. Congratulations Jason!

Myth 1: I have a will, so I do not need anything else.

Fact: A will is one part of the estate planning puzzle. But it is only one part and by itself is generally insufficient to meet the comprehensive needs of a business owner. A will does not address what happens to your business if you become incapacitated (unable to handle your own affairs). A will does not avoid probate, leaving your loved ones to have to navigate the probate process after your death to transfer your business ownership interest. For everyone—but especially business owners—a comprehensive estate plan can help avoid delays, frozen assets, and legal battles. Relying on a will alone can leave your business vulnerable to disruption and potentially a significant loss of value.

Myth 2: My family will automatically take over the business if something happens to me.

Fact: Neither business ownership nor management automatically transfers to another person if you become incapacitated or pass away, unless you have taken formal steps and documented a legally binding transition process.

If you become incapacitated, your family cannot simply step in to run the business on your behalf. Without the proper estate planning tools in place, they may need to seek a court-appointed conservator, which can be time-consuming and costly, just to handle essential tasks for day-to-day management of your business, such as signing contracts, accessing business bank accounts, or approving payroll.

If you pass away without addressing the operation and transition of your business in your estate plan, the problems only multiply. Before your business interests can be transferred, there will likely have to be a probate proceeding —a public and often lengthy court process. Even worse, if you have done no estate planning, the court could determine who inherits your business interests according to state law, which may not be the person(s) you would have chosen. A relative with no interest or experience in running the business could end up in charge, or ownership could be split among multiple heirs, leading to disputes and instability.

A well-structured estate plan ensures that the right people are in control, operations continue smoothly, and your life’s work retains its value and purpose.

Myth 3: My business is small, so I do not need to worry about estate planning.

Fact: Even small businesses can face serious consequences without proper estate planning and may actually be more vulnerable than larger businesses because they often rely so heavily on the owner’s day-to-day involvement. If something happens to you and no one is legally authorized to act in your place, your business could lose access to contracts or bank accounts, miss payroll or tax deadlines, or even be forced to shut down. An estate plan ensures that someone you trust can step in immediately to make decisions, pay bills, and keep operations running, regardless of business size.

Wilke Fleury LLP is pleased to announce that Neal Lutterman is the firm’s Managing Partner beginning January 1, 2026.  Neal succeeds Steve Williamson, who held the role of Managing Partner from 2020 through 2025.  Steve Williamson led the firm through several years of significant change, and the firm is immeasurably grateful for Steve and his leadership.

Neal joined Wilke Fleury in 2015 and has been a Partner since 2017.  Neal is an incredibly valuable member of the firm’s partnership and litigation teams.  He has a demonstrated history of leadership on the firm’s Management Committee for 4+ years. Neal’s practice focuses on litigated matters in the healthcare arena. For over 25 years, Neal has defended physicians, healthcare systems, hospitals, medical groups, and allied healthcare providers in professional and general liability matters.  Neal regularly represents physicians and other healthcare clients in administrative proceedings relating to professional licensing and disciplinary matters.  Neal also works closely with the firm’s corporate healthcare clients representing health plans, Medicare Advantage Plans, Risk Bearing Organizations (RBOs), and other entities in reimbursement and contract disputes.

Neal will work closely with the firm’s Management Committee to advance the firm’s focus on client development, strategic growth, and attorney excellence in the years to come. Neal Lutterman is excited about the firm’s future, committed to the “next generation” of talented Sacramento lawyers, and continues to establish Wilke Fleury as the preeminent law firm in Sacramento.