ATTORNEY BIO
Michael J. Cosgrove was born and raised in Palm Springs. Mr. Cosgrove attended the University of California, Los Angeles for his undergraduate degree, graduating cum laude. Mr. Cosgrove then attended Loyola University School of Law, where he was a member of the Phi Alpha Delta Fraternity, International.
Mr. Cosgrove immediately moved back to the valley, where he opened the Cosgrove law firm in 1977. During his time practicing in the desert, Mr. Cosgrove has acted as a settlement Judge Pro Tem for the Riverside County Superior Court, as a fee arbitrator for the Desert Bar Association, and as the past president of the Desert Bar Association. Mr. Cosgrove also has been the past president of the Rotary Club of Rancho Mirage and a member of the College of the Desert, Planned Giving Committee.
Mr. Cosgrove continues to stay involved in his community as a member of the Desert Bar Association and the Living Desert Planned Giving Committee. Mr. Cosgrove has also been a member of the St. Theresa’s Church in Palm Springs for over sixty years, and currently sings in the choir.
MICHAEL JAMES COSGROVE, ESQ.
DAVID VREELAND HUMPHREY, JR.
Attorney David Humphrey moved to the valley to join Cosgrove, Humphrey & Weisman in 2007 and became a partner in 2010. Mr. Humphrey is a certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trusts, and Probate, as certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.
Mr. Humphrey’s extensive experience in trusts, probates, estates, and conservatorships ranges from estate planning for estates of all sizes, from small estates to complex trusts and estate litigation for estates in excess of $50 million to $100 million. Mr. Humphrey’s representation has also included representation of trusts and estates for certain deceased entertainment industry professionals and personalities.
Mr. Humphrey is on the Riverside County court-appointed counsel specialist list for trust, estate, and conservatorship matters. Mr. Humphrey also serves as a Temporary Judge, giving Mr. Humphrey the distinction of being the only Trust and Estates Certified Specialist in the Coachella Valley to currently serve in such a capacity.
Prior to joining Cosgrove, Humphrey & Weisman, Mr. Humphrey worked in Long Beach, California, with the law firm of Prindle Decker & Amaro, where his experience was in the area of business and trademark litigation.
Mr. Humphrey is very involved in the community and has previously been President of the Indian Wells Rotary Club (the youngest president of the Indian Wells Rotary Club to date), President of the Desert Estate Planning Council, and a graduate of the Leadership Coachella Valley program. Mr. Humphrey currently serves on the board of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of the Desert. Mr. Humphrey is also a proud graduate of the University of Southern California.
Mr. Humphrey lectures on a number of topics pertaining to Estates and Trusts including the following:
National Business Institute:
– Who is the Fiduciary
– Updates on Revocable Trust
– Disposition of Real Estate in Probate Estates
– Various litigation issues in estates and trusts
– Post Mortem Tax Issues
Becker Tax Institute:
– Updates on Estate Tax Issues
STEPHANIE WEISMAN
Attorney and Partner
(760) 340-6665
Attorney Stephanie Weisman was born and raised in the Coachella Valley. Ms. Weisman left the valley to attend University of California, San Diego for her undergraduate degree. After graduating, Ms. Weisman obtained her paralegal certification. She worked for several years as a paralegal before deciding to pursue a Juris Doctor.
While attending law school at the University of San Diego, Ms. Weisman was awarded the Faculty Honors Scholarship. Ms. Weisman was honored to receive a Judicial Externship with Judge Sammartino of the United States District Court, Southern District of California. In 2010, Ms. Weisman graduated from the University of San Diego, magna cum laude.
After passing the California bar, Ms. Weisman decided to move back to her home town to begin her legal career. Ms. Weisman was an associate attorney with Anderholt Whittaker, LLP, practicing civil litigation before moving to Cosgrove,Humphrey & Weisman in 2012.
Ms. Weisman is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law, as certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Ms. Weisman is also currently on the list of court appointed counsel for conservatorship matters in Riverside County.
Ms. Weisman was a Board member for Women Leaders Forum from 2014 through 2019, serving as the president of the nonprofit organization for two years. She is a member of the Desert Estate Planning Council.Ms. Weisman was previously a member of the Warren Slaughter Richard Roemer American Inn of Court, an attorney organization promoting civility in practice. Ms. Weisman is also a graduate of the Leadership Coachella Valley program
Anne J. Kane has been with the firm since 2018.
Ms. Kane attended Randolph College, a diverse liberal arts college in Lynchburg, VA, as a Presidential Scholar. She graduated Magna Cum Laude and a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Following college, Ms. Kane attended law school in San Francisco at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. While attending law school, Ms. Kane externed at the Probate Division of the California Superior Court in San Francisco. While there, she worked for Judge Mary Wiss and Judge Peter Bush. At the court, she focused behind the scenes on estate litigation and the experience grew her passion for the field.
Ms. Kane then went to work for the Law Offices of John N. Leutza in San Francisco. Mr. Leutza, an attorney with fifty years of estate planning experience, prepared her to tackle the wide range of estate and trust issues and taught her time-tested solutions to probate concerns.
Ms. Kane and her husband are proud to be a part of the U.S. Marine Corps community. Her husband is a Reservist at Camp Pendelton and a Civil Affairs Officer, Ms. Kane volunteers with Friend of the Desert Mountains where she is a member of the Board of Trustees.
Attorney
(760) 340-6665
ANNE J. KANE
Nicole L. Ebarb was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She moved to the Coachella Valley in 2000, where she gained extensive experience in business management and founded a real estate development company.
In 2016 Ms. Ebarb graduated from the Coachella Valley’s own law school, California Desert Trial Academy, as the salutatorian of her class. She retains a position with her law school as a guest instructor. After passing the California State Bar, Ms. Ebarb continued her legal education at Harvard University where she completed a graduate certificate in legal studies in 2018.
Ms. Ebarb’s career as a practicing attorney has focused exclusively on wills, trusts and estates.
She has been a three-time member of the Warren Slaughter Richard Roemer American Inn of Court, and is a graduate of the Leadership Coachella Valley program.
Ms. Ebarb has served as a board member for multiple non-profit organizations, and is currently serving as president of a 501(c)3 that is dedicated to creating dialogues between individuals and organizations that are committed to social change.
Chloe J. Sykes was born in Portland, Oregon and moved to the Coachella Valley around 2005. Ms. Sykes attended the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She was a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority and participated in many clubs and organizations while attending U of O.
Ms. Sykes attended law school in Spokane, Washington at Gonzaga University School of Law as a merit scholarship recipient. While attending law school, Ms. Sykes worked as a Smithmoore P. Myers Teaching Fellow where she mentored and tutored incoming First-Year law students. She worked as a student attorney in the Gonzaga Law Federal Low-Income Tax Clinic assisting low-income individuals with their tax disputes.
Ms. Sykes’s extracurriculars in law school included the following: President and Co-Founder of the Black Law Students Association, member of the Multicultural Law Caucus, and member of the Women’s Law Caucus. Most notably, she was the Class of 2022 Commencement Speaker.
After moving back to the desert, Ms. Sykes joined Cosgrove, Humphrey & Weisman ready to learn the world of estate planning and trust litigation.
WILLIAM NOLAN COSGROVE
(In Memoriam)
William N. Cosgrove (“Bill”) received his Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University, where he graduated with distinction. Mr. Cosgrove then attended University of California, Berkley where he simultaneously earned both a Juris Doctor and a Master of Business Administration. After obtaining his Juris Doctor, Mr. Cosgrove moved to the valley in 1982 to join his brother Michael J. Cosgrove’s law firm. Cosgrove & Cosgrove was born.
Mr. Cosgrove was an outstanding member of the legal profession, respected by lawyers, judges, and clients alike. Not only did Mr. Cosgrove become a certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate law, he also sat on the Board of Legal Specialization Advisory Committee from 1999 to 2000. Mr. Cosgrove acted as a Judge Pro Tem in the Probate Court for the Riverside County Superior Court and was a member of the Desert Bar Association, serving on the Probate Committee.
Mr. Cosgrove was also heavily involved in his community. He was the president of the Rotary Club of La Quinta from 2005 to 2006, on the Board of Directors of the Community Blood Bank from 1999 to 2002, a Chairperson of the Eisenhower Medical Center Foundation Planned Gift Committee from 1996 to 1999, the President of the Palm Springs Republican Assembly from 1988 to 1989, and a member of both the Rotary Club of La Quinta and the Stanford Club of the Desert.
He passed away on January 24, 2015. Bill is remembered fondly for his commitment to the legal community and the Cosgrove firm.