Bio

Phil Marking is a founding member of the Firm and has practiced law in Santa Barbara since 1970. Phil’s practice is primarily focused on complex estate and trust matters. His work in these areas includes planning, administration and litigation, with frequent representation of corporate and individual trustees in litigated and mediated disputes. Phil received his law degree from the University of California, Berkeley (Boalt Hall) in 1966. Phil was admitted to practice in California in 1966. From 1966 through 1969, Phil served as a Deputy Attorney General for the State of California. He also became a Certified Public Accountant in 1965, although that license is now inactive. Phil has lectured at CEB and other courses on trust and estate matters and was President of the Santa Barbara Estate Planning Council in 1985. Phil is a member of the Board of Directors of the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts and the St. Francis Foundation. Phil was a member of the Board of Directors of the Music Academy of the West from 1992 through 2004 and served as Chairman of that Board for three years from 1995-1998. He also served as President of the Santa Barbara Community Environmental Counsel, as Treasurer of the Santa Barbara Humane Society, and as a member of the Board of Santa Barbara Beautiful. On two years active duty with the U.S. Army from 1958-60, Phil served as cryptographer at the White House and Camp David with the White House Army Signal Agency. Phil’s personal interests include tennis, music, travel and running (including the New York Marathon in 1986 and 1988).