Jessica J. Poyner - Attorney & Managing Partner
Jessica J. Poyner grew up in Monterey, California. She became a member of the California State Bar in 1998 after graduating with honors from University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California. Jessica was ranked in the top ten percent of her graduating class and was an editor for the Transnational Lawyer, an international legal journal. While a student at McGeorge, Jessica had the honor of participating in a law seminar taught by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy in Salzburg, Austria. Jessica’s law review article entitled, “Investment in Ireland: The Enticement of U.S. High-tech Industry to the Emerald Isle” was published in the Fall 1997 issue of the Transnational Lawyer and has since been cited in various legal journals including the Duke Journal of Comparative & International Law and the Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review.
Jessica joined her father’s estate planning practice in 1998 and is now the managing partner. Jessica particularly enjoys working with the different generations of each family as the family trust is created, implemented, and then ultimately distributed.
Jessica is certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization as a specialist in Trust, Estate and Probate Law. She has been a guest presenter for various business, charitable, and corporate organizations on the topic of estate planning.
Jessica is on the Planned Giving Advisory Council for California State University, Monterey Bay. She is a member of the Order of the Coif, the Silicon Valley Bar Association, Santa Clara West Valley Bar Association, and the Rotary Club of Los Gatos.
Elizabeth M. Hollis - Associate Attorney
Elizabeth M. Hollis grew up in Alameda, CA. She joined Poyner & Poyner, LLP in 2012. Elizabeth practices in the area of estate planning, trust administration, and probate. She became interested in estate planning after working as a Personal Trust Associate at Union Bank. Elizabeth graduated from Santa Clara University School of Law where she focused her attention on trust and estate law. While a law student, Elizabeth received both a CALI Excellence Award and an Emery Merit Scholarship for her academic achievement. She graduated magna cum laude with highest distinction in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Department from California State University, Chico in 2007 with dual majors in political science and religious studies. During her time as an undergrad, Elizabeth was the Director of the Family Law Department at the Community Legal Information Center.
Prior to joining Poyner & Poyner, LLP, Elizabeth was employed as a Graduate Fellow at Santa Clara University School of Law. She has also worked in the investment and banking fields.
Roger W. Poyner - Founder & Attorney
Roger W. Poyner is a third generation Californian. His great-grandfather was a “forty-niner” and the first appointed judge (1883) in newly formed Lake County, California. Roger graduated from UCLA in 1957 where he served as the President of the Associated Men’s Student Body and as President of his fraternity. He then entered the US Air Force as a C-130 navigator. Upon completion of his active duty commitment he attended Hastings College of the Law and graduated from Lincoln University with a Juris Doctor degree.
After serving for two years as the Assistant City Manager of Monterey, Roger began his solo law practice in 1969 with an emphasis in estate planning and trust law. Active as a volunteer on many local boards and commissions on the Monterey Peninsula, he ran for and was elected a Monterey County Supervisor (4th District) in 1972, serving until 1976.
In 1982, he opened a second office in San Jose and moved to the present Los Gatos “headquarters” in 1986.
Roger is one of only 798 attorneys in California certified by the State Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization as a specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate law. In 1998 he served as the chair of the Estate Planning, Trust and Probate law section of the Santa Clara County Bar Association. He currently serves on the Board of Trustess of the Silicon Valley Bar Association.
Interested in art and photography, he served on the Board of Directors of the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art. He resides in Los Gatos with his wife, Fawn Powers.
Cay Alexander - Accountant and Legal Assistant
Joan Sutton - Legal Assistant
Kerel Alexander - Senior Administrative Assistant
CaMicha Alexander - Administrative Billing Clerk
