John Cruse is the principal of Cruse Investments in Petaluma, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He has led Cruse Investments since 2013. Cruse Investments provides investment management and written financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, and corporations. The firm customizes portfolios using stocks, bonds, ETFs, and mutual funds, operates primarily on a non-discretionary basis, and offers advice on retirement rollovers and employer plan distributions.

Hardik Patel is the principal of Trusted Path Wealth Management, LLC in Santa Rosa, CA. He holds a Series 65 designation and began his advisory career in 2025. Prior to founding his firm, he worked as a lead software engineer at Williams-Sonoma Inc., where he continues to hold that role. He also serves as a board member of Catholic Charities of Northwest California. Trusted Path Wealth Management provides discretionary investment management and comprehensive financial planning primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs a blend of passive and active investment vehicles guided by modern portfolio theory and offers financial planning services on both a project and ongoing basis.

Daniel Peterson is a CFP® with 32 years of industry experience and has been with Northbay Financial Group, Inc. since 2003. He is the president and CEO of North Bay Financial Group, which provides income tax preparation services through its subsidiary Express Income Tax Services. Northbay Advisors is an independent firm serving individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and small businesses with personalized financial planning and investment management. The firm combines advisory services with an affiliated tax-preparation practice, offering clients integrated tax and planning coordination.

John Jones is the principal of John Schooler Jones LLC, an independent advisory firm based in Petaluma, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 24 years of industry experience. Jones has led his firm since its founding in 2003. John Schooler Jones LLC provides financial advisory and planning services to a client base primarily consisting of higher-net-worth individuals, closely held corporations, trusts, and pension plans. The firm operates on a non-discretionary model, coordinating third-party asset managers and dedicating significant focus to business succession planning.

Harry Licursi is the principal advisor at Harry Licursi Tax & Retirement Planning in Santa Rosa, CA, with 19 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has led his independent firm since 2004. The firm offers personalized investment advisory and portfolio management services to individuals, trusts, foundations, corporations, and retirement plans, emphasizing tax-efficient strategies, diversified asset allocation, and risk management. It combines fee-based advisory services with insurance product sales, including fixed annuities, and provides pension consulting and IRS representation as part of its comprehensive financial planning approach.

Brian Corr is the principal of The Wheeler Corr Group, LLC in Santa Rosa, CA, holding a Series 65 credential and having entered the financial advisory industry in 2025. Prior to founding his firm, he worked in aerospace engineering roles at SpaceX and Blue Origin. He also partners in a tax preparation business, Wheeler/Corr Tax Solutions. The Wheeler Corr Group provides asset management, project-based financial planning, and in-house tax preparation services for individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs fundamental and technical analysis along with modern portfolio theory in managing accounts separately, with periodic reviews at least annually.

“I want to make the right decisions but I don’t have time to figure it out on my own.” “Can you help me with my student loans? This is more complicated than I thought it would be.” “How do I invest? I know it’s important but I don’t know the best way to do it and I don’t want to mess it up” Have you said any of these before? You’re not alone if you have. I have heard these statements from many lawyers I’ve met throughout my wife’s time in law school and her legal career. As a CPA, CFP, and someone who has worked in financial planning, I have seen young people who are overwhelmed about managing their personal finances. I have also seen people near retirement who unfortunately didn’t make good financial decisions and now have to modify their future lifestyles because of their financial situations. I hate seeing people not achieve everything they want in life because they can’t afford their dream lifestyle. So I set out to change that. My mission is to help young lawyers establish a strong financial foundation early in their careers so they can capitalize on future opportunities instead of trying to fix financial mistakes. So I created the Developing Financial Process. My process identifies what is most important to you, analyzes your current financial situation, builds a comprehensive financial plan, implements the plan, adapts the plan as your life changes on an ongoing basis, and most importantly educates and empowers you throughout the entire process. My process helps you pay off your student loans completely, invest effectively, save and spend intentionally, and achieve your financial goals and ambitions. I believe that everyone should live their dream life without worrying about their finances. I live what I preach and when I’m not working, I am out living. I love to travel and have visited many states and countries. My family and I go camping, spend time at the beach, and visit friends and family as often as possible. I truly love educating and empowering people to live their ideal life. I hope you reach out to learn more about my process and how financial planning can benefit young lawyers like yourself!

E. Wannen is a financial advisor with Sustainvest Asset Management, LLC, holding Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses and 15 years of industry experience. He has worked at Sustainvest Asset Management since 2013. Sustainvest Asset Management provides investment management and advisory services to a diverse client base including individuals, trusts, charitable organizations, and foundations. The firm employs a long-term, diversified investment approach focused on sustainable and responsible investing using ESG factors, screened funds, and tailored portfolios, with an emphasis on working with charitable organizations and an active proxy-voting policy.

Thomas Drake is the sole advisor at Integritas Semper, LLC in Windsor, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 27 years of industry experience. He has led Integritas Semper since 2010 and is also involved in insurance sales as an agent. Outside of financial advising, he co-owns a home rental business with his spouse. Integritas Semper provides discretionary investment supervisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and municipal entities. The firm employs asset allocation, fundamental and technical analysis, and both long- and short-term trading strategies, with a diverse range of permissible investments including derivatives, which is uncommon among independent advisers.

Kenneth Perine is a CFP® professional with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Meritage Wealth Advisory, LLC in Santa Rosa, CA. He has led the firm since 2008. Outside of advisory services, he is involved with DSBC Transition Corp, a holding company for commercial rental property. Meritage Wealth Advisory provides comprehensive financial planning and investment supervision to individuals, families, trusts, estates, and related entities, with additional retirement plan consulting services. The firm’s investment strategy follows Modern Portfolio Theory, emphasizing global diversification through low-cost index funds, mutual funds, and ETFs, and generally offers non-discretionary advice without taking custody of client assets.

Autumn Kruse is a CFP® professional with 13 years of experience in financial advising. She is the sole advisor at Kruse Financial Strategy in Petaluma, CA, where she has been practicing since 2007. Kruse Financial Strategy is an independent, fee-only firm that provides personalized and confidential financial planning for high-net-worth individuals, families, and small businesses. The firm focuses on planning rather than portfolio management, emphasizing socially responsible investment recommendations primarily through mutual funds, ETFs, bond funds, and CDs.

James Hague is a financial advisor at Janian Investment Advisers, LLC in Santa Rosa, CA, holding a Series 65 designation with 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Janian Investment Advisers since 2012. Janian Investment Advisers provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning primarily for individual investors and related entities such as trusts and charitable or business-controlled accounts. The firm employs a bottom-up fundamental analysis approach combined with a portfolio-level risk framework, utilizing strategies that include third-party fund menus, bond-benchmarked allocations, and both hedged and unhedged equity selection, with the use of derivatives and hedging techniques as part of its investment process.

Michele Berson is the sole advisor at Berson Money Management in Santa Rosa, CA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 16 years of industry experience. She has led her independent firm since 2012, focusing on personalized investment management and financial planning. Berson Money Management serves primarily individual clients while also working with corporate and pension or profit-sharing plan sponsors. The firm offers tailored portfolios using a mix of fundamental and technical analysis, incorporates third-party sub-advisors, and provides specialized services such as pension consulting and employer plan sponsor support under ERISA fiduciary standards.

John Cort is a financial advisor at Compass Wealth Advisors in Petaluma, CA, holding a Series 66 designation with 15 years of industry experience. He has been with Compass Wealth Advisors since 2012. Compass Wealth Advisors is an independent firm providing discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individual households. The firm manages approximately $32.5 million across about 165 client accounts, employing an active portfolio approach that incorporates both fundamental and technical analysis tailored to client objectives.

Amy Pearl is a CFP® professional at Acorn Financial Planning, an independent firm where she has worked since 2013. She holds a Series 65 license and has 15 years of experience in the financial industry. Based in Santa Rosa, CA, Pearl operates as the sole advisor at her firm. Acorn Financial Planning serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and estates across California and other states, providing comprehensive financial planning and discretionary portfolio management. The firm’s investment approach is based on academic research and Modern Portfolio Theory, emphasizing diversification, tax awareness, low-cost mutual funds, and periodic rebalancing with a mainly long-term focus.

Peter Dobson is a financial advisor with Riverwest Financial LLC in Petaluma, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and four years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors and Communitas Financial Planning. Outside of his advisory work, he has experience with environmental nonprofit San Francisco Baykeeper and studied at La Sorbonne. Riverwest Financial LLC provides discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, utilizing a fundamental-analysis framework with a long-term orientation. The firm employs a range of investment vehicles including ETFs, mutual funds, individual securities, bonds, CDs, and options, and offers both asset-based wealth management and hourly financial planning.

Jennifer Ramaswamy is a Series 66 licensed financial advisor with two years of industry experience. She is the principal of Sonoma Mountain Financial LLC, an independent firm based in Petaluma, CA, where she has worked since 2025. Prior to founding Sonoma Mountain Financial, she was with LPL Financial LLC for two years and has experience in other roles outside the financial industry, including as a homemaker and positions at Lyft and Within Unlimited. Sonoma Mountain Financial LLC provides wealth management, discretionary investment management, and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, trusts, estates, and small businesses. The firm uses a strategic asset allocation approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory and offers customized portfolios with a variety of investments while maintaining a long-term orientation.

Geoffrey Tompkins is a financial advisor with Slater Tompkins Legacy, LLC, holding a Series 65 credential and over one year of experience in the industry. His prior work includes nearly three decades at Redwood Orthopaedic Surgery Associates and a year at the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. Slater-Tompkins Legacy, LLC is a fee-only advisory firm offering comprehensive financial planning and non-discretionary portfolio management to individuals and families. The firm uses a goals-based planning approach that includes retirement projections, cash flow analysis, tax coordination, and asset allocation guidance, while clients retain final decision-making authority.

Ray Meadows is a CFA® charterholder with 23 years of industry experience. He has been the sole advisor at Berkeley Investment Advisors since 2002. Meadows is also a licensed California real-estate broker and may represent clients in property transactions. Berkeley Investment Advisors is an independent, state-registered firm managing approximately $18.7 million for about 25 clients, primarily high-net-worth individuals as well as some institutional and corporate accounts. The firm employs a fundamental value analysis approach with risk-tailored portfolios across multiple strategies, utilizing ETFs, closed-end funds, REITs, and, in some cases, borrowing and derivative instruments.

David Meucci is a CFP® professional with 29 years of experience in the financial industry. He is the sole advisor at Phase Change Wealth Management LLC, where he has worked since 2025. His prior experience includes roles at Western International Securities, Inc. and Financial West Group, spanning nearly two decades. Phase Change Wealth Management LLC provides investment management and project-based financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and corporate or business clients. The firm combines passive and active investment strategies based on modern portfolio theory and offers both asset-based portfolio management and hourly billing for limited-scope planning.