INDIVIDUAL PROFILE
Aaron Yen

Aaron Yen

High Net Worth 2025

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Ranked in 1 practice area

About

Provided by Ascendant LLP

High Net Worth

Practice Areas

Private Wealth Law, Corporate Affairs, International Project Structures, Tax Reduction, Asset Protection, and Succession Strategies.

Career

Prior to joining Ascendant, Aaron worked at multi state law firms and most recently, served as Corporate Vice President at New York Life Insurance Company, a Fortune 100 company.

Professional Memberships

Bar Admissions:

California – 258643

Nevada – 11744

Court Admissions:

United States District Court – Central District of California

United States District Court – District of Nevada

United States Bankruptcy Court – District of Nevada

Work Highlights

Represented founding shareholders of several public companies listed in Hong Kong, China, and Japan regarding their wealth transfer strategies to limit U.S. income, estate, and gift tax consequences for pre/post immigration planning and trust planning for their U.S. investment holdings.

Advised foreign financial institutions and family offices regarding the application and implementation of the compliance strategies with the federal tax laws specific to foreign grantor trusts and foreign non-grantor trusts.

Represented various first generation immigrant families with post immigration wealth and estate planning regarding their global business interests, investment portfolio, and offshore insurance policies to minimize exposure to federal income and transfer taxes and implement gifting strategies.

Represented founders of private companies for pre-IPO, pre-SPAC, and pre-sale income tax planning and trust planning.

Advised various families and individuals regarding pre-expatriation planning to limit the impact of the exit tax and covered gifts to their families.

Serve as retained family counsel for families with U.S. and non-U.S. tax residents to continuously advise on the affairs, structures, and strategic adjustments of their family offices.

Represented renowned entertainers from Asia regarding their trust and estate/gift tax planning needs for their U.S. investments and assets.

Assisted foreign advisors in merger and acquisition transactions involving U.S. tax residents as shareholders on the structure of the transactions to better the U.S. tax outcome.

Advised foreign family offices, investment managers, and tax advisors regarding U.S. federal tax laws, trusts, and entities related to their clients who may be individuals, families, foreign trusts, or corporate entities.

Represented foreign families with heirs who are U.S. persons to structure offshore and onshore foreign grantor trusts, non-grantor gifts, U.S. standby trusts, and related holding entities.

Represented foreign individuals and corporate investors on the implementation of strategic structures of inbound investments into the U.S. and the investment transactions.

Education

University of Washington

Bachelor of Arts – International Economics & Japanese

University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law

Juris Doctorate

Awards

Super Lawyers

2025

Super Lawyers Rising Stars

2021

Super Lawyers Rising Stars

2022

Languages Spoken

English,

Mandarin Chinese, and

Japanese

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers High Net Worth

Private Wealth Law - California: Southern

Band 3
Band 3

Individual Editorial

Aaron Yen of Ascendant is a senior partner at the firm. Yen's practice focuses on trusts and estates planning, and he is particularly well regarded for his international expertise.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Aaron is extremely impressive and has great expertise with international clients. He speaks both Mandarin Chinese and Japanese. He's very clear in how he explains things to clients.

    Private Wealth LawChambers High Net Worth
  • Aaron Yen is very professional and can always provide reasonable solutions based on the client's actual needs.

    Private Wealth LawChambers High Net Worth
  • Aaron provides superb service, with a unique bicultural capacity. He has deep compassion and true collegiality.

    Private Wealth LawChambers High Net Worth
  • Not only is he knowledgeable, but he can also communicate well with our international clients in their native language. Clients love this a lot as it makes them feel special.

    Private Wealth LawChambers High Net Worth

Ranked Individuals at Ascendant LLP (1)

California: Southern

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