Ryan Alexeev holds a JD from Gonzaga University School of Law and, a decade into her legal career, returned to school to earn an LLM in Taxation from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2016. That additional tax law degree was not incidental. It addressed a specific gap she identified in serving immigrant families: the intersection of immigration status and U.S. estate tax law creates consequences for foreign nationals and recent immigrants that most estate planning attorneys are not equipped to analyze. North County Legal, APC was founded in 2009 in Carlsbad, California, around that particular combination of estate planning depth and immigration law capability.
Overview
North County Legal, APC is a Carlsbad-based law firm serving San Diego County clients in estate planning and immigration law, founded in 2009 by Ryan Alexeev. The firm’s defining characteristic is its ability to provide coordinated counsel across both practice areas, which is particularly valuable for immigrant clients and foreign nationals with U.S. assets, where estate planning decisions have immigration implications and immigration status has estate tax consequences.
Ryan Alexeev’s personal background shaped the firm’s focus on estate planning. Her father passed away when she was young, but because her parents had planned ahead, the family was protected from unnecessary legal complexity and financial hardship. That experience drove her focus on the field and her commitment to helping families who might otherwise overlook planning.
Alexeev served as AILA San Diego Chapter Treasurer from 2020 to 2021 and has served as Co-Chair of AILA’s Essay Committee and Practice Management committee. She is an Advisory Board Member for the California State University-San Marcos College of Business Administration since October 2019. She founded the Young and New Lawyers Estate Planning Networking Group from 2009 to 2011 and provided pro bono immigration services through the ABA Immigration Justice Program from 2009 to 2010.
Practice Areas
Estate planning is the primary practice. The firm handles wills, living trusts, revocable trusts, pour-over wills, powers of attorney, and health care directives. Estate tax planning is a distinct component of the practice, informed by Alexeev’s LLM in Taxation, and is particularly developed for clients with assets held in multiple states or outside the United States.
The firm offers what it calls Young Adult Plans, which are estate planning packages designed for clients aged 18 and older who are beginning their adult lives and may not yet think of themselves as candidates for estate planning. At 18, a person legally becomes an adult, which means parents can no longer automatically make medical or financial decisions on their behalf. A Young Adult Plan addresses this legal reality with appropriate powers of attorney and health care directives.
Estate administration and probate are handled as the administration phase of the estate planning practice, when a client is managing the settlement of a deceased person’s estate.
A specific focus of the estate planning practice is the intersection of immigration status and U.S. estate tax law for foreign nationals. U.S. estate tax rules apply differently to foreign nationals than to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. A foreign national who owns U.S.-sited assets may face a significantly different estate tax exposure than a U.S. citizen would, and the planning strategies differ accordingly. The firm’s combination of estate planning and immigration law expertise allows it to address both sides of this analysis in a coordinated way.
Immigration law at North County Legal covers family-based immigration, employment-based immigration, investor-based immigration under the EB-5 visa program, and naturalization and citizenship. The firm handles immigration cases nationwide and globally, not just in California.
Attorney Profiles
Ryan A. Alexeev is the founder and managing attorney. She earned her BS from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2000, her JD from Gonzaga University School of Law in 2007, and her LLM in Taxation from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2016. Before founding North County Legal, she served as Of Counsel at Geiger Law Office from 2008 to 2009 and as a law clerk for Keating Hotel Group in 2008. She interned at a prosecutor’s office in 2007.
She is admitted to the California bar. She has served as AILA San Diego Chapter Treasurer, Co-Chair of the AILA Essay Committee and Practice Management committee, and has been on the Advisory Board of the Cal State University San Marcos College of Business Administration since October 2019. She founded the Young and New Lawyers Estate Planning Networking Group from September 2009 through December 2011 and provided pro bono immigration services through the ABA Immigration Justice Program from October 2009 through March 2010.
Location and Service Area
The firm’s office is at 3142 Tiger Run Ct, Suite 113, Carlsbad, CA 92010. Phone: (619) 819-5085. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 4pm.
The firm serves clients in Carlsbad, Encinitas, San Marcos, Vista, and throughout San Diego County and Southern California for estate planning matters. Immigration cases are handled nationwide and globally.
Client Focus
North County Legal serves three primary client groups: individuals and families seeking estate planning; immigrant families and foreign nationals with U.S. assets who need estate planning that accounts for their immigration status and tax exposure; and individuals navigating immigration matters including family petitions, employment visas, EB-5 investor immigration, and naturalization.
The estate planning questionnaire provided to clients after an initial consultation helps them think through their priorities and circumstances before substantive planning begins.
Initial consultation scheduling is available through the website form at https://northcountylegal.com/ or by phone at (619) 819-5085. Language capabilities at the firm are not publicly specified.
FAQ
Why does immigration status matter for estate planning?
U.S. estate tax rules apply differently to foreign nationals than to U.S. citizens. A foreign national who owns U.S.-sited assets may face a higher estate tax rate and a much smaller exemption than a U.S. citizen would. Planning strategies that work for a U.S. citizen may not be appropriate for a foreign national. The firm is specifically equipped to analyze this intersection and provide coordinated planning that accounts for both immigration status and estate tax exposure.
What is a Young Adult Plan?
It is a targeted estate planning package for individuals aged 18 and older who are beginning adult life. At 18, a person legally becomes an adult, which means parents can no longer automatically access medical records or make financial decisions on their behalf. A Young Adult Plan includes appropriate powers of attorney and health care directives to address this legal reality.
Does the firm handle estate planning for clients with assets outside California?
Yes. The firm has experience with clients who hold assets in multiple states and outside the United States. The international and multi-state dimensions of estate planning require specific analysis, particularly for foreign nationals and clients with internationally diverse holdings.
What does the LLM in Taxation mean for estate planning clients?
An LLM is a Master of Laws degree, a post-JD law degree focusing on a specific area. Ryan Alexeev’s LLM in Taxation from the University of San Diego School of Law represents advanced study in tax law beyond standard law school curriculum, with direct relevance to estate tax planning.
Does the firm handle EB-5 investor immigration?
Yes. Investor-based immigration under the EB-5 visa program is an offered service. EB-5 allows certain foreign nationals to obtain permanent residence through a qualifying investment in a U.S. commercial enterprise.
Closing
North County Legal’s combination of an LLM in Taxation and active immigration law practice gives it a specific capability in Carlsbad that most estate planning firms and most immigration firms cannot replicate individually: the ability to analyze and coordinate the estate tax and immigration dimensions of a foreign national’s U.S. planning in a single engagement. For immigrant families with U.S. assets, that combination addresses a planning gap that can carry significant financial consequences when ignored.