Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
MICHEL JOHN
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
First Foundation Inc. [FFWM]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chief Financial Officer
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
18101 VON KARMAN AVENUE, SUITE 700
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/03/2017
(Street)

IRVINE, CA 92612
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 02/03/2017   M   1,510 (1) A (2) 52,020 (3) D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
RSU (2)             02/03/2018 02/03/2018 Common Stock 1,510 (1)   1,510 (1) D  
Option $ 5 (4)             09/17/2010 09/16/2017 Common Stock 120,000 (4)   120,000 (4) D  
Option $ 7.5             01/27/2012 01/26/2019 Common Stock 14,000 (4)   14,000 (4) D  
Option $ 7.5 (4)             10/25/2014 10/25/2021 Common Stock 80,000 (4)   80,000 (4) D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
MICHEL JOHN
18101 VON KARMAN AVENUE
SUITE 700
IRVINE, CA 92612
      Chief Financial Officer  

Signatures

 '/s/ John Michel'   02/03/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) On January 18, 2017 First Foundation Inc.'s common stock split 2 for 1, resulting in the reporting person's ownership of twice as many RSUs as of such date
(2) Restricted stock unit grant, no exercise price
(3) On January 18, 2017 First Foundation Inc.'s common stock split 2 for 1, resulting in the reporting person's ownership of 25,255 additional shares of common stock as of such date
(4) On January 18, 2017 First Foundation Inc.'s common stock split 2 for 1, resulting in the reporting person's ownership of twice as many options with an exercise price being reduced by 50% as of such date

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.