High net worth individuals and families have one thing in common: the need for effective wealth management. After that, our clients' goals are a direct reflection of their own unique values. Some want to secure their dependents' financial futures, some want to preserve wealth and minimize tax liabilities, some want to create foundations and philanthropic organizations — and some want to do it all.
At our firm, family matters are as important as any corporate transaction. Our private wealth management practice provides solution-oriented estate planning and related legal services to individuals from across the U.S. and around the world. We advise clients on individual, estate, gift, and international tax considerations, and help them negotiate the complex personal, family, and financial issues that arise in connection with establishing trusts, managing day-to-day business concerns, and implementing a solid business succession plan. We also help clients change their world for the better through philanthropy or family legacy planning.
In connection with experienced practitioners throughout the firm, our attorneys are prepared to advise clients on virtually any matter, from traditional estate planning needs to more complex wealth, business and property management issues. In addition to advising individuals and families, we regularly counsel and represent personal representatives and trustees in all phases of the administration of estates and trusts, including preparation of estate tax returns, consideration of disclaimers, and other postmortem tax planning that may substantially reduce the tax burden on a family.
We recognize that few families agree on everything, and understand that conflict resolution requires a mix of diplomacy and resolve. We regularly advise individuals, bank trustees, and other fiduciaries on disputes involving trusts, estates, and family offices, will construction (including issuance of legal opinions), and trust reformation for tax and nontax purposes. We frequently provide clients with options for dispute resolution or trust modification that do not involve the courts. However, we are not shy about exercising the option to go to trial when necessary, and our experienced litigators have appeared in court on behalf of our clients in numerous jurisdictions.
We represent individuals, estates, and bank and other fiduciaries with assets ranging from under $5 million to over $1 billion. Our clients include U.S. citizens and estates and non-U.S. citizens who are residing in the United States. We are committed to informing clients of the options available to them, helping them choose a path most likely to help achieve their unique objectives, and ensuring that they fully understand their estate plans and the practical impact of those plans on their beneficiaries.