The Private Client Services Group at Trenam is an interdisciplinary team providing estate, tax, and wealth-transfer planning services for high-net-worth individuals, closely held and family businesses, family offices and charitable organizations. We are committed to providing our clients with excellent, responsive and discreet services in these important and highly personal matters.
Protecting and Preserving Family Wealth
The attorneys in our Private Client Services group work closely with our clients to develop strategies and plans intended to protect and preserve family wealth. Each customized plan takes into consideration the business impacts, tax liabilities and personal risks of the client.
Trust and Estate Planning and Administration
We assist clients in all areas of trust and estate-related matters. Our team of experienced estate planning lawyers and professionals is uniquely equipped to advise clients on a variety of issues, including:
- Developing and implementing estate plans for multiple generations
- Developing and implementing strategies for transferring wealth on a tax-efficient basis
- Designing ownership structures to achieve operational control, tax and liability protection objectives through the use and administration of closely-held corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships
- Estate and trust administration and settlement
- Tax, probate and trust disputes and litigation
- Advising families on business succession issues
- Creating charitable foundations and trusts and working with clients to achieve their charitable intent
Tax Advice and Counseling
Trenam’s tax lawyers provide high-quality, comprehensive and creative tax-related advice to achieve tax efficient, predictable and carefully crafted results for the firm’s clients. In addition to counseling and guiding individuals, businesses and non-profit and tax-exempt organizations in all phases of tax planning, compliance and controversy, Trenam’s tax lawyers also have become a trusted, “go to” source of co-counsel assistance for boutique and smaller law firms that do not have tax attorneys on staff.
Family Office Services
Trenam’s Private Client Services Group provides comprehensive guidance to high net worth families (and the businesses they may own) by creating and managing family offices. Using a multi-disciplinary approach that leverages the skills of attorneys from several practice groups across the firm, we provide integrated services that align the financial interests of the family with the commercial needs and interests of the business. We provide advice on the creation of a family council or family constitution, to enhance communication and cooperation among family members and assists in resolving disputes and reducing conflicts and tensions that may arise, simplifying the management of the family’s assets. By working together with other professionals (for example, accountants, financial advisors, investment brokers) on behalf of our clients, we provide counsel and advice about pooled investment structures, creation of private trust structures and the establishment of family foundations to accomplish business, investment and philanthropic objectives.
We work closely with other practice areas within the firm to provide comprehensive, integrated and cohesive counsel to aid clients in planning and protecting their financial interests, including the following additional practice areas:
Marital and Family Matters
When issues relating to matrimony and family matters arise, our firm focuses on providing clients with high quality representation in these sensitive areas of personal importance. Our representation starts with helping our clients plan for marriage with the drafting of prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements, and continues through the complex issues that arise if and after a marriage has been dissolved.
Nonprofit and Philanthropic Activities
Trenam attorneys offer guidance to our clients about how best to carry out their charitable intent, whether this is through the creation of a charitable foundation, a donor advised fund, a charitable remainder trust or other charitable vehicle. We work with family members on these charitable vehicles and advise their governance and best practices. Our attorneys work with family offices on grant-making activities, asset management issues, and compliance with tax regulations.
Probate and Guardianship Litigation
Working hand-in-hand with our Private Client Services Group, our Probate and Guardianship Litigation practice encompasses the full range of trust and probate controversies to handle all phases of litigation: initial pleadings, discovery, motion practice, settlement negotiations, trials and appeals. Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms such as mediation or arbitration, which are generally confidential as opposed to a public trial, are often an attractive solution to litigation, particularly in sensitive areas such as family wealth preservation. Trenam’s attorneys have both the experience you need and the discretion you want.
