William E. Russell

Partner

[email protected]

Phone: (312) 360-6373

Fax: (312) 360-6520

About

About

Bill Russell is the Firm's Co-Managing Partner and a Partner in the Corporate Practice Group.

As Co-Managing Partner, Bill is responsible for development and execution of the Firm’s overall growth strategy and its various industry initiatives.

Bill advises closely held businesses and professionals on business and tax matters. His practice consists of corporate transactions and business consulting, advanced estate planning and probate, and asset protection.

As to business matters, Bill has handled the purchase and sale of private equity businesses and joint ventures. He has significant experience in the structuring of business entities, including limited liability companies, partnerships, S corporations, buy-sell agreements, deferred compensation arrangements and general corporate transactional agreements. He has also advised business owners in the resolution of ownership and governance controversies.

Bill’s experience in advanced estate planning includes the restructuring of businesses or real estate to minimize estate taxes, family partnerships, grantor annuity trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, charitable trusts, trusts for children, insurance trusts, generation-skipping trusts and retirement distribution planning as well as basic estate planning for all individuals. His practice also includes estate administration and post-mortem planning to minimize taxes.

Bill also:

  • Advises business owners on asset protection and workout matters, with particular emphasis on attributes of limited liability companies and limited partnerships.
  • Represents real estate investors and developers in the financing and development of both commercial and residential properties, including specialized mezzanine financing and the structuring of real estate investment and development entities.
  • Counsels on complex controversies involving trusts, trust and estate beneficiaries and closely held business or investment entities.

Representative Matters

Representative Matters

  • Structured a $300M cross border investment in real estate development in the US by an Irish national for income and estate planning purposes.

  • Represented a closely-held US/Indian technology services company in the combined sale of its US and Indian operations.

  • Represented an Oregon-based manufacturer of audio and video equipment in a sale to a large family office.

Honors & Awards

Honors & Awards

  • Leading Lawyers - Closely-Held Business Lawyers and Trust, Will & Estate Planning Lawyers in Illinois
  • Martindale-Hubbell legal ability/ethical standards rating (“A-V”) - Highest possible rating
  • Illinois Leading Lawyers - 2020 (cited in multiple years)

Professional Activities

Professional Activities

  • Former Chairman, Estate Tax Division of the Chicago Bar Association Federal Tax Committee
  • Chicago Bar Association
  • Illinois Bar Association
  • Chicago Estate Planning Council

Perspectives

Perspectives

News

Insights