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FAMILY WEALTH AND BUSINESS COLLABORATIVE

At the complex and rewarding intersection of family and business, you’ll find Thompson Coburn’s Family Wealth and Business Collaborative (FWBC).

FWBC is a core team of legal and business advisors who provide dedicated service to family offices, closely held companies, and the multi-generational families connected to those businesses. Supported by the resources and deep legal bench of Thompson Coburn, FWBC advises high-net-worth individuals and their families on a wide range of legal and business issues, helping them grow and transfer wealth, save millions in taxes, and pursue new business and charitable opportunities.

No family is alike and no business is alike. Our attorneys are deeply committed to the success of multi-generational families and strongly attuned to the often complex interplay between family dynamics and business operations. We help the leaders of family businesses sort through these dynamics, craft a responsive business or legal strategy, and achieve success as they have defined it.

Whatever the needs of the business or the needs the family, FWBC is ready to provide thoughtful, comprehensive advice or collaborate with a family office on a sophisticated long-term plan of action.

Our services include but are by no means limited to: 

  • Estate planning 
  • Gifting strategies
  • Business succession
  • Business ownership and governance disputes
  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • Tax strategies for individuals and businesses 
  • Intellectual property 
  • Domestic and international corporate finance opportunities
  • Executive compensation
  • Human resources and employee benefits
  • Real estate
  • Venture capital

With Firm operations based in the Midwest, FWBC can provide significant value while representing client interests across the United States and globally. We can scale with the growth of a business and its family members, and help chart a path to lasting wealth and a legacy that future generations can take pride in. 

 
Partner
New York

A fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Ninette works closely with clients and their families to create comprehensive multi-generational estate plan...

A fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Ninette works...

Ninette Bordoff
Senior Counsel
St. Louis

Ed serves as a key tax advisor to companies embarking on any type of corporate restructuring, from acquisitions and dispositions to spinoffs and management changes.

Ed serves as a key tax advisor to companies embarking on any type of corpor...

Ed Buchholz
Partner
Chicago

Sarah helps individuals, families, and closely held businesses owners identify their goals with regards to safeguarding and transferring their assets and then develops an...

Sarah helps individuals, families, and closely held businesses owners ident...

Sarah Chang
Partner
St. Louis

Tom's practice focuses on the areas of estate planning and administration, federal estate and gift tax compliance and controversy, organizational, tax and succession plan...

Tom's practice focuses on the areas of estate planning and administration, ...

Tom Corbett
Counsel
St. Louis

Laura represents clients in a variety of real estate transactions and financings.

Laura represents clients in a variety of real estate transactions and finan...

Laura Corcoran
Partner
St. Louis

For 35 years, Steve has focused his practice on succession planning for family businesses, including the areas of estate planning, taxation, estate and trust administrati...

For 35 years, Steve has focused his practice on succession planning for fam...

Steve Cupples
Partner
Chicago

Georgia serves as an estate planning advisor and personal general counsel to closely-held businesses, business leaders and other individuals.

Georgia serves as an estate planning advisor and personal general counsel t...

Georgia Loukas Demeros
Partner
St. Louis

Jackie's practice is focused on representation of individuals and families in the areas of estate planning and charitable giving and representation of nonprofit organizat...

Jackie's practice is focused on representation of individuals and families ...

Jackie Dimmitt
Partner
St. Louis

Laura's practice is focused on all aspects of estate planning, including the preparation of estate planning documents, probate and tax law, tax planning and business succ...

Laura's practice is focused on all aspects of estate planning, including th...

Laura Duncan
Partner
St. Louis

Larry is a business litigator resolving complex cases involving shareholder rights, business valuations, fiduciary duty claims, and other contract and business disputes.

Larry is a business litigator resolving complex cases involving shareholder...

Larry Friedman
Partner
Los Angeles

Vicky is a versatile commercial finance attorney who represents banks, investors, and borrowers in a wide variety of financing transactions and investments.

Vicky is a versatile commercial finance attorney who represents banks, inve...

Vicky Gilbert
Partner
St. Louis

Steve is a nationally recognized practitioner in the areas of estate planning and the structuring of privately held businesses.

Steve is a nationally recognized practitioner in the areas of estate planni...

Steve Gorin
Partner
Chicago

Ruthanne represents parties in complex commercial transactions, providing responsive advice on a variety of finance and sales matters.

Ruthanne represents parties in complex commercial transactions, providing r...

Ruthanne Hammett
Partner
Los Angeles

Jon represents mid-sized, closely held businesses and their owners in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, retail sales and professional servic...

Jon represents mid-sized, closely held businesses and their owners in a var...

Jon Karp
Partner
St. Louis

Larry serves clients in the firm's Private Client Services practice.

Larry serves clients in the firm's Private Client Services practice.

Larry Katzenstein
Partner
St. Louis

Michael's practice is focused on providing practical, comprehensive solutions that meet the business goals of clients in the employee benefits area of human resources law...

Michael's practice is focused on providing practical, comprehensive solutio...

Michael Lane
Partner
St. Louis

Rick advises companies and individuals on a variety of federal (domestic and international), state and local tax matters.

Rick advises companies and individuals on a variety of federal (domestic an...

Rick Lawton
Partner
St. Louis

Tom is Co-Chair of Thompson Coburn LLP's Corporate Department.

Tom is Co-Chair of Thompson Coburn LLP's Corporate Department.

Tom Litz
Counsel
St. Louis

Omar drafts, reviews and updates complex trusts and estate plans and handles sophisticated tax matters for individuals and businesses.

Omar drafts, reviews and updates complex trusts and estate plans and handle...

Omar Malik, LLM Tax
Partner
Chicago

Ed counsels individuals and businesses on a broad spectrum of estate, trust, business, and tax planning matters.

Ed counsels individuals and businesses on a broad spectrum of estate, trust...

Ed McGillen
Associate
St. Louis

Lisa is an associate in the Firm's private client group.

Lisa is an associate in the Firm's private client group.

Lisa Montano
Partner
New York

Consistently recognized for his dynamic, passionate, and resolute approach, Zachary delivers practical, tactical, and experienced advice to a diverse clientele that inclu...

Consistently recognized for his dynamic, passionate, and resolute approach,...

Zachary Newman
Partner
St. Louis

Chuck is a creative and highly efficient employment litigator and advisor to private and public sector employers across a wide spectrum of industries.

Chuck is a creative and highly efficient employment litigator and advisor t...

Chuck Poplstein
Partner
St. Louis

Chris is a valued strategic partner to emerging companies and the institutions and individuals that invest in them.

Chris is a valued strategic partner to emerging companies and the instituti...

Chris Reid
Partner
St. Louis

Lacey has extensive experience in all aspects of estate planning, estate and trust administration and charitable giving.

Lacey has extensive experience in all aspects of estate planning, estate an...

Lacey Searfoss
Associate
Chicago

Amanda is an associate in the Firm's private client and tax practices.

Amanda is an associate in the Firm's private client and tax practices.

Amanda Tagliarino