Roy M. Adams

Roy M. Adams (1940 - 2014)

Roy M. Adams is Senior Chairman of the Trusts & Estates Practice Group at the national law firm of Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP, which has offices in Chicago, IL, New York City, NY, Short Hills, NJ, Los Angeles, CA, San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, St. Louis, MO, Kansas City, MO, West Palm Beach, FL and Phoenix, AZ. Mr. Adams has previously been Co-Chair of the Trusts & Estates Practice Group at Schiff Hardin & Waite and Worldwide Head of the Trusts and Estates Practice Group at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Mr. Adams conducts an extensive national and international practice in the areas of estate and tax planning and administration, advising individuals and major families on wealth transfer techniques at Federal and state levels and private foundations and public charities. He lectures nationally and internationally and is a greatly sought-after speaker. He has frequently and successfully served as an expert witness, defending lawyers, accountants, banks and others who have been improperly accused of wrongdoing. He is admitted to practice in the states of New York and Illinois.

Mr. Adams is Professor Emeritus of Estate Planning and Taxation at Northwestern University School of Law where, for over 25 years, he has taught estate planning and taxation. He has received Northwestern University's Alumni Merit Award for his outstanding professional achievements. Mr. Adams also serves as a member of the Tax Advisory Boards of the Museum of Modern Art and of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, both in New York City.

Mr. Adams is a member of the distinguished teaching faculty of Cannon Financial Institute, and is also a Senior Consultant to Cannon's management. He contributes extensively to internet publications through a joint venture with Cannon, and leads special professional education seminars and monthly telephone conferences, as well as web-casts and satellite broadcasts, on sophisticated but practical estate, trust and business succession planning and administration topics.

Mr. Adams is a Fellow of the American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel and is listed in "Best Lawyers in America." He has received high national recognition by Chambers USA in the practice area of Wealth Management and Trusts & Estates and is further acclaimed as a "New York Super Lawyer." Mr. Adams has been conferred "Best Lawyer" status by The American Lawyer. He is Special Consultant to Trusts & Estates Magazine, for which he writes a bimonthly column as well as a highly acclaimed quarterly column on tax fundamentals. He often contributes a column on estate planning, designed for the brokerage community, to Registered Representative Magazine, and articles on estate planning to Financial Advisor Magazine. His newest book, 21st Century Estate Planning: Practical Applications, was first published by Cannon Financial Institute in 2002, is revised each year, and has received great acclaim, particularly for its innovation, creativity and practical advice. The 2006 Edition has also been well received.

Mr. Adams has authored a two-volume text, Illinois Estate Planning, Will Drafting and Estate Administration, and has been a Contributing Editor toUnderstanding Living Trusts. Another of his popular publications is entitledWit & Wisdom – the Best of Roy Adams.