OVERVIEW

Wm. Harold Borthwick’s practice focuses on wills and trusts in estate planning and post mortem administration and settlement of trusts and estates for high net worth individuals and their families.

Hal also counsels in related areas of charitable gift planning, such as creation and administration of private foundations. Many of Hal’s clients are multi-generational families, as planning for the next generation—and the next—is his area of emphasis.

When working with clients, the goal always is to advise on what makes the most sense at the time in their unique circumstance. He cuts through the alphabet spaghetti of estate planning nomenclature (GRATs, IDGTs, CRUTS, CRATS, etc.) to the strategies that will add value to each particular client. Hal then documents approved strategies in a cost-conscious way.

With few exceptions, members of his client base have net worths of $100 million upwards. Hal is familiar with all of the various asset types likely to be found in larger estates: ranches, works of art, business entities such as LLCs and partnerships, and primary and secondary residences, among others. He assists with valuation, sale, or passing such assets down to beneficiaries.

Hal has several notable recent representations, such as winding up the settlement of a $300 million estate and beginning the settlement of a $2.6 billion estate. In his representation of a younger couple with a net worth of $200 million, his estate planning counsel includes a provision for an intentionally defective grantor trust for the benefit of the next generation.