Cummings & Lockwood Recognized As One of the Leading Trusts and Estates Practices in Connecticut by Chambers & Partners

Cummings & Lockwood is pleased to announce that for the second year in a row the Firm’s Private Clients Group has been ranked in Tier 1 by Chambers & Partners in the 2017 edition of Chambers High Net Worth Guide.  The Guide, which is based on objective and independent research, recognizes the world’s leading high net worth advisers.

“We are proud to have been named one of the top private clients practices in Connecticut,” noted Jonathan B. Mills, Firm-wide Chairman and Managing Director of Cummings & Lockwood.

According to Chambers, “Cummings & Lockwood is widely regarded as having one of the top teams in trusts and estates work, with one source describing the firm as ‘the 800lb gorilla in this practice area in Connecticut.’  The private clients team assists clients with estate planning matters including generational wealth transfer and preservation, tax and probate litigation, philanthropic giving and business successions. The team is particularly praised for its trust administration work.”

"They're a very high-end and well-rounded trusts and estates group,” offers one source, continuing: “There aren't any weak links there.”  Another source agrees, noting that “they have lots of very, very good practitioners in the private wealth space. I have not run into anybody there that I didn't think was very, very good.”

In addition, Chambers has recognized several of the Firm’s trust and estate practitioners, including:

Paul Bourdeau (West Hartford Office)  is a well-respected trusts and estates practitioner. He offers clients advice on estate planning, business succession planning, wealth transfer strategies, charitable giving and estate settlement, as well as serving as trustee and executor for clients. Fellow lawyers hold Bourdeau in high regard, with one market commentator particularly praising his interpersonal skills, saying: "Not only is he an outstanding professional but he is probably the best marketer in this business and I probably want to say the whole state. He's gregarious, makes wonderful connections – both professional and personal – with people, he's probably the best link-maker of any estate planner I know."

Howard Tuthill (Stamford Office) co-chairs Cummings & Lockwood's private clients group. He advises his clients on estate planning and settlement, planning for the preservation of wealth, philanthropic giving and business succession planning. One source hails Tuthill as among "the cream of the crop, the top of the top lawyers in Connecticut," while another says: "As a technical lawyer there's none better, he's dogged on keeping up on the law, and he works harder than probably anyone I know."

"One of the young up-and-coming stars in the market," Heather Rhoades’ (West Hartford Office) practice covers estate planning, estate settlement, trust administration and charitable planning. A member of the firm’s national charitable planning group, Rhoades advises clients on all aspects of estate planning and related practice areas. Peers praise Rhoades as "excellent" and "a very good lawyer – nice personality, good with clients."

Kelley Galica Peck (West Hartford Office) is a trusts and estates lawyer working out of Cummings & Lockwood's West Hartford office. Peck assists clients with estate and trust planning and probate matters. She offers advice to individuals and families on planning for the management, protection and transfer of wealth, including succession planning for closely-held businesses. Peck also has experience of charitable gift planning, estate planning for nontraditional families, planning for the protection and preservation of assets, and estate, gift and income tax return preparation and review.

Douglas Olin (Greenwich Office) assists clients with wide-ranging estate planning matters, including wealth preservation strategies, philanthropic giving and business succession planning. Olin also has experience of litigation matters pertaining to fiduciary, probate and tax issues, and is frequently asked to speak on estate and tax planning topics.

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About Chambers and Partners

Chambers and Partners, a U.K.-based publisher of legal guides, has dedicated the last 25 years to researching and ranking the world’s best lawyers.  They produce expert guides for the USA, UK, Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Canada and Global market and in 2016 launched the Chambers High Net Worth Guide –a publication specifically aimed at the international private wealth market.

Chambers’ global reputation provides unique access to this notably difficult to reach audience. The guide will be used by family offices and professional advisers to wealthy individuals, providing objective guidance on an international scale, making Chambers High Net Worth a key reference point for such a mobile market.

The guide covers private wealth management work and related specialisms in key jurisdictions around the world, featuring in-depth editorial about the leading lawyers and law firms for wealthy individuals and families. Chambers High Net Worth also features listings and information about many of the top accountancy and tax firms, private banks, wealth management firms and multi-family offices acting for high net worth individuals.