Cumming’s & Lockwood Private Clients Practice Garners Top Spot in the 2023 Issue of Chambers High Net Worth Guide for the 8th Consecutive Year

Cummings & Lockwood is pleased to announce that for the 8th consecutive year, the firm’s trusts and estates practice in Connecticut was ranked in Band 1 in Private Wealth Law by Chambers in their 2023 Chambers High Net Worth Guide, which offers market-leading rankings, reviews and insights to the world's leading professional advisers.

Eight of the firm’s estate planning attorneys were also recognized by Chambers as “notable practitioners,” including principals Paul L. Bourdeau, Howard S. Tuthill III, Laura Weintraub Beck, Heather J. Rhoades, Kelley Galica Peck, Douglas H. Olin, B. Cort Delany and Daniel G. Johnson.  In addition, Michael P. Kaelin, a principal in the firm’s Litigation Group, was recognized in the area of Private Wealth Disputes.

According to Heather J. Rhoades, Chair of Cummings & Lockwood’s Private Clients Group, “We are immensely pleased that once again we have been recognized for our outstanding trusts and estates practice serving high net worth individuals and families, their family offices and closely held businesses.  We are also proud that many of our attorneys were recognized by Chambers as exceptional practitioners in their field.” 

According to a Chambers’ interviewee:  "Their ability to analyse complex situations is excellent. They have insight in answering the questions asked along with the questions that were not asked, but should have been. It is full of very knowledgeable team members with in-depth abilities. They have excellent technical and legal experience."  Another interviewee noted that “Cummings & Lockwood has a deep bench with subject matter experts in a variety of different areas and, importantly, they work together as a team to provide clients with the best possible service."

Notable Practitioners:

Chambers recognized a number of our attorneys, including the following: 

• Paul L. Bourdeau (West Hartford) - Paul Bourdeau has a strong reputation among interviewees for his comprehensive trust and estates practice. Many of his matters involve clients with high-value assets.  "Paul has the very highest level of knowledge and practical approach to complex estate planning issues."
• Michael P. Kaelin (Stamford) - Michael Kaelin is a highly rated litigation lawyer with significant experience handling contentious trust and estate disputes.  "Michael is insightful and practical, which is the highest praise I can give someone. He understands the legal and real issues: what a client needs and wants, and what their influences are."
• Howard S. Tuthill III (Stamford) - Howard Tuthill works with high net worth clients on trust and estate planning and probate administration, and acts as a fiduciary. He is well respected among trusts and estate lawyers for this work.
• Laura Weintraub Beck (Greenwich) - Laura Beck's practice covers trust and estate administration, and business succession planning. She also represents clients in probate litigation.
• Heather J. Rhoades (West Hartford) - Heather Rhoades advises clients on charitable and estate planning in addition to trust administration.  "She impressed me, she was very responsive, competent and responsible."
• Kelley Galica Peck (West Hartford) - Kelley Galica Peck advises on trust and estate planning and administration, as well as charitable gift planning.  "She's extremely thoughtful when she gets involved in a matter and very sharp."
• Douglas H. Olin (Greenwich) - Douglas Olin advises high net worth clients on estate and trust planning as well as administration.  "He's a standout - was attentive to subtle facts, very insightful and focused on client particularities. I was very impressed."
• B. Cort Delany (Greenwich) - Cort Delany handles trusts, estates and business succession planning and estate administration.
• Daniel G. Johnson (Stamford) - Daniel Johnson's practice covers trust and estate administration along with family business succession and estate planning. He has a strong reputation for this work in Connecticut.

About Cummings & Lockwood LLC

Founded in 1909, Cummings & Lockwood provides sophisticated legal counsel to individuals, families, family offices, closely held businesses, charitable entities and other commercial enterprises in the areas of trusts and estates, corporate and finance, litigation and arbitration, and commercial and residential real estate.

The firm has over 200 attorneys, fiduciary accountants, paralegals and staff, as well as six offices located in Stamford, Greenwich and West Hartford, Connecticut, and in Naples, Bonita Springs and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.  While many of our clients reside in Connecticut, New York and Florida, we have clients in nearly all 50 U.S. states and in over 20 countries around the world.

For more information, visit the firm’s website at www.cl-law.com.

About Chambers High Net Worth Guide

 The Chambers High Net Worth Guide differentiates the best professional advisers for international private wealth by identifying and ranking law firms, lawyers and a range of other professional advisers globally.The firms and individuals ranked in the Chambers High Net Worth Guide understand the complex needs of HNW individuals and provide specialist advice. As well as ranking lawyers and law firms, the guide also recommends top accountancy firms, private banks, wealth managers, trust companies and other professional advisers to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals globally.Family offices and professional advisers to wealthy individuals use these rankings and analysis to get an objective view of the leading professional advisers on an international scale.

These extensive and market-leading recommendations, rankings and insights are based on the in-depth analysis carried out by our dedicated team of experienced researchers.