TOM HANDLER
Mr. Handler is a managing partner in Handler Law, LLP, where he chairs the firm’s Advanced Planning & Family Office Practice Group. Here he is an advanced planning attorney focused on the analysis and structuring of sophisticated estate plans and family offices, and handling taxation and business planning issues for business owners, executives, professional athletes, celebrities and over 250 family offices over $250M in net worth, and 81 Family Offices worth over $1B. Tom has extensive experience in the analysis, design and implementation of domestic and international business planning, financial and estate planning, asset protection, family office compliance and advanced tax planning strategies.
Mr. Handler has been named one of the Top 15 Wealth Planners and one of the Top 100 Attorneys in the United States. He has also been named to Who’s Who in American Law, Who’s Who in America and Global Leading Lawyers. Illinois Leading Lawyers named Mr. Handler one of the Top Lawyers in the areas of Closely and Privately Held Business Law and Trust, Will and Estate Planning Law.
He received the Family Wealth Alliance Leadership Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2017 and the Private Asset Management Lifetime Achievement Aw-+
ard in 2021. He was named 2017 Private Client Lawyer of the Year and in 2016 won the Excellence in Estate Planning Award. In 2015, he was named International Wealth Planner of the Year and Wealth Planning Game Changer Lawyer of the Year in addition to receiving the Michael J. Brink Lifetime Achievement Award for Leadership and Service.
Directorships
Member, Advisory Board, the Ultra-High Net Worth Institute, 2021-present
Director, Editorial Advisory Board, Wealth Briefing Group/Family Wealth Report, 2018-present
Director, Advisory Board, Lido Consulting, Inc. family office conferences, 2012-2017
Director, Advisory Board, Financial Research Associates family office conferences, 2012-2016
Director, Advisory Board, Family Office Association, 2011-Present
Chairman, Handler Thayer, LLP, Advanced Planning & Family Office Practice Group, 2009-Present
Director, Advisory Board, Opal Financial Group Family Office & Private Wealth Forum, 2009-Present
Director, Advisory Board, Lexington Family Office, 2008-Present
Director, Advisory Board, Family Wealth Alliance, 2003-Present
Director, Family Office Conference Advisory Board, IIR, 2002-2011
Director, Professional Benefit Trust Advisory Board, 2003-2005
Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity International/Educational Foundation
Advisory Board Member, U of C, Northwestern, and U of I Chapters
Member, Educational Foundation Planned Gifts Committee, 1992-1996
Director, University of Chicago Housing Corporation, 1992-1995
Director, Aerospace International Companies, Inc., 1995-1996
Director/Advisory Board, Winnetka Nielsen Tennis Center, 1990-1991
Honors & Awards
Family Wealth Alliance – Leadership Award for Lifetime Achievement, 2017
Citywealth Global Leaders List – Top 100 Lawyers in the U.S., 2013-Present
U.S. Private Client Lawyer of the Year, 2017
Excellence in Estate Planning award, 2016
Family Office Review – Michael J. Brink Wealth Industry Leadership & Service Award, 2015
Acquisition Finance Magazine – Wealth Planning Gamechanger Lawyer of the Year, 2015
Acquisition Finance Magazine – International Wealth Planning Lawyer of the Year, 2015
Leading Lawyers (IL) – Trust, Will and Estate Planning Law, 2010-Present
Leading Lawyers (IL) – Closely & Privately Held Business Law, 2010-Present
University of Illinois Scholarship Foundation Loyalty Circle Award, 2007
Pi Kappa Alpha Chicago Alumni Association Loyalty Award, 2004
Wealth Strategies Design Team (Comprised of fifteen of the top wealth planners in the United States), 2001-2007
Who’s Who in the World, 2017
Life Member, National Registry of Who’s Who in America, 2001-Present
Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals in America, 1996-97, 1997-98
Who’s Who in American Law, 1989-1991
Who’s Who of Emerging Leaders of America, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992
Distinguished Leadership Award, 1988
Men of Achievement, 1988
Who’s Who in the Midwest, 1987 and 1989
Outstanding Young Men of America, 1985 and 1986
University of Illinois Outstanding Senior Award, 1979
Shorter Board Scholastic and Leadership Honorary, 1978
100 Club Scholastic and Leadership Honorary, 1978
Pi Kappa Alpha Outstanding Service Award, 1978
Sigma Iota Lambda Scholastic Honorary, 1977
Phi Eta Sigma Scholastic Honorary, 1975
Affiliations
Member, The University Club of Chicago, 2008-Present
Member, The Clayton Club, 2017-Present
Member, Asset Protection Society, 2006-Present
Member, Atlantic Salmon Federation, Chicago Philanthropy Committee, 2005-Present
Member, International Business Forums Chicago Chapter, 2002-2012
Captain, Winnetka Tennis Team, 2001-Present
Member, Winnetka Tennis Association, 1987-Present
Member, Chicago Bar Association
Member, CBA Trust Law Committee
Chairman, Subcommittee on Private Foundations, 2001-2002
Chairman, Subcommittee on Family Limited Partnerships, 2003-2004
Chairman, Subcommittee on FLP Administration, 2006-2007
Member, CBA Federal Taxation Committee
Member, Illinois State Bar Association
Member, Section on Corporation and Securities Law
Member, Section on Federal Taxation
Member, Section on Trusts & Estates
Member, American Bar Association
Member, ABA Section of Taxation
Member, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity
Member, Society of Financial Service Professionals, 2006-2007
Member, North American Interfraternity Conference
Nominating Committee, 2004-2006
Committee on Public Relations and Marketing, 1999-2002
Member, Financial Planning Association, 2001-2003
Member, Sierra Club Lawyers’ Roundtable, 1992-1994
Partial List of Publications
Thomas J. Handler. “Handler Law, LLP 2021 Family Office Outlook,” 2021 Quarter 1
Thomas J. Handler. “Handler Law, LLP 2020 Family Office Outlook,” 2020 Quarter 1
Family Offices: The STEP Handbook for Advisers, Second Edition, Family Office chapter
Thomas J. Handler and Barbara R. Hauser. “Why Family Offices Choose Bermuda” 2019.
Thomas J. Handler. “Family Office Real Estate Compliance and Opportunities,” Family Office Real Estate Magazine, June (2018).
Thomas J. Handler. “Handler Law, LLP 2018 Family Office Outlook,” Quarter 1, 2018, www.prnewswire.com. February 27, 2018.
Thomas J. Handler, 21st Century Family Office Structures, Family Office Association White Paper, July (2017).
Thomas J. Handler. “Handler Law, LLP 2017 Family Office Outlook,” Quarter 1, 2017, www.prnewswire.com and www.jdsupra.com. March 22, 2017. Republished in Chinese in the China Daily Business Herald and in the Family Wealth Alliance Letter.
Thomas J. Handler, Virtual family offices – a global trend, The Int’l Family Offices J., 5 (December 2016).
Thomas J. Handler. “2015 Family Office Outlook,” www.JDSupra.com. March 12, 2015.
Thomas J. Handler. “Establishing Virtual Family Offices,” Trusts & Estates Magazine. March (2014).
Thomas J. Handler, Contributor. “Breakthroughs In Managing Tangible Assets: Completing The Picture Of Wealth.” Ace Private Risk Services and Trōv White Paper. February (2014).
Thomas J. Handler. “Do Your Research, and Be Stealthy” featured in the New York Times Forum on Prenuptial Agreements. The New York Times. March 21, 2013.
Thomas J. Handler and Christine E. McKillip. “CFTC Reinstates Family Office Exception.” www.JDSupra.com.
ecember 5, 2012. This article was republished by Family Office Association on December 12, 2012 and republished by Family Office News on December 14, 2012.
Thomas J. Handler. “The Dodd-Frank Act: Implications for Family Offices.” 2012 Institute for Private Investors Report (2012).
Thomas J. Handler and Christine E. McKillip. “The Commodity Futures Trading Commission Rescinds a Common Family Office Exemption.” www.JDSupra.com. May 17, 2012.
Thomas J. Handler. “Financial Regulation of Family Offices in the Current Environment,” Family Office Association, January (2012).
Thomas J. Handler. S.E.C. Registration of Family Offices: Private Trust Companies May Provide One Avenue of Relief. Trusts & Estates Magazine, October (2011) (Republished by Family Offices Group).
Thomas J. Handler. Family Office Exemption Narrowly Defined by S.E.C.. Family Office Association SFO Letter, July (2011).
Thomas J. Handler. The Family Office Exception: Greater Clarity Could Force Greater Compliance. Family Wealth Report, June (2011).
Thomas J. Handler, Contributor. The Domestic Staffing Cycle: From Hiring to Firing. Hub International Personal Insurance. (2009).
Handler and Heller, “Asset Protection Planning,” Private Wealth (2005).
INSTITUTE
CONTACT
LINKS
The Family Office Real Estate Institute (“FORE”) or )the “FORE Institute”) is not affiliated in any way with the University of Denver. Nor are any FORE Institute programs or classes affiliated with the University of Denver. The FORE Institute only uses it facilities for its classes, programs, and events. The University of Denver are the various schools within the University do not sponsor or endorse the FORE Institute, any of its information, products, classes, events, or comments. The FORE Institute declares no affiliation, sponsorship, or partnership with the University of Denver. The FORE Institute stands independently as a for-profit business.
© 2024 Family Office Real Estate Institute