Family Office Team Joins Ice Miller

Experienced Team Recognized as Trailblazers in Advanced Planning and Family Office Corporate Transactions

CHICAGO, July 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The national law firm of Ice Miller today announced the addition of an esteemed cross-office team of business and estate planning lawyers from Handler Thayer, including founding partners Steven Thayer and Eric Kalnins. Thayer and Kalnins are recognized for their experience in advanced estate and business planning techniques for high-net-worth clients, family-owned businesses, and entrepreneurs, including the formation and operation of family offices. They expand an already deep and talented Ice Miller estate planning team in Indianapolis and Columbus, featuring legal professionals highly regarded for their work and insight involving estate planning with high-net-worth families.

Thayer and Kalnins are joined by fellow partner Lacee Wentworth, based in the greater Phoenix area, who focuses her practice on complex business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, securities compliance, corporate governance, and a range of financing transactions, as well as of counsel Ryan Bennett and associate Andrew Willis from the advanced planning team at Handler Thayer.

In tandem with the team's arrival, Ice Miller is announcing the launch of a new Naples, Florida, office as of July 1. This new location, spearheaded by Kalnins, will better position the firm in its ability to service existing clients in their business and legal endeavors, as well as in its efforts to target new opportunities and areas for strategic growth.

Additionally, this multidisciplinary team will establish a new family office advanced planning practice at Ice Miller, bringing to bear its cutting-edge experience redefining financial and estate planning for high-net-worth individuals in the 21^st century. Inclusive of this practice is the full range of tax services—including tax planning and tax representation—attributable to income, estate, gift, excise and franchise tax, treaty analysis and state tax comparisons, and sales and use taxes.

Key to the advanced planning model—and innovative in the space—is the practice's extensive corporate transaction capabilities and experience, which dovetail with Ice Miller's established strength in the marketplace. The Handler Thayer team offers comprehensive business organization, employment agreements, securities offerings, venture capital financing, contract representation, private equity funds, hedge funds, mergers and acquisitions, and annual maintenance services to entrepreneurs and closely held businesses—now with the breadth and resources of the full Ice Miller legal services platform underpinning these endeavors.

"We're thrilled to welcome Steve, Eric, Lacee, Ryan, and Andrew into the Ice Miller fold," declared Ice Miller Chief Managing Partner Michael Millikan. "Their arrival checks multiple important boxes for us, including providing an expanded and novel service to our client base that both complements and fortifies the offerings for which we are nationally recognized, as well as extending our geographic footprint into a dynamic region of the country."

Thayer is an established business lawyer who has been heavily involved in the formation, financing, and operation of business enterprises in a variety of industries, both domestically and internationally, for more than a quarter century. His industry experience includes supporting technology ventures, securities offerings, real estate transactions, manufacturing businesses, contract manufacturers, retail establishments, franchised businesses concepts, resort development, brokerage businesses, professional sports team acquisition, and other start-up and emerging businesses. He regularly works with large family offices regarding their international holdings, including international companies, and the complex tax issues that go with those structures.

"Ice Miller provides the platform that will help take our efforts to the next level," asserted Thayer. "With a strong suite of talented lawyers across the country, I'm excited by the promise of this pairing and the opportunities that will undoubtedly be afforded my clients in the months and years to come. Equally, I'm excited by the opportunity to bring our family office advanced planning initiatives to the firm and those whom it serves."

Kalnins practices primarily in the areas of business structuring, domestic and international tax, estate planning, and litigation that pertains to each of the foregoing. He is also experienced in the creation and implementation of advanced estate planning techniques for high-net-worth clients, including the formation and operation of family office structures.

In addition to her corporate transaction experience, Wentworth also serves as general counsel to clients who do not employ in-house counsel, advising on real-world legal implications affecting their businesses. She provides advice to entrepreneurs, start-ups, ultra-high-net-worth families, family offices, and established businesses from a wide variety of industries, including, but not limited to, manufacturing, distribution, insurance, agri-business, craft brewing and spirits, sports and entertainment, health care, physical therapy, diagnostic testing services, and cryptocurrency.

Bennett's practice is focused on tax compliance, planning, and administration, and estate planning, trust and estate administration, and wealth transfer planning. He has worked with a broad range of clients, including high-net-worth individuals seeking to implement carefully designed tax-minimization strategies. 

Willis focuses his practice on probate, estate administration, trusts and estates, and estate contest litigation.

About Ice Miller LLP 

Ice Miller LLP is a full-service law firm dedicated to helping our clients stay ahead in a changing world. With more than 350 legal professionals ++across the nation, we advise clients on all aspects of the complex legal issues impacting businesses each day. We serve emerging growth companies, FORTUNE 500 corporations, municipal entities and nonprofits. To learn more, visit us at icemiller.com.

SOURCE Ice Miller LLP