Russ Robinson

Russel G. Robinson’s law practice encompasses estate planning, business, corporate and organizational matters as well as charitable and personal matters.

In the estates and trusts area, Russ has been engaged in:

• Drafting thousands of estate plans valued up to $100 million, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, gifting plans, charitable distributions and similar transfers.
• Administering trust and probate proceedings for high net worth families over multiple generations, including work with private and corporate trustees/banks
• Planning charitable distributions in connection with several national nonprofits as designated counsel, for the purpose of tax-favored gifts, trusts, annuities and other donor-advantaged objectives.

In the business, corporate and organizational area, Russ has assisted with:

• Counseling entities from start-up to market value/revenues in excess of $200 million; aiding entrepreneurial launches, capital funding, mergers, sales, acquisitions and reorganizations.
• Representing banks, credit unions, and other financial services entities in loan transactions, collections, bankruptcy, foreclosures, receiverships, workouts and commercial litigation.
• Negotiating leases, employment contracts, executive compensation, publishing, royalties, intellectual property rights, distribution terms, settlements, insurance, agency representation, succession planning, partnerships, shareholder agreements and joint ventures.
• Mediating complex commercial claims across the U.S. involving up to 43 parties in multi-million dollar disputes, based on extensive experience litigating business, financial, insurance and related issues.

In the charitable area, Russ has worked with:

• Starting and advising numerous nonprofit organizations, foundations, educational institutions, churches and other charities on legal, tax exempt activity, employment, contract, publishing, and governance matters.
• Creating and overseeing private family foundations and Donor Advised Funds, including formation, administration, grant-making and board governance.

In the personal law area, Russ focuses on:

• Serving as Personal General Counsel for high net worth/high income individuals and families, coordinating the work of accounting, financial, insurance and other expert professionals.
• Collaborating with families on business and personal succession, generational transitions and legacy-building, and conflict resolution in the process of such changes.

Teaching Experience:

• Instructing and consulting in the United States and internationally on legal matters, church and nonprofit organizational development, small group strategy, and leadership issues, having authored four books and actively produced multiple print, audio and video resources on related subjects.

Organizational Experience:

• Leading staff teams of over 200 people, managed organizational systems involving 5,000 leaders, and participating in and advising various boards, executive groups, and management teams with oversight of entities with market value/revenues of up to $200 million.

Law School:

• University of North Dakota School of Law, J.D., 1982

Awards; Honors; Distinctions:

• Leading Lawyer, Chicagoland Area
• Five-Star Professional in Wealth Management, Multiple-Year Winner
• Five-Star (AV) Peer Review Rated – Martindale Hubbell