Overview
Jonathan W. Motto focuses his practice on counseling families, family offices, business owners, executives and individuals on all aspects of estate and gift planning, wealth transfer issues, estate and trust administration, and business succession issues. His experience includes preparation and administration of wills and trusts, formation and reorganization of closely held corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies, implementation of leveraged wealth transfer techniques, and formation and operation of family offices and private trust companies.
While in law school, Jonathan served as the editor in chief of the Children’s Legal Rights Journal, president of the Student Bar Association and president of Phi Alpha Delta International. He also received a Tax Law Certificate for extensive course work in the areas of income, estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax.
Results
- Organized, implemented and administered more than 20 customized, complex, private trust company structures to provide long-term governance of family and trusts
- Structured and executed numerous wealth transfer transactions involving specialized assets, including aircrafts, yachts, real estate, and closely held corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies
- Counseled families on annual gift programs, 529 plans and planning with retirement benefits
- Administered estates valued from $10 million to more than $100 million, including preparing estate tax returns, implementing of post-mortem estate planning, resolving Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audits, representing estates in probate court and coordinating the final distribution of estate assets to the beneficiaries
- Engaged in a variety of charitable planning matters, including organizing and operating private foundations and creating and administering charitable trusts
Recognitions
- McDermott Will & Emery LLP Pro Bono Service Award
- Hugh L. Dick Award for Excellence in Taxation
Community
- AIDS Legal Council of Chicago, board of ambassadors
- EQIL PAC, board of directors
Credentials
Education
Loyola University of Chicago School of Law, JD, cum laude, 2011
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, BA, cum laude, 2008
Admissions
Illinois
