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Attorney
 

     Phone:

       Direct (Salt Lake): (801) 930-5309 

       Main  (St. George) (435) 767-9313

       Mobile: (801) 755-8329

      Fax : (801) 208-8995

      Email: jfwood@halewoodlaw.com

James F. Wood

Experience

James F. Wood's practice focuses on trust, estate, charitable, tax and business planning for individuals, families, and small and closely-held businesses.  Mr. Wood's experience, background and breadth of knowledge allow him to provide effective planning to clients on a broad spectrum of issues.  In the trust and estate area, he advises clients ranging from relatively simple and straightforward non-taxable estates to complex and sophisticated taxable estates where various specialized trusts and other advanced planning techniques are utilized to reduce and eliminate estate and gift tax, to protect assets and to efficiently pass wealth to succeeding generations.  Additionally, Mr. Wood routinely advises and assists clients in the post-death administration of estates and trusts, including probate proceedings, and estate and fiduciary tax return filings.  In the charitable area, Mr. Wood counsels clients on effective strategies for charitable giving, including gift agreements and the formation of private family charitable entities.  He also has extensive experience in obtaining and maintaining real property tax exemptions for charitable non-profit corporations.  In the tax area, Mr. Wood advises clients on tax issues, strategies and controversies involving estate, gift, fiduciary, corporate, partnership, and individual income tax.  In the business planning area, Mr. Wood advises individuals and closely-held businesses on planning matters pertaining to a variety of issues, including business formation, asset protection and business succession planning. 

 

Prior to forming Hale | Wood, PLLC in 2010, Mr. Wood was a partner in the tax, estate planning and wealth management group of Stoel Rives, LLP, where he practiced from 1998 to 2010.  Previous experience includes: Associate, Van Cott Bagley Cornwall & McCarthy, Salt Lake City, Utah (1996-1998); Associate, Fabian & Clendenin, Salt Lake City, Utah (1994-1996); Law Clerk, Honorable Pamela T. Greenwood, Utah Court of Appeals, Salt Lake City, Utah (1993-1994); Law Clerk Intern, Honorable I. Daniel Stewart, Utah Supreme Court, Salt Lake City, Utah (1991); Revenue Agent, Internal Revenue Service, Salt Lake City, Utah (1988-1990); Tax Accountant, Peat Marwick & Main, Los Angeles, California (1985-1987).

Education

Education

Experience

Activities

  • University of Utah College of Law, J.D., 1993 / Order of the Coif / Utah Law Review Executive Editor (1992-93) and Staff Member (1991-92))

  • University of Utah, M.Pr.A. 1985 (Master of Professional Accountancy, tax emphasis)

  • University of Utah, B.A., Accounting, 1984, cum laude

  • Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), 2008 present

  • Member, Utah State Bar

  • Admitted to Practice before the Federal District Court of Utah, U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals and U.S. Tax Court

  • AV Preeminent rating with Martindale-Hubbell

  • Named by Best Lawyers® as Trusts and Estates Law "Lawyer of the Year," Salt Lake City, 2013

  • Included in The Best Lawyers in America© (Trusts and Estates), 2009-2024

  • Listed in Mountain States Super Lawyers® (Estate Planning & Probate), 2012-2024

  • Listed multiple times in Utah Business "Legal Elite" for Estate Planning

  • Adjunct Professor, University of Utah College of Law (Estate and Gift Tax), 2006

  • Past President, Utah State Bar Estate Planning Section, 2005-2006

  • Member, Utah State Bar Estate Planning Section Uniform Trust Code Review Committee, 2003-2005

  • Past Judge Pro Tem, Third District Court, Salt Lake City, Utah

  • Certified Public Accountant, California (inactive)

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