William H. Schmidt, Esq.

— SENIOR COUNSEL —

William H. Schmidt, Esq. comes to us as Senior Counsel in our Probate/Trust settlement division, bringing over 45 years of experience. Bill has worked in some of Boston’s top firms, primarily focused on employee benefits, probate, and tax and estate planning. His work has also included domestic relations law.

Bill is an expert on qualified domestic relations orders and divorce taxation. His practice areas include Taxation Law, Trusts and Estates, Estate Planning, Estate Administration, Trust Administration, Trust Planning, Employee Benefits, Divorce Taxation, and Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs).

Boston Magazine has named him a New England Super Lawyer every year since 2005, and he has also been recognized by Chambers USA as a leader in employee benefits and executive compensation.

Professional Accreditations & Recognitions

Boston Magazine, New England Super Lawyer (2005-present)
Recognized as a leader in employee benefits & executive compensation in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2009, 2008, 2007)
Recognized for exceptional standing in the legal community in the area of tax in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2006, 2005)

Professional Memberships

Bar Association Activities
American Bar Association
Boston Bar Association

Other Professional Memberships – Current
Fellow, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
Boston Estate Planning Council (BEPC), member
Fellow, Boston Bar Foundation
Massachusetts Family and Probate Inns of Court

Professional Activities

Current
Participation on various educational panels for MCLE/NELI, Boston Bar Association, Federal Tax Institute, American Law Institute/American, Bar Association, Bentley College Third Annual
Institute on Estate Planning, Boston Estate Planning Forum, National Association of Stock Plan Professionals (1978-present)
Previous
Volunteer Lawyer’s Project (2006-2009)

Charitable Activities

Previous
Director, Walker Home and School
Director, Wendell Clark Memorial Association
Trustee, William and Bernice Bumpus Foundation

Publications & Media

1. Author, 409A: Benefit Plans, Expense Payments and Reimbursements, Boston Bar Journal (a publication of the Boston Bar Association), September/October 2007.
2. Author, Practical Guidance for Compensation Committees, Wall Street Lawyer 8 no. 4, September 2004: 16.
3. Author, Cross-Testing Survives Legislative Attack to Remain Effective in Pension Plan Design, Journal of Taxation of Employee Benefits 3 no. 2, July/August 1995: 90.
4. Co-Author, Section, Arrest, Search and Seizure of Note, The United States Courts of Appeals: 1973-1974 Term Criminal Law and Procedure, 63 Georgetown Law Journal 325, 333-88 (1974).