Jeffrey A. Baskies

Phone: (561) 910-5700

Fax: (561) 910-5701

Jeffrey A. Baskies is a graduate of Trinity College (B.A., with highest honors, 1988) and Harvard University Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1991). He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Gamma Mu academic honor societies. He is admitted to practice in Florida and Massachusetts. In addition, Mr. Baskies is AV® rated by Martindale Hubbell (the highest rating for skill and ethics by this respected peer-review rating service) and is Board Certified by The Florida Bar as a specialist/expert in Wills, Trusts and Estates law.

Mr. Baskies concentrates his practice in the areas of estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax planning with an emphasis on representing wealthy families and entrepreneurs in multi-generational wealth transfer and asset protection planning. He represents clients with business succession planning needs including shareholders’ agreements, operating agreements for LLCs and partnerships, and sophisticated insurance funding arrangements. Mr. Baskies also counsels clients on their philanthropic pursuits, including the creation of charitable foundations, charitable trusts and other sophisticated charitable planning. An integral part of his practice includes representing clients with their prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Further, Mr. Baskies has nearly 20 years experience advising clients with the state-law and federal-tax processes of administering estates and trusts, as well as guardianship administration. In addition, he represents clients in beneficiary representation cases, will and trust contests and fiduciary litigation.

Widely recognized as a leading estate planner, Mr. Baskies was named by Robb Report’s Worth magazine as one of the “Top 100 Attorneys” in the country for affluent clients in that magazine’s inaugural and second annual listings of the nation’s 100 leading estate planning attorneys. From 2006-2008, Mr. Baskies has also been named one of Florida’s “Super Lawyers” in that publication’s inaugural and annual lists of the “top 5%” of Florida lawyers. Additionally from 2006-2008, he was named one of the “Legal Elite” in Florida Trend Magazine’s annual surveys, comprised of the “top 2%" of Florida lawyers. Further, Mr. Baskies is included as a Trusts & Estates law specialist in the Best Lawyers In America, the most respected and prestigious peer-review listing of the nation’s leading attorneys.

Mr. Baskies’ is a frequent author of articles for professional journals. His articles have been published in various local and national periodicals including Estate Planning, The Family Advocate, The Florida Bar Journal, Probate and Property, Life-underwriters Association News, M.D. News and Trusts and Estates. Mr. Baskies also writes a regular column (“The T & E Advisor”) in Lawyers USA, a national legal newspaper. In addition, he is a commentator and frequent contributor to Steve Leimberg’s popular on-line estate planning newsletter service, LISI - Leimberg Information Services, Inc. Further, he co-authored chapters in the following books published by The Florida Bar: Basic Estate Planning in Florida, Drafting Marriage Contracts in Florida, Administration of Trusts in Florida and Basic Guardianship Practice.

During various times in his career, Mr. Baskies has been quoted as a tax and probate expert in local and national newspapers and periodicals including: Forbes magazine, Money magazine, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Boston Globe, Miami Herald, and many others. He has also been a featured expert commentator on local and national television affiliates for NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox and other media. During the Ted Williams probate litigation, Mr. Baskies was sought out by many national media outlets for commentary, including a quote on the front page of USA Today, appearances on every television station in Boston, and many guest appearances on Boston and national radio stations, including several appearances on “The Big Show” with Glenn Ordway. After the death of Anna Nicole Smith, Mr. Baskies was again sought out by many national media outlets for expert commentary. He was quoted by NBC and ABC, he was quoted in newspapers and websites (including CNN.com and msnbc.com) around the country, and he was a interviewed by Sue Herera on “The Power Lunch” on CNBC.

In addition to his experiences as an advisor to clients, Mr. Baskies spent four years of his career (2000-2004) as President and CEO of a national legal newspaper publishing company, Lawyers Weekly, Inc. He helped grow this closely-held, family business and led its sale to a larger media company. Mr. Baskies’ experiences as a CEO combined with his experiences in hiring and managing investment bankers while overseeing the sale of the business provide him unique insights into the needs of his business clients.

Mr. Baskies charitable, community and civic activities have included:

•Alzheimer’s Association, Palm Beach County (Chair, Planned Gifts Committee)
•American Cancer Society, South Palm Beach County (President, Member, Board of Directors and Chair, Planned Gifts Committee) and American Cancer Society, Florida state-wide division (member Planned Giving Committee);
•Anti-Defamation League, Broward County (Chair, Planned Gifts Committee);
•Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce (Chair, West Boca Committee, and active member);
•Broward County Estate Planning Council (Treasurer and Member, Board of Directors);
•Jewish Community Foundation of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County (Member, Professional Advisory Committee and Mitzvah Society);
•KIDS in Distress (Member, Advisory Council and in 2007 and 2008 chaired “All That Jazz” gala at Ritz hotel in Manalapan for the inaugural and second annual events);
•Jewish Community Foundation of Broward County (Chair, Professional Advisory Council and Member, Board of Trustees);
•Planned Giving Council of Broward County (Member, Board of Directors).