Charles E. McWilliams, Jr.
Managing Shareholder
Estate Planning and Business Transactions | Prince William and Winchester Offices
Chuck joined the firm in 2012 after working in a boutique tax, trust, estates and business planning practice. He is both a lawyer and a Certified Public Accountant and worked in public accounting before attending law school. Chuck’s practice focuses on complex estate planning and business planning matters. In addition to his law practice, Chuck serves on various Boards, teaches educational courses for accounting firms, banks, investment companies, and is an avid skier and outdoorsman.
Chuck’s trust and estates practice focuses primarily on business owners, individuals, and families with significant net worth, and he regularly works to resolve family disputes, protect his client’s assets, and protect family resources for long-term (multi-generational) planning purposes. Similarly, Chuck’s business practice tends to focus on asset protection, business succession planning, mergers, and strategic acquisitions.
- Virginia Bar Association
- Prince William County Bar Association
- Frederick County Bar Association
- Certified Public Accountant
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Rotary Club of Winchester’s Latest, Director
Due to the highly confidential nature of Chuck’s work, specific examples and clientele cannot be provided, but representative projects include the following:
Estate Planning & Administration
- Preparation of complex estate plans. Planning typically involves the use of revocable trusts, pour-over wills, medical directives, powers of attorney, gifting programs and often irrevocable trusts, charitable foundations, family limited partnerships, and various valuation discount strategies.
- Representation of trustees and executors in the estate administration process.
- Preparation of Private Letter Rulings – see PLR 2010-41049, for example.
- Advising litigation counsel and coordinating representation in estate litigation matters.
- Preparation of estate tax returns, inventories, accountings and probate documentation.
- Non-judicial settlement agreements for trusts; negotiation of beneficiary/trustee disputes.
Business Transactions
- Negotiation of mergers and acquisitions for public and privately held businesses.
- Structured acquisitive and divisive reorganizations.
- Planning for tax-exempt and tax-deferred business combinations and asset sales.
- Preparing and negotiating employment agreements for executives and highly compensated employees.
- Choice of entity, business structuring, asset protection planning, and succession planning.
- Advising non-profits on governance and structural matters.
- Representation of large businesses in sales and use tax and payroll tax disputes.
- Advising landlords, business owners and real estate developers on a variety of issues including tax, business and employment matters.
- Named to “Legal Elite,” Taxes/Estates/Trusts/Elder Law, Virginia Business Magazine, 2014
- AV Rated; Top Rated – AV Lawyer in Estate Planning, Martindale-Hubbell
- Named to “Virginia Rising Stars,” Estate Planning & Probate, Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2017-2019
- Assistant Commissioner of Accounts – Prince William County