Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP announced today that Michelle R. Canerday is now a partner in the firm’s Trusts and Estates practice, which recently helped distinguish Katten as Law Firm of the Year in Trusts & Estates Law in the U.S. News – Best Lawyers® publication.

“Michelle knows how to create innovative strategies that minimize taxes and protect assets and wealth,” said Katten Chairman Roger P. Furey. “Her extensive knowledge and experience will bolster our already industry-leading T&E capabilities.”

Caner day represents high-net-worth individuals and families and closely held business owners worldwide on sophisticated estate, gift and charitable planning matters, as well as trust and estate litigation. She concentrates her practice on structuring and drafting wills and trusts, handling estate administrations, representing trustees and beneficiaries in trust disputes, advising businesses on succession planning, working with private equity fund principals on tax minimization strategies, counseling family offices and advising nonprofit organizations.

Canerday counsels clients on all phases of estate planning, including preparing wills, trusts, powers of attorney, insurance trusts, qualified personal residence trusts and dynasty trusts. She provides counsel to trustees and executors through the entire administration process, including opening probate, preparing and filing estate and gift tax returns, handling day-to-day administration matters, and working on related audits. She represents clients in trust and estate litigation matters and negotiates family settlement agreements and virtual representation agreements. She works closely with litigation counsel to form case strategy and advise on fiduciary duties throughout the process.

When advising clients on trust and estate matters, Canerday also leverages her financial experience as an account executive for an international bank prior to practicing law.

“With her broad international knowledge and litigation background, Michelle offers customized, practical and sound advice to help clients achieve their goals and meet their needs,” said Joshua S. Rubenstein, national head of the firm’s Trusts and Estates practice and national chair of the Private Client Services group.“Beyond her impressive legal acumen, Michelle brings a deep understanding of the objectives of our clients, which is crucial in providing them with holistic solutions to address the individualized issues they face.”

Canerday, the third Trusts and Estates partner to join the Katten Chicago office within a year, was previously the head of the Private Clients group in the Chicago office of Nixon Peabody.

Katten is a full-service law firm with nearly 700 attorneys in locations across the United States and in London and Shanghai. Clients seeking sophisticated, high-value legal services turn to Katten for counsel locally, nationally and internationally. The firm’s core areas of practice include corporate, financial services, insolvency and restructuring, litigation, real estate, environmental and workplace safety, commercial finance, intellectual property, structured finance and securitization, and trusts and estates. Katten represents public and private companies in numerous industries, including a third of the Fortune 100, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals. For more information, visit www.kattenlaw.com.