Chuck Adler joined the firm in 1993 and became a Partner in 1995. He has a special interest in planning for individuals, families, and closely held businesses. Chuck counsels individuals and families on complex estate, charitable, financial, and retirement planning matters; on estate, gift, and generation-skipping taxes; and on the organization and operation of private foundations. He also works with owners of closely held and family businesses on succession planning.

Before joining the firm, Chuck was an associate attorney with Thompson Hine and Flory and a senior accountant with Price Waterhouse. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and is certified by the Ohio State Bar Association as a specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law. He is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Cleveland (Former Trustee) and a Certified Public Accountant (Ohio, inactive). He is admitted to practice law in both Ohio and Florida.

In addition to years of professional expertise, Chuck is active in the Cleveland community. He was on the Board of Regents of St. Ignatius High School and is a past president of the Cleveland Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals. Chuck also served as a Trustee of the Alzheimer’s Association and Catholic Charities and is a current Trustee of the Dorn Family Foundation.

Practice Areas
  • Business Succession Planning
  • Charitable Planning
  • Estate Administration
  • Estate Planning
  • Family Foundations
  • Probate Litigation
  • Retirement Distribution Planning
  • Taxation
  • Trust Administration
  • Wealth Transfer

Education

  • Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, 1983, J.D.
  • Miami University, 1979, Accountancy

Admissions & Associations

  • State of Ohio
  • State of Florida
  • Member, Ohio State Bar Association
  • Member, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
  • Member, Estate Planning Council of Cleveland
  • Ohio Certified Public Accountant (inactive)

Professional Involvement

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

Awards & Honors

  • Ohio State Bar Association Board Certified Specialist, Estate Planning and Probate Law
  • Accredited Estate Planner®
  • Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent®
  • Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
    • Trusts and Estates, Cleveland 2022
    • Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Cleveland 2019
  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® since 2013 for Practice Areas:
    • Litigation - Trusts and Estates
    • Tax Law
    • Trusts and Estates
  • Chambers High Net Worth: Private Wealth Law, 2017-present
  • Ohio Super Lawyers® 2004-present

Community Activities

  • Board of Regents, St. Ignatius High School
  • Past President, Cleveland-Akron Chapter of the Society of FSP
  • Cleveland Catholic Foundation, Estate Planning Board
  • Trustee, Frederick W. and Janet P. Dorn Foundation
  • Former Trustee, Alzheimer's Association
  • Case Western University, Estate Planning Advisory Council
  • Cleveland State University, Estate Planning Advisory Council
  • American Red Cross, Cleveland Chapter, Estate Planning Advisory Council
  • Cleveland Museum of Art, Planned Giving Council
  • Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center, Estate Planning Advisory Council
  • Executive Committee and Trustee, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Alumni Association

Articles & Presentations

  • Donor-Advised Funds Gain Popularity, 2018
  • There's No Place Like Home...Ohio Becomes One of the Nation's Top Destinations for Asset Protection Planning, March 2013
  • Rules of Engagement: Ethical Challenges for Estate Planners, 22 Probate Law Journal of Ohio 187, March/April 2012